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#5

Testimony of M a r y Surratt

“He led t h e meeting. It w a s all him. Sure, t h e y he ld

t h e me e t i n g a t m y boardinghouse, b u t how a m I to be
bl a me d for t h i s ? He w a s v e r y c l ea r a n d a d a m a n t in
w h a t h e wa nt e d. At first, t h e p l a n w a s simply to
k i d n a p Mr. Lincoln a n d u s e h i m a s r a n s o m to get o u r
Confederacy t h e d e m a n d s t h e y so d e s p e r a t e l y sought.
But, h e k e p t insisting t h a t m o r e m u s t be done. I
t r i e d to c a lm h i m b u t I could not. He d r e a m t u p t h i s
m a s t e r p l a n t h a t h e sai d would ‘destroy t h e e n t i r e
Union government.’ It w a s all to h a p p e n a t t h e
s a m e time, a t 10:15 pm. He sa id t h a t h e would kill
t h e p r e s i de nt , since h e h a d e a s y ac c es s to Ford’s
T h e a t e r a n d h a d b e e n a n a c t o r in t h e r e for ye a rs .
George At z erodt w a s to m u r d e r Vice P r e s i d e n t
A n d r e w J o h n s o n a n d Lewis Powell would kill
S e c r e t a r y of St a t e William Seward. David Herold,
wi t h hi s knowledge of t h e a r e a , would guide Powell
to Se wa rd, t h e n m e e t wi t h J o h n to t a k e h i m s o u t h
w h e r e h e will be viewed a s a he ro. I kn o w I a m n o t
i nn o c e n t b u t to t h i n k t h a t P r e s i d e n t J o h n s o n is
sa ying t h a t I ‘kept t h e n e s t t h a t h a t c h e d t h e egg’ is
appalling.’”

Source: Created and adapted from information provided at

http://
law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/lincolnconspiracy/mudd.ht
ml © History with Mr. E
Specializing in American and World History for late Elementary, Middle, and early High