John Surratt: The Man in Two Places at Once
On that worst of Good Fridays, April 14, 1865, at about 10:15 p.m., there is no question that John Wilkes Booth mortally wounded Abraham Lincoln. Nor is there any doubt that one of Booth’s principal co-conspirators was John H. Surratt, Jr. But whether Surratt was or was not in Washington D.C. on the night of the murder remains shrouded in mystery.
According to the testimony of Union Sergeant Joseph M. Dye, he was sitting on a platform in front of Ford’s Theatre between 9:30 and 10:00 the night of April 14, when he noticed the famous actor, John Wilkes Booth, conversing with a short, “villainous-looking” person, and another neatly-dressed gentleman. At intermission, Sergeant Dye heard Booth say, “he will come now,” apparently referring to the President, but the President did not step out for a breath of air. At that point Booth and his companions dispersed – Booth to Taltavul’s saloon for a quick shot of whiskey. Not long afterwards Booth returned, as did the neatly dressed gentleman, who stepped to the front of the theatre, checked the clock in the vestibule, called the time, and then briskly marched back up 10th Avenue towards H Street. A few minutes later the gentleman returned, repeated the time-calling ritual, and again disappeared towards H Street.
At this point, Sergeant Dye felt that something was wrong – so wrong, that he reached into the breast pocket of his artillery jacket to unwrap the handkerchief from around his revolver. The mysterious gentleman appeared once more, called the time at ten minutes past ten o’clock, and hurried away again towards H Street. At this signal, John Wilkes Booth walked directly into the theatre.
Sergeant Dye reported his suspicions to his companion, Sergeant Cooper, who replied that it was nothing and that he was hungry. They slipped into the neighboring oyster saloon, but before they could be served a man burst in to proclaim: “The President has been shot!” [to read the rest of this article, visit History News Network]John Surratt: The Lincoln Assassin Who Got Away
According to the testimony of Union Sergeant Joseph M. Dye, he was sitting on a platform in front of Ford’s Theatre between 9:30 and 10:00 the night of April 14, when he noticed the famous actor, John Wilkes Booth, conversing with a short, “villainous-looking” person, and another neatly-dressed gentleman. At intermission, Sergeant Dye heard Booth say, “he will come now,” apparently referring to the President, but the President did not step out for a breath of air. At that point Booth and his companions dispersed – Booth to Taltavul’s saloon for a quick shot of whiskey. Not long afterwards Booth returned, as did the neatly dressed gentleman, who stepped to the front of the theatre, checked the clock in the vestibule, called the time, and then briskly marched back up 10th Avenue towards H Street. A few minutes later the gentleman returned, repeated the time-calling ritual, and again disappeared towards H Street.
At this point, Sergeant Dye felt that something was wrong – so wrong, that he reached into the breast pocket of his artillery jacket to unwrap the handkerchief from around his revolver. The mysterious gentleman appeared once more, called the time at ten minutes past ten o’clock, and hurried away again towards H Street. At this signal, John Wilkes Booth walked directly into the theatre.
Sergeant Dye reported his suspicions to his companion, Sergeant Cooper, who replied that it was nothing and that he was hungry. They slipped into the neighboring oyster saloon, but before they could be served a man burst in to proclaim: “The President has been shot!” [to read the rest of this article, visit History News Network]John Surratt: The Lincoln Assassin Who Got Away
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