Herold and Surratt

[RJNorton]

(05-11-2015 12:39 AM)Pamela Wrote:  Booth returned to DC on the evening of March 25 after leaving Baltimore in a rush, according to Sam Arnold in his letter to Booth. The Father Menu letter written to Weichmann was dated March 27 and sent from Ellicott, MD, so it likely arrived at the Surratt house one or two days later, while John was in Richmond. Since Mary was willing to steal Weichmann's letter, she must have read it before giving it to Booth. Weichmann was aware of visits by Booth to the house on April 1 and April 10, described in Chapter 13 of his book. On April 10, Booth read a letter written by Surratt to his family, apparently received and delivered to Mary by Annie Ward. Booth and Ward tried to deceive Weichmann as to it's contents. Weichmann didn't say whether Mary was in the room when that occurred, but presumably she was. Anna showed the letter to Louis after Ward and Booth left.

It seems from all these events, and later telegrams and Surratt's visit to Booth's home in NY, that Surratt and Booth were conspiring continuously up to the assassination. The Surratts took a page out of Booth's book by trying to compromise Weichmann as a potential witness against them by making him a witness to events that he didn't understand but that could make him appear to be involved (like the Herndon House visit with John).

Thanks, Pam, and also thanks to Susan who posted the Father Menu letter here.