by Jim Bishop
George Atzerodt was caught, tried and hanged. So were Lewis Paine and David Herold. Booth was cornered in a Virginia barn and shot. For years afterward there were stories that it wasn’t Booth who was shot, but the stories were wrong. It was Booth and, years later, when the government removed his body from under a stone floor in a prison, and sent it home, the Booth family identified the remains as those of John Wilkes Booth and buried him in the family plot.
Mrs. Mary E. Surratt was tried, convicted and hanged for conspiracy. On a hot July day, a government employee held an umbrella over her head before the trap was sprung. On the morning of the hanging, her daughter Anna tried to see President Johnson to beg for mercy for her mother. Anna was kept from seeing the President by Preston King of New York and Senator James H. Lane of Kansas. Six months later, King tied a bag of shot around his neck and jumped off a Hoboken ferry; eight months after that, Senator Lane shot himself.
Dr. Samuel Mudd was tried for conspiracy and convicted. So were Sam Arnold, Mike O’Laughlin and Ned Spangler, the horse holder. All four were sentenced to Albany (New York) Penitentiary. Secretary Stanton, who felt that they had got off lightly, removed them to Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas Prison, off Key West, Florida. There, in August, 1867, yellow fever broke out and, when the prison doctor died, Dr. Mudd volunteered his services. He saved the lives of soldiers and prisoners, but Mike O’Laughlin died. The officers of the post appealed for a pardon for Mudd and it was granted in February 1869. Arnold and Spangler were freed with him and, realizing that Ned Spangler was dying of tuberculosis, Dr. Mudd took him home to Bryantown with him, and cared for him until he died.
John Lloyd and Louis Wiechman became the government’s star witnesses against Mrs. Surratt. Lloyd claimed he was threatened with death unless he testified against her. Wiechman claimed that Stanton promised him a job for his work as a witness, and for a time he worked in the Philadelphia customs house. He was later fired. When he died, he kept repeating that he was on his deathbed and he would still say that he told the truth at the trial of Mrs. Surratt.
John Surratt ran to Canada, thence to Europe, and was discovered two years later working as a Zouave forty miles from the Vatican. He was brought back, tried, and eventually released. He made money giving lectures on the assassination of Lincoln.
Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln, perhaps the most pathetic of all the people who figured in this day, was certified as a “lunatic”* in Cook County, Illinois, ten years after the death of her husband. It was Robert’s sad duty to sign the commitment papers. She was released a year later, and spent the last months of her life (1882) in a darkened room dressed in widow’s weeds. In 1871, Tad died.
The last of the survivors, Robert Todd Lincoln, died at the age of eighty-three, in 1926.
Bibliography
This is a list of the sources of information consulted before writing this book:
ANGLE, PAUL, THE LINCOLN READER
BROOKS, NOAH, WASHINGTON IN LINCOLN’S TIME
BROWNING, MARY E., OUR NATION’S CAPITAL
CLARKE, ASIA BOOTH, THE UNLOCKED BOOK, A MEMOIR OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH
DE WITT, DAVID MILLER, THE ASSASSINATION OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN
———, THE JUDICIAL MURDER OF MARY E. SURRATT, DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN BIOGRAPHY
EISENSCHIML, OTTO, WHY WAS LINCOLN MURDERED?
———, IN THE SHADOW OF LINCOLN’S DEATH
FERGUSON, W. J., I SAW BOOTH SHOOT LINCOLN
GRANT, U. S., PERSONAL MEMOIRS
HARNSBERGER, CAROLINE T., THE LINCOLN TREASURY
HERNDON, WILLIAM, THE HIDDEN LINCOLN (HERNDON’S LETTERS)
HURD, CHARLES, WASHINGTON CAVALCADE
———, THE WHITE HOUSE BIOGRAPHY
KIMMEL, STANLEY, THE MAD BOOTHS OF MARYLAND
LAUGHLIN, CLARA E., THE DEATH OF LINCOLN
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LEWIS, ETHEL, THE WHITE HOUSE
MEREDITH, ROY, MR. LINCOLN’S CAMERAMAN
MOORE, BEN PERLEY, THE ATTEMPT TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT BY ASSASSINATION OF ITS PRINCIPAL OFFICERS (3 VOL.)
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PITTMAN, BEN, THE ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN AND THE TRIAL OF THE CONSPIRATORS
PRATT, FLETCHER, STANTON
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SANDBURG, CARL, MARY LINCOLN—WIFE AND WIDOW
———, THE PRAIRIE YEARS (2 VOL.)
———, THE WAR YEARS (4 VOL.)
