Herold and Surratt

[L Verge]

John F.

Lange and DeWitt listed nine specific historical errors contained in the Hanson Hiss article - one so egregious as having Surratt taking orders from a Gen. Wilder. One might possibly assume that that is a typo and should actually read "Winder," however, it refers to Surratt's orders to go to Elmira. At that time, Gen. Winder had been dead for several months.

These two lawyers also have a good answer to your question as to why Surratt did not refute the article. "If the article was a fraud, why didn't Surratt denounce it as such? In order to denounce, you have to speak. Your denunciation will be questioned, and you will be asked to explain what is true and what is false. This is no way to keep silent." I think we can agree that keeping silent - especially nearly thirty years later and after everything the whole Surratt family had gone through was a prudent thing to do.

Have you also consulted the writings of Fr. Alfred Isacsson, whose research on John Surratt went as far as delving into the Vatican Archives? His timeline of Surratt's travels is excellent and also stresses his movements in Elmira from April 13 through April 15 then into Canandaigua, where he registered at the Webster House under the name of John Harrison. On April 17, he read in the papers that he was wanted for the attack on Seward and fled to Canada, where authorities placed him in the care of John Porterfield, a Confederate agent.

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One more thing pertaining to Ste. Marie: What is the difference between how an Englishman looks and how an American looks? Shawls do not make the difference.