What Was The Role of David Herold

[RJNorton]

(04-28-2022 05:19 AM)Steve Wrote:  

(04-27-2022 10:20 PM)AussieMick Wrote:  John Fazio ( https://rogerjnorton.com/LincolnDiscussi...#pid49738) is convinced that Herold was the messenger who went to Julia Grant and tried to tell her that the Lincolns would be expecting her and the General to go to the theatre on April 14.

That's a really interesting idea, Mick (and John)! Really interesting. One counterargument against that notion might be Julia not identifying the messenger as Herold, especially in the days immediately following the assassination with Herold and the other conspirators' photos.

Reading the thread Mick linked to just gave me a thought. Does anybody think it's possible that John Surratt was in New Jersey on the night of the 14th, instead of Elmira? Stalking Grant for a possible attack that night around the right time? But then concluding it wasn't feasible and then heading to Canada?

In his book John Fazio briefly explores the idea that Surratt may have been on the Grants' train with the intention of assassinating the general. A day or two after Lincoln's assassination Grant received the following note:

“General Grant, thank God, as I do, that you still live. It was your life that fell to my lot and I followed you on the cars. Your car door was locked and thus you escaped me, thank God!”

In the book John discounts the possibility that this note came from John Surratt as "he was too much of a cold-blooded killer to express regret for failure." (p. 259)