SEWARD, F. W., REMINISCENCES
STARR, JOHN W., LINCOLN’S LAST DAY, TRIAL OF JOHN H. SURRATT IN THE CRIMINAL COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (2 VOL.), GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
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WILLIAMS, BEN AMES, MR. SECRETARY
WILSON, FRANCIS, JOHN WILKES BOOTH
WINSTON, ROBERT, ANDREW JOHNSON
EXHIBITS, FORD’S THEATRE AND PETERSEN HOUSE
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Index
The page numbers in this index relate to the printed version of this book; they do not match the pages of your ebook. You can use your ebook reader’s search tool to find a specific word or passage.
Adams, Edwin, 223–24
African Americans, 7–8, 10, 154
slavery and, 9, 11, 112
voting rights for, 24, 114
Aladdin, or the Wonderful Lamp, 105, 106, 159–60
Anderson, Kate, 12
Anthony, Henry B., 32
Apostate, The, 89
Arnold, Isaac N., 210
Arnold, Samuel, 16
Booth conspiracy and, 74–76, 80, 81–82, 87–90, 92–93, 95–96, 98, 138, 177, 312–13, 334–35
letter to Booth from, 95–96, 281, 304–5, 312–13
Ashmun, George, 207–8, 209
assassination of Lincoln:
Booth approaches Lincoln, 229–30
Booth fires, 230–31
Booth identified as killer, 233, 237, 249, 257, 258, 266–67, 299, 301–2
Booth’s arrival at theater, 221–23, 226–28
Booth’s escape following, xiii, 231–33, 244, 255, 262–64, 270, 279–81, 289, 290, 308, 313–14
Booth’s final preparations for, 203–5
Booth’s idea to implicate Johnson in, 171–72
Booth’s leg broken during, 231, 232, 263–64, 279, 280, 307–11, 327
Booth’s letter explaining his motives for, 176–77, 183, 212, 252, 298
Booth’s name omitted from reports of, 289, 298, 299, 301–2
Booth’s plan for, 83–84, 106, 151, 171–72, 177, 187, 187–88; see also Booth conspiracy Booth’s preparations at Ford’s Theatre on day of, 138–43, 189–92
Booth’s “Sic Semper Tyrannis” phrase in, 204, 230
conspirators’ final meeting before, 210–12
delay and lost opportunities in apprehending Booth after, 268–69, 276–78
doctors’ immediate examination and treatment of Lincoln, 234–38
Lincoln carried out of theater, 238–40
Lincoln’s death, 328–31
news of, 246–53, 256, 258, 286, 288–89
newspapers’ reporting of, 298–99, 322–23
Rathbone stabbed by Booth during, 230, 234–35, 259
vigil for Lincoln at Petersen house, 240–41, 259–62, 286–87, 296-97, 315–16, 322, 324, 327–28
witnesses questioned after, 264–68, 275–78, 289–90
Atzerodt, George, 77, 80, 85, 301, 319–20, 327
in Booth conspiracy, 16, 75, 79, 86–88, 90, 92, 98, 106, 149, 150, 156, 171, 172, 187–88, 189, 210–12, 222–23, 225–26, 251, 254, 263–64, 275–78, 282–84, 290, 2
99–300, 305, 308, 334
Booth’s naming as co-conspirator, 176–77, 212
knife of, 318
Lee’s search of room of, 283–84
Augur, Christopher C., 40–41, 43, 241, 257, 258, 262, 264, 265, 267, 269, 270, 275–78, 281, 284, 289–90, 291, 304, 312, 333
Badeau, Adam, 39–40
Barnes, Joseph K., 36, 49, 333
Lincoln’s assassination and, xi, 241, 246–47, 258–59, 261, 286–87, 296, 315, 328
Bates, David Homer, 41, 61, 200, 216, 302
Beckwith, Samuel, 121
Beecher, Henry Ward, 123
Bell, William, 242–43, 245
Benjamin, Judah, 48, 98
Bennett, James Gordon, 47
blacks, see African Americans
Blair, Frank, 35
Booth, Asia (sister of John Wilkes), 64–65, 72, 97, 176
Booth, Edwin (brother of John Wilkes), 16, 63, 64, 115, 138, 227, 314
Booth, John Wilkes, xi, 9, 15–16, 21, 63–77, 115–18, 163–65, 174–77, 179, 180, 182–84
