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Was Mary Surratt a Lincoln Conspirator?
The southern widow's Maryland house was a crucial stop on the escape route for assassin John Wilkes Booth the night he shot the president. (4:28)
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Comments (10)
I don't care whether Mrs. Surratt was involved in the conspiracy or not! The government had no right to try her as an equal of the men involved considering that under the law she did not have the same rights and autonomy men enjoyed at this time in history. Women were non-persons. How dare they! I hope their consciences were sore troubled for the rest of their lives.
Posted by Dawn Cox on February 25,2013 | 10:47 AM
I offer comments as a student of the assassination and surrounding events since Middle School. Years ago I retraced Booth's route, enjoying visits to the Suratt Tavern and the Mudd house.... It may forever be unknown what Mary knew....it seems she should have known....and yet her punishment....and Mudd's also, for that matter, seems unjust by modern standards...thanks for the opportunity
Posted by James R. Tysell on April 9,2012 | 12:34 AM
I believe in the aftermath of the assasination, there probably was a rush to judgment in the case of Mary Surratt. I believe she was possibly aware of what was going on, but does this make her guilty in the murder and worthy of the hanging of the first woman to be killed by the U.S. government? I really don't have an answer, but considering her son was later acquited, I think her hanging was more of a revenge at all costs gesture to appease the greiving public.
Posted by David Owens on March 12,2012 | 09:39 AM
Surrat condemned herself by transporting Booth's fieldglasse & Spencer carbines from Washington to her tavern. Even if she was unaware of the fact that Booth planned to assassinate Lincoln,this act in furthering the conspiracy made her GUILTY of it all. This was why the court found her guilty.The only question concerns her tennant,Louis Weichmann who drove Mrs.Surratt tro her tavern to deliver Booth's guns(which could have condemned him as well as her)gave testimony against her and thereby became a witness rather than a conspirator. Did he blame Surratt, maklng her a patsy to save himself? Lt was his testimony that sent her to the gallows.
Posted by Jim Martin on January 24,2012 | 04:52 PM
I viewed "The Conspirator" on DVD yesterday; my impression, from the movie, was that....according to the lawyer (former Captain in the Union Army) who defended Mary Surratt, she was wrongly tried by a military tribunal rather than a trial by jury which, as a civilian, she was entitled to ~ by law.
Enjoyed Robert Redford's production; intriguing, interesting.
Posted by Nancy Moss on September 4,2011 | 03:32 PM
This was very knowledgeable.
Posted by Kyonta Lewis on May 13,2011 | 11:02 AM
By chance was Mary Surratt actually spell her name Surrett or in later years did they change the spelling
Posted by debbie on April 30,2011 | 01:36 AM
Sorry, I'm a little confused:
1. Where is "here" the speaker refers to?
2. Who is the speaker?
Thank you.
Kevin O
Posted by Kevin OLeary on April 30,2011 | 07:13 PM
Smithsonian: First, Thank you for everyone that helps keep history alive at the Smithsonian Institution, I am forever indebted.
The new movie "The Conspiracy" is a must watch film for all Americans. It is unlike any film I have ever watched. You will not be disappointed. Many question can be answered and many questions remain unclear.My most intriguing are these:
1.Why would a woman of such strong support for the Confederacy own a house and conduct business in Federally controlled D.C.?
Wouldn't she have to pay taxes and wouldn't those very taxes be used to help the Union fight the South, albeit; she probably didn't make much but she still had to pay yearly tax.I know she had owned it before the war, but why stay in D.C.?
2.Proven: JW Booth was at the Surratt boarding house @541 H St. as testimony given to the Tribunal. The night of the assassination of our 16th Pres. JW Booth goes to Surratt's Tavern 11.4 miles away from Ford's Theater. On horseback that is about a 20-25 minute ride to pick up "the Irons" for his getaway South.
Now to me, as I understand it and IF I was on the Tribunal during this period, I would have convicted Mary Surratt on Conspiracy of Committing Treason which was punishable by death at that time. Mary Surratt had no business doing business as long as she did during the war, especially in the Capital of the Union. She was harboring spys of the Confederacy the whole time during the war. Too bad so many other Southern spys went to their graves holding onto the secrets of how they conspired to kill Abraham Lincoln. In my opinion, I think Jefferson Davis was the leader of the attempts against Lincoln from the beginning of the war until April 15th,1865.
Posted by Ryan Lee on April 18,2011 | 08:09 PM
I first heard of this event when watching "Ken Burns Civil War". The movie gave a more kinder view of view of the events leading to her death. I do believe she had to know somthing of the plan to kill Lincoln, either by overhearing a conversation or actually being told about this. This is a good overview about the events. I do not believe she should be been excuted, but if I was living in the time directly after the civil war and Lincoln's dealth, I might have a different view. It will be interesting to see how the new movie with Robin Wright will portray these events.
Posted by B Kauffman on April 17,2011 | 01:11 PM