What Was The Role of David Herold

[John Fazio]

(02-05-2013 01:24 PM)JMadonna Wrote:  

(02-05-2013 10:11 AM)John Fazio Wrote:  Jerry:

A very good question, and one I have often asked myself in connection with other assertions by various authors. I don't know. I suppose one would be hard pressed to find a contemporaneous record wherein someone made reference to the fact that Cobb, or other sentries, were passing people after 9:00 with little or no regard for legalities. But there may be such.

As for the "severe reprimand", Joan Chaconas is, first of all, a first rate scholar, and, secondly, she worked closely with Bill Hall on the article, the Dean of assassination historians. Steers, Roscoe and Oldroyd are not slouches either.I would have to say that she and they, therefore, represent at least a prima-facie case on the issue, subject to compelling rebuttal evidence, which I find nowhere. Much as I enjoyed your book, and read, and continue to re-read portions of it, assiduously, I do not believe there is evidence that Booth and Herold had passes. I believe what evidence there is points in the opposite direction. Lincoln did not issue a pass on the evening of the assassination; he issued a note saying passes were not necessary. He did issue a pass the previous day, but that was probably his way of assuring passage with no possibility of impediment.

Thank you for staying with me on this. Your input is very valuable to my writing.

John,
I am not trying to convince you that I'm correct. I've laid out my case in my book and the readers can believe it or not. I can do no more.

As I 've said before, speculation is necessary on this issue, it's just a question of which is closer to the truth. So many respected scholars have gone down the negligence path that they've ended up quoting each other and obsured the original evidence to back their claim.

I'm sure you'll put together the best scenario that fits the evidence you've uncovered. Good Luck and keep me informed on the pub date. I've learned other things since I published my book so if I can help in any way just let me know.

jerry

Jerry:

Thanks. I will certainly do that.

Incidentally, I meant to say James Hall (James O. Hall), not Bill Hall, but I'm sure you knew that.

John

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(02-04-2013 04:02 PM)Laurie Verge Wrote:  Then why didn't Herold just drop those items off on March 17, when he first got to the tavern instead of waiting around and then heading five miles south to T.B. to spend the night? And why did Surratt and Atzerodt come looking for him on March 18?

Herold was so well known in that area that he could have dropped those carbines off any place. Southern Marylanders had been receiving and forwarding contraband weapons for four years.

Your turn...

Laurie:

It sounds like you are splitting an irrelevant hair. How much does it matter if Herold dropped the carbines, etc., off directly, or went to T.B. first, then returned to the tavern and dropped them off? As for spending the night in T.B., there are a million reasons one would prefer to sleep in one place rather than another. (Maybe he had a woman in T.B.; that's a good reason, as any man will attest to.) The point is that he dropped them off at a place that had always been safe for Confederates, a place that he and Booth and perhaps Atzerodt could easily reach on the 14th for the purpose of retrieving them, not with Lincoln in handcuffs, but with Lincoln dead. And that (minus Atzerodt) is exactly what they did.

They probably came looking for him on the 18th because neither they nor Booth wanted to lose Atzerodt, because they needed him, which they were in danger of doing after the turmoil and acrimony of the Gautier's Restaurant meeting of the 15th, after which everyone split.

John