as actor, 64–65, 89
Arnold’s letter to, 95–96, 281, 304–5, 312–13
Bessie Hale and, 35, 65, 124, 334
Browning and, 172
Chester and, 68–71, 76, 98
Civil War and, 65–66
Grant and, 184
Herold and, 17
Lincoln assassinated by, see assassination of Lincoln
Lincoln hated by, 63–64, 66
at Lincoln’s second inaugural, 34–35, 98
mother’s correspondence with, 96–97, 107, 138
Mudd and, 68, 280, 307–11, 327
O’Laughlin and, 14
Paine and, 17, 53, 54, 80, 81–82
shooting of, 334
South and, 63, 65–66, 70, 72–74, 86, 264
Surratt family and, 18, 76–77
at Taltavul’s saloon, 223–24, 226
Turner and, 65, 249
at White House for Lincoln’s speech, 53, 54
see also Booth conspiracy
Booth, Junius (father of John Wilkes), 15–16, 64, 116, 224
Booth, Mary Ann (mother of John Wilkes), 96–97, 107, 138
Booth conspiracy, 63–107
Arnold and, 74–76, 80, 81–82, 87–90, 92–93, 95–96, 98, 138, 177, 312–13, 334–35
and Arnold’s letter to Booth, 95–96, 281, 304–5, 312–13
Atzerodt in, 16, 75, 79, 86–88, 90, 92, 98, 106, 149, 150, 156, 171, 172, 176–77, 187–88, 189, 210–12, 222–23, 225–26, 251, 254, 263–64, 275–78, 282–84, 290, 299–300, 305, 308, 334
and Booth’s dream of fame, 116–17, 143, 150
Booth’s letter explaining his motives for Lincoln’s capture, 72–75, 97, 176
and Booth’s message to Lloyd, 101–3
Booth’s naming of co-conspirators in, 176–77, 212
Booth’s mother and, 97
final meeting in, 210–12
Ford’s Theatre and, 70, 79–80, 87, 88, 90–93, 98, 105
government’s awareness of, 85–86, 87, 92, 95
Herold in, 75, 79, 86–88, 90, 98, 106, 149–51, 156, 176–77, 189, 190, 210–12, 222, 223, 241–45, 253–56, 263–64, 275–77, 279–81, 284, 290, 291, 334
horses and, 148–49, 165, 174–75, 179–80, 188, 189–90, 221–23, 232, 253, 256, 263, 264, 275–77, 290, 313
Johnson assassination plan in, 16, 75, 106, 149, 150, 156, 171, 226, 282–83
John Surratt in, 75–76, 79, 80, 87, 88, 90–93, 98, 177, 290, 291, 317, 335
Lincoln assassination plan in, 83–84, 106, 151, 171–72, 177, 187, 187–88
Lincoln capture plan in, 66–76, 79–80, 84, 87–98
and Lincoln’s attendance at Soldiers’ Home matinee, 89–94
Mary Surratt and, 18, 75, 76–77, 82, 93, 101–3, 163–64, 177, 186–87, 290, 292–94
Matthews and, 76, 182–83, 196, 251–52
O’Laughlin in, 74–76, 80, 81–82, 86–88, 90, 92–93, 95, 98, 177, 334–35
Paine in, 81–84, 87–88, 90, 92–94, 97–98, 106, 150–51, 165, 176–77, 189, 210–12, 241–46, 277, 284, 334
Seward assassination plan in, 150, 211, 212, 241–46
Seward attacked by Paine, 241–44, 246–50, 253, 256, 258–59, 263–64
Spangler and, 91, 189–90, 196, 221, 233, 334–35
Surratt boardinghouse and, see Surratt House
Wiechman and, 84–86, 87, 278, 292–94, 320–21, 335
see also assassination of Lincoln
Branson, Mary, 81
Brinkerhoff, Olive Louise, 12
Briscoe, Washington, 277
Brooks, Noah, 24–25, 200, 209–10
Brown, John, 65
Brown, William, 268
Browning, Colonel, 172, 218
Bruce, Frederick, 162
Buckingham, John, 214, 226–27
Burch, W. S., 267
Burns, Francis, 181, 182, 210, 213, 214, 216, 224
Burnside, Ambrose E., 226
Burrough, Joseph (“Johnny Peanut”), 165, 195–96, 221, 232, 233
Burton, Walter, 35
Bush, Sarah, 331
Bushrod, Nancy, 169–70
Bushrod, Tom, 169–70
Calvert, Charles, 77, 119, 163, 185
Campbell, J. A., 220
Capitol, 8, 46
Carland, Lewis, 226
Cartter, David K., 251, 262, 264–67, 281, 301, 305, 330
Cass, John, 325–26
Chandler, R., 326–27
Chandler, William Eaton, 334
Chase, Salmon P., 93, 250, 282
Chester, Samuel Knapp, 68–71, 76, 98
