However, Booth ultimately fled to Maryland in order to collect his weapons from Mary’s tavern. Then, he ventured south to Virginia, where he was eventually killed by Union soldiers.
At the same time, John made a run for it and went to Canada. Afterward, he flew to Europe, posed as a Canadian citizen, and joined a volunteer regiment known as Papal Zouaves– which was defending the Vatican amidst Italian unification.
Authorities from the U.S. did eventually catch up with John in Egypt. But, he was still able to avoid the gallows– unlike his mother.
Instead, Mary was questioned by officers, and historians have since described her interrogation responses as “confident and arrogant.” She reportedly denied ever knowing about the assassination, despite some historians believing that she at least knew about her son’s plan to kidnap the president.
Nonetheless, it was the boarding house– owned by Mary– where all of the group’s meetings had been held.
In addition to this fact, John Lloyd, her tavern keeper in Maryland, made some incriminating statements. Apparently, John claimed that on the day of the assassination, Mary told him to keep weapons ready for Booth and Herold. The two men had supposedly planned to rendezvous at the tavern following the murders.
So, this claim– coupled with the fact that Mary was essentially the conspirators’ landlord– landed Mary in hot water. She was ultimately arrested and placed on trial alongside Atzerodt, Powell, and Herold.
The Trial of Mary Surratt
Mary Surratt stood trial on May 12, 1865. But, rather than a civil court, Mary stood before a military tribunal made up of nine men.
This was highly controversial at that point, likely due to the fact that the Noth and the South were still not very agreeable.
Nonetheless, Mary proceeded to claim that she was innocent throughout all of the proceedings. Numerous friends and priests also showed up to defend her, as well as her daughter, Anna.
