| David Herold |
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, Lewis T. Powell , David E. Herold, and George A. Atzerodt ), July 7, 1865, at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. ]] David Edgar Herold ( 16 June 1842 – 7 July 1865 ) conspired with John Wilkes Booth to kill United States President Abraham Lincoln . He was born in Maryland, the son of Adam and Mary Porter Herold. He was the sixth of ten children. His grew up very close to the Washington Navy Yard in a large brick house. He attended Gonzaga College High School , Georgetown College , and Rittenhouse Academy and worked as a pharmacist and as a clerk for a doctor. He also was an avid hunter. Herold attended Charlotte Hall Academy, where he met John Surratt , who introduced him to Booth. On the night of April 14 1865 , he guided Lewis Powell (aka Lewis Payne) to the house of Lincoln's Secretary Of State William Seward . Inside, Powell attempted to kill Seward, and severely wounded him and other members of his household. The ensuing commotion frightened Herold and he rode off, leaving Powell to fend for himself. Another conspirator claimed that Herold was to have killed Vice President Andrew Johnson , but this attack was never carried out. It was at this time that John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln at Ford's Theater . During the assassination, Booth broke his leg. Despite this injury, Booth escaped Washington into Maryland, and by pre-arrangement met up with Herold. Herold assisted Booth to the home of Dr. Samuel Mudd , where Booth's leg was set. Herold remained with Booth and continually aided him until the authorities caught up with them. Herold and Booth were surrounded on 26 April 1865 , and Booth was shot dead, while Herold surrendered. Herold was tried before a military tribunal (having already admitted his involvement in the assassination conspiracy, his defense was that he was feeble-minded and under undue influence from Booth), and was hanged in Washington, D.C. . He is interred in the Congressional Cemetery there. EXTERNAL LINKS |
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