4- o > O n o CO 7^ CJ CO 1 ^ The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln Louis J. Weichmann Excerpts from newspapers and other sources From the files of the Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection >/ 2OQ^.0^rS~.0332l : 'So help me God, I have not heard I Of it before tills ndnute, but I see now the meaning of all these clandestine meetings that have been going on here.' HY ALVA O. KESEU. l<'utber Is Held. "My father waa, aa I have said, a 15N. ROBERT S. FOSTER and Geo. Lew Wallace were the In- tailor, and was, at this time, cutting commiselon that those who diana members of the mUltftry trNd soldiers' clothing In the arsenal at conspired to take the life of Abraham Lincoln. Gen. Foster Philadelphia. When he came home on the evening of April 15, 1805, he saw once "told that Loitls J. Wiechmann was the most important me tlie notice In the newspaper with ref- witness in the trial. Wiechmann, at that time, was a clerk in the office erence to the ttssassinatlon of Lincoln, been of Gen. Hoffman, commissary general of prisoners. and that the £. irratt famHy had arrested on eu^ ^Icion. Knowing Lou Wiechmann boarded and roomed at the home of Mrs. Mary E. Sur- bearded there, fa her took the first train for Washington. He went direct to the ratt. testified reference to the conspirators He with making many visits, Suri>att house. As soon ej he entered to the home of Mrs. Surratt on H street in Washington, and that Booth i the ottlcera told him that he was a he went vlalted her home on the afternoon of April' 14, 1865, the day of the prisoner. Father knew before that he would be made a prisoner. He assassination. had been In the amiy In Geimany, and Wiechmann was born in Baltimore, the son of a German tailor. His knew just exactly what would be done. next morn ng two ladles came. father moved from Baltimore to Washington in 184,4, and in "The 1853 moved One of them had left a little baby three to Philadelphia. Wiechmann attended Central high school in Phlladel- weeks old at her hoi.ie. Tliey had <:ome pbla and was graduated Feb. 10, 1859. He then attended a Catholic to the Sunatt home out of curiosity- end when thoy wanted to leave, Un: of- school In Maryland. It was there that he met Surratt. ficers wouldn't let then\. That night at uji uoal Decause or to the After the war Wiechmann became | but wornetl a great about 9 o'cUx.k all were taken «inploy« of tiie custom house at Phila- What he had gone through In that har- provost marslial'a office. They were to delphia, a position he obtained because rowing mllitui-y trial, and because of give father a hearing first. Father said he could speak eight laJieuageK. His several alttinpts to kill him after the for them to hear the ladies first, be- duty waa to interpret conuuunlcatlons trial. When he died the doctor said it cause he understood one of them had addressed to the custom house. In for- was caused by liL-j extreme nervousness. an infant at home. So thi^v heard tlie •l»n languages. He lost his position In He was only sick a very sliort timu. two ladies first and dismissed them. 1885 beeau-se of a change of administra- Just a half hour before he died he asked "They gi-llled father until he was al- tion and Influence of Southern men. He for a piece of paper, wroto the follow- most Out of his mind. My brother at oamc toi Anderson, Ind., the game year, ing and signed it: that time had been sent to Canada to where he had a broUier who was a ^' 'Juno 2, 1002. Tills Is to certify that Identify Surratt. He was not In Wash- Cat^iollc priest. Wiechmann started a every word' lliat I gave in evidence at ington at the time fatlier got there. business cOUeg-e In Anderson which he the assassination 'trial, was absolutely Finally, after they had grilled father un- die, conducted until his death, June 2, 1902. true; and now I am about to and til he was almost distract"^. Gen. Wal- With love 1 reconunend myself to all lace said: "We are going a little too Sl»t»r« Uvlng. Two truth-loving people. " far with this man.' They dismissed " •I.OUIS J. WIECHMANN.' two slaters. Miss father. Wiechmann has I "He was shut at in Pliiladelphia many "There was a young man by the name Tlllle Wiechmann and Mrs. C. O. coming I times. One evening he waa of Henry St. Marie, who had been in to Crowley, a widow, both living at 1403 home, and a lady