What Was The Role of David Herold

[John Fazio]

[quote='wsanto' pid='15727' dateline='1365191684']
[quote='John Fazio' pid='15718' dateline='1365183801']
[quote='Laurie Verge' pid='15717' dateline='1365183764']
I have to disagree with you on the closeness of the various places - having walked to every one of them in my better days. We need only consider Seward's home on Lafayette Park (behind the White House so close to 16th Street), the Treasury building at 15th and F, Kirkwood House at 12th and Pennsylvania, and Ford's Theatre in mid-block of Tenth Street.

Where does the Willard even figure in except for Herold riding past it while heading to the Navy Yard Bridge? And, I don't understand your reference to Herold riding from Ford's to the Willard.


William, Laurie, et al:

I believe I previously presented enough evidence to show that Herold was more likely in or around Ford's that night for the purpose of helping Booth than he was accompanying Powell. Consider as additional evidence the statement attributed to Herold in the newspaper article just presented to us by Roger, in which he said that his role in the "kidnapping" plot was to put out the gas. This is not the first time we have seen his name mentioned in connection with putting out the gas. Consider, further, the statements attributed to Booth in connection with Atzerodt's refusal to kill Johnson, namely "then we will do it", i.e. he and Herold, and "Herold had more courage (or pluck)". Consider another use of the royal plural when Booth told Lloyd that he was pretty sure that "we" (i.e. he and Herold)had assassinated the President and the Secretary of State. Consider Atzerodt saying flatly in one of his confessions that Booth had assigned Herold to kill Johnson. And consider, lastly, this from Lafayette Baker:

"Atzerodt made a partial confession to the Rev. Mr. Butler, a few hours before his execution. He stated that...Booth intended that Herold should assassinate Johnson and he wanted him (Atzerodt) to back him up and give him courage. Booth thought that Herold had more pluck..." (Baker, p. 510)

It seems reasonably obvious to me that Booth was making do with what he had, and he didn't have much. He would, therefore, make use of both Herold AND Atzerodt in disposing of Johnson, which would explain why Atzerodt was seen going into the Kirkwood at killing time and then leaving in about 5 minutes, despite having previously begged off, which was later confirmed by Powell. He was apparently thwarted in his purpose for reasons unknown to us, and it is probable that Herold was thwarted by the same obstacle, whatever it was, when he went to the Kirkwood from Ford's. Thus, Herold would come away from the Kirkwood certain that Johnson was untouched, which is what he told Booth when they met at the foot of the hill. That explains why Booth did not include Johnson in his list of victims when to told Lloyd what he thought they had accomplished that night. He could only have been told by Herold and Herold could not have known unless he had been at the Kirkwood.

And if you think that's something, you should have seen how I figured everything out with Bacall at Key Largo.

John