What Was The Role of David Herold

[John Fazio]

(02-23-2013 10:16 AM)DanielC Wrote:  John I have always been on the fence with this issue, you make excellent points. Of all the conspirators IMO (and I maybe wrong) his relationship and whom he trusted the most was Surratt. I find it hard to believe the topic of murder would no have come up between the two, or there would not have been a plan "B" if the "Kidnapping" had failed. If JWB had survived and had his day of reckoning at the gallows, and Surratt had surrendered to take his mothers spot, I think justice would have been better served.
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Dan:

"Better served", perhaps, but that is not to say that justice was not served, because Mary Surratt was, IMO, also guilty. But, yes, John Surratt got away with murder and, yes, Booth would have been a treasure trove of information if he had lived.

John

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[quote='Laurie Verge' pid='13798' dateline='1361633842']
I must have missed John's post on 2/18. In response, there is no doubt in my mind that John Surratt was #2 man in the kidnap scheme and may well have known that Plan B to kill Lincoln was always a possibility. The point I was making was that Surratt was under the command of the Confederacy, especially during the month of April and especially with Gen. Edwin Lee using him in part of the plan to transfer Confederate gold into Canada. I have always thought the prison camp at Elmira was a ruse. I suspect that there were some Copperheads in northwestern New York that Surratt was in touch with instead.

Anyhow, my point is that - no matter what Surratt knew and when - his obligation was to the Confederacy, not John Wilkes Booth at that point.

Also, I mentioned Fernando Wood because I consider him a very shifty person who shows up early in the Lincoln presidency as the president-elect came through New York. He and the Senator from Texas (whose name I can't think of) who stayed in Congress long enough to cause waves both deserve some study, IMO.

Laurie:

",,,his obligation was to the Confederacy, not John Wilkes Booth at that point". That assumes that Booth's obligation was not to the Confederacy; that Booth was effectively on his own, without direction from Richmond. I cannot accept that. I believe the evidence is strong that he was being handled by Richmond and Confederate agents closer to him than Richmond (e.g. the mail line, Harbin, Stringfellow, et al.). Consider only Arnold's reference to Richmond in the letter found in Booth's room; Chester's statement that Booth told him he was low on funds and would have to go to Richmond to get more; Booth's 10 days in Montreal, meeting with top Confederate agents there; Surratt's many meetings with Benjamin and also with Booth; and Ste. Marie's Affidavit. Consider, too, the numerous references to "others" in the conspiracy by Atzerodt, Powell and Arnold.

I see you are still making references to "kidnapping". I hope to disabuse you of this myth.

I remain, Madam, your most obedient and humble servant,

John