The Case For Mrs. Surratt

[STS Lincolnite]

(09-27-2016 01:47 PM)L Verge Wrote:  The delivery of those field glasses and the message to have things ready that night were crucial to Mary Surratt's fate. That's what probably made the difference between imprisonment and execution. Her doing Booth's bidding just hours before the assassination (if Lloyd is to be believed - I think he spoke the truth) sent her to the gallows. Naturally, supporters of Mrs. Surratt would dispute and try to disprove that incident.

Laurie,

I agree with you on both counts. I think that Mrs. Surratt’s delivery of the package and passing along the message were critical in the determination of her final fate. I also believe Lloyd was telling the truth. This fact is bolstered (in my eyes anyway) by a passage from Atzerodt’s May 1, 1865 statement:

“Booth told me that Mrs. Surratt went to Surrattsville to get out the guns (Two Carbines) which had been taken to that place by Herold. This was Friday. The carriage was hired at Howard's.”

This statement was given prior to Loyd’s testimony at the trial and it would seem to independently corroborate Lloyd’s story. Atzerdot’s statement in full was pretty rambling but I think it was the truth as he knew it.

Of course Atzerdot’s statement was not available to Ms. Campbell when she was writing her book, but from what Gene articulated, I doubt it would have changed her point of view regarding Mrs. Surratt.