What Was The Role of David Herold

[Art Loux]

[quote='John Fazio' pid='13852' dateline='1361686198']

John, I have been reading through this interesting thread and wanted to respond to a few items. Here goes.

You wrote: "I submit that the foregoing evidence suggests that Wood or Woods may not be the same person as Powell and that he (Wood or Woods) was also involved in the assassination and attempted assassinations that night."
Response: See Atzerodt Statement to McPhail, May 1, 1865: "James Wood sometimes called Mosby boarded with Mrs. Murray an Irish woman on the corner of 9 & F St. . . . He was a little over six feet, black hair, smooth round face, gray coat black pants, & spring coat . . . Mosby was Wood'’s nickname - did not know him by any other name than mentioned."

Conclusion: Powell, Wood/Woods, Mosby were all the same person.

You wrote: "In his confession of April 25, Atzerodt said that after Booth returned from New York (i.e. after the Gautier's Restaurant meeting and the Campbell Hospital episode), he took Atzerodt to a lady's house near the Patent Office..."introduced me to a young man he called James Wood. . . ."

Response: Yes, the timing of Atzerodt meeting Powell is off as written. Atzerodt spoke with a thick accent which was difficult to understand. What he said was written down by his various interviewers which added another layer of obfuscation. It is obvious from the May 1, 1865 statement that Atzerodt knew Wood/Mosby/Powell before or coincident to the Gautier’s' meeting.

You wrote: "Later in his April 25 confession, Atzerodt said that "I went up to Woods in the Navy Yard about 12 o'clock after the assassination. . ." This "Woods" could hardly have been Powell. . ."

Response: This mysterious statement can be demystified by reference to Atzerodt'’s other confessions. In his confession which appeared in the Baltimore American of January 18, 1869 Atzerodt described riding around after he left the Kirkwood House at 10:15 (est.): "I rode down the avenue and the cavalry were dashing by me. This was the first I heard of the murder. I then went up Eighth Street and left the horse at the stables opposite the Franklin House, and then went to the Herndon House. I then took a car and went towards the Navy Yard. This was about 11 o’clock, and I met two young men named Briscoe and Spates. After walking some distance I took a car to Sixth and Pennsylvania Avenue."

Conclusion: The statement "I went up to Woods in the Navy Yard about 12 o’clock after the assassination . . ." is garbled. In light of the Baltimore American confession it might be edited to read, "I went up to Wood’'s [meaning the Herndon House], and then took a car to the Navy Yard."