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George Andreas AtzerodtA conspirator who participated in the development of the assassination plan
Date of Birth: 12.06.1835
Country:  USA |
Content:
- George Andrew Atzerodt: A Conspirator in Lincoln's Assassination
- Meeting John Wilkes Booth
- The Failed Assassination Attempt
- Suspicion and Arrest
- Weak Defense and Execution
- Final Words
George Andrew Atzerodt: A Conspirator in Lincoln's Assassination
Born in Germany on June 12, 1835, George Andreas