City Point, Va., 37–40
Civil War, 11, 29, 31–32, 34, 37, 38, 123
Booth and, 65–66
death toll from, 11–12, 55
end of, 41–51, 89, 94, 111, 155, 181, 212
Washington celebrations of end of, 42–44, 46, 51–55, 100, 104–7, 115
Clark, William T., 240
Clarke, Asia Booth, 64–65, 72, 97, 176
Clarke, John Sleeper, 65
Clarvoe, John A. W., 291–96
Clendin, William, 318
Cobb, Silas T., 254–56, 271
Cole, Cornelius, 114
Colfax, Schuyler, 9, 112–14, 206–7, 209–10, 333
Confederacy, 29
fall of, 41–51, 89, 98, 212
leaders of, 137–38, 174 see also South
Confederate plots, 29, 257, 265
Confederate prisoners, 13
congressmen’s wives, 10
Conness, John, 249, 284
Crawford, Lieutenant, 266
Cresswell, John A. J., 124
Crook, William H., 37, 59, 114–15, 116, 157, 177–79, 199–200, 202, 327, 333
Cutler, James B., 267
Daggett, Albert, 262
Dana, Charles A., 173–74, 281, 282
Dana, David D., 314, 326–27
Davenport, Edward, 93
Davis, Jefferson, 23–24, 41, 47, 125
Davis, Varina Banks Howell, 23–24
Dean, Appolonia, 87
Debonay, J. L., 222, 268
Deery, John, 103–4, 175
Dennison, William, 16, 32, 304
in Cabinet meeting, 132, 136, 137, 155
Deveny, John, 267
Dix, John Adams, 161, 301, 305
Stanton’s notifications to, 288–89, 301–2, 311–13, 330
Dixon, William, 265
Donaldson, Detective, 291
Douglas, Stephen, 113
draft, 133
Druscher, Louis, 12
Dunn, Alfonso, 115, 207
Early, Bernard J., 117
Eaton, William, 281
Eckert, Thomas T., 41, 84, 126, 178, 187, 189, 200, 251, 268, 333
Seward attack and, 246
economy, 11
Emancipation Proclamation, 9, 169–70
Ernani, 95
Farragut, David, 32
Farwell, Leonard J
., 205, 218, 248, 297
Ferguson, James P., 153, 227–28, 231, 234, 267, 321
Ferguson, W. J., 231
Fitzpatrick, Honora, 79, 87, 151, 218, 225, 295, 301
Fletcher, John, 179–80, 222–23, 253–54, 256, 267, 275–77, 284, 290
Forbes, Charles, 210, 214–16, 220, 222, 224
Ford, Harry Clay, 128, 139, 148, 153, 165–66, 196
Ford, James R., 127–28, 147–48
Ford, John T., 128–29, 333
Ford’s Theatre, 72, 76, 116, 330, 333
Booth conspiracy plans and, 70, 79–80, 87, 88, 90–93, 98, 105
Chester and, 68, 70
collapse of floors at, 333
confiscation of, 265
description of building and neighborhood, 138–41
State Box (President’s Box) in, 79, 80, 83, 87, 88, 126–28, 139–41, 143, 151, 153, 165–66, 190–92, 203, 213, 214, 228, 259
Ford’s Theatre, Our American Cousin at, 105, 127–28, 141–43, 160, 195–96
Grants’ invitation to attend, 61–62, 120–21, 126–28, 139, 147–48, 151, 153, 160–63, 178, 184, 200, 203, 205–7, 227
Lincoln at, 217–18, 220–22, 226–28
Lincoln assassinated at, see assassination of Lincoln
Lincolns’ arrival at, 290–10, 212–15
Lincolns’ plans to attend, 19, 61–62, 105, 126–28, 139, 147–48, 153, 160, 162, 178–79, 200, 203, 205–7
Stantons’ invitation to attend, 12, 170–71, 178
Forney, John, 32, 33
Forrest, Edwin, 72, 128
Fort Sumter, 105, 106, 123
Gamble, General, 269
Gardner, Alexander, 52, 147
Gardner, Polk, 262–63
Garfield, James, 333
general stores, 6–7
Georgetown, 8
Gifford, James J., 139, 142, 226, 321
Gilbert, C. W., 267
Gile, Colonel, 270
Giles, John R., 258
Gleason, D. H. L., 85, 86, 278, 312–13
Gobright, L. A., 249, 259
Good Friday, 11, 126–27, 128, 131, 139, 147, 151, 206
Gourlay, Jennie, 223
Grant, Julia Dent, 20, 39–40, 42, 59–62, 104, 119, 171, 184, 285, 334
invited to attend Our American Cousin, 120–21, 126, 161, 162
Grant, Ulysses S., 21, 31, 32, 37–39, 50, 51, 59–62, 104–6, 119–20, 163, 210, 266, 285