called to him come St. Charles school with my brother and rushed in and just West Eighth street In Anderson. into her house. He Surratt. St. Marie said ho would fol- as he ha<l Klanimed the door, a shot was low Surratt until he found him. Sur- Crowley, In epeaklng of her Mrs. flred from the outside, which struck the ratt country and into the said got out of the brother, door. The man who flred the shot also enlisted hounded to death, by the Pope's anny. St. Marie "He was escaped. This woman had seen the while secessionists because he was In that In the Pope's army. One day man following my brother, with a they were on dress parade they came to- trial. The prejudice at the time of the him for that reason asked : assassination was awful. At that time pistol, and gtrther. St. Marie said 'Hello, Surratt.' denied his identity. St.* Mario I lived In Philadelphia with my father Into the house. Surratt said, T am going to report you to the ajid mother. After my brotlier was **l.ady" Asks for Wiechmann. graduated from the Piiiladelpliia high American minister.' Surratt threw away sixtj school, he went to St. Ciiarles college "My father had a tailor store, with a his gun, jumped over a precipice Ellicotts Mills Md., where he studied feet dee.p and made his way to a boat ; attached. »^^vate dwelling One evning 'sailing for Egypt. St. Marie notified the for the priesthood. It was there lie . ... met John Harrison Surratt, son of Mai-y we were all in the store and the door- Americjui consul, an<l the American gov- E. SuiTatt My brother had finished hla bell to our private residence rang. My ernment cabled to liav^ Surratt arrested first course in the college, and was to father went outside. Tliere was a as soon as he arrived In Egypt. This take the theological course, for tlie 'lady' standing on the sidewalk, was done, and Surratt was put in irons to Ktchmond diocese, under Bishop McGlll. 'She' asked if Lou was home, t'.itlier 'and brought the United States. Sur» He could not finish, as the blockade eald, 'Yes,' but that he had retired. jratt was not tried by a military court, Ibut by a civil court. There were lot prevented him going to Richmond. So 'She' asked If he couldn't cume down a iof secessionisLs he went to Washington, and accepted a and see 'her.' Father asked her to step connected with the trial 'and he not convicted, the position in the War Department. Inside the door, and said to 'her' that was Jury vot- 'Ing, 6 to 4, in "While employed by the War Depart- he would call ' Lou. 'She* refused to favor of acquittal. He to hlnj iWas never tried again. ment. Mrs. Sun-att's son can^e step Inside. Father said 'Unless you He went to moving from 'B.iltiiiiore and got employment with the and said his mother was come into the store, I will not call liim.': and he Express Company and little Burrattsvllle to Washington, 'She' started away. Father folluvvedl Adams a board with him over year ago about 1922 died. wanted my brother to 'her' to the next comer, at Slxteenthl a — —he brother went Surratt married and had seven sons. Tlic at his mother's home. My street. Tliere was a cab stiiniling! home in December. 1804, daugiiter of Mrs. Surratt, Annie H. Sur- to the Surratt there with four men in it. She got intoi and boarded with her up to April 14, ratt, was Ta-ri' i url i'iud sevi-il chil- the cab and It was driven away, wd il805, when Lincoln was assassinated. dj i-n ish( died about 190J or 1904." high school knew it was a man in disguise, and if "When my brother was in Lou had come down he would havo started to learn the In Philadelphia he been shot. These incidents were shortly system of shorthand writing. Pltnjan after the war liad closed, not later than He had good success with It, and. during with Mrs. Sur- the early seventies. the time he was boarding things Lost" In "Such and experiences he had ratt, wrote Milton's "Paradise undergone made the government took my brotlier, while yet shorthand. When a young man, a nervous wreck. He his wearing appai-el, books wus possession of born In 1842. could wanted to know what He speak eight and papers, they | languagea^ that shorthand was. None of them could '*'® officers and thought It was l'?^*^*^" Clime to the Sur- read shorthand ratt home, something connected with the assassina- iubout 3 o'clock of the morn- ing after the assnssination, tion.