The conspiracy to assassinate the President involved altogether
twenty-five people. Among the number captured and tried were David
C. Herold, G. W. Atzerodt, Louis Payne, Edward Spangler, Michael
O’Loughlin, Samuel Arnold, Mrs. Surratt and Dr. Samuel Mudd, a
physician, who set Booth’s leg, which was sprained by his fall from
the stage box. Of these Herold, Atzerodt, Payne and Mrs. Surratt were
hanged. Dr. Mudd was deported to the Dry Tortugas. While there an
epidemic of yellow fever broke out and he rendered such good service
that he was granted a pardon and died a number of years ago in Maryland.
John Surratt, the son of the woman who was hanged, made his escape to
Italy, where he became one of the Papal guards in the Vatican at Rome.
His presence there was discovered by Archbishop Hughes, and, although
there were no extradition laws to cover his case, the Italian Government
gave him up to the United States authorities.
He had two trials. At the first the jury disagreed; the long delay
before his second trial allowed him to escape by pleading the statute
of limitation. Spangler and O’Loughlin were sent to the Dry Tortugas and
served their time.
Ford, the owner of the theatre in which the President was assassinated,
was a Southern sympathizer, and when he attempted to re-open his theatre
after the great national tragedy, Secretary Stanton refused to allow
it. The Government afterward bought the theatre and turned it into a
National museum.
President Lincoln was buried at Springfield, and on the day of his
funeral there was universal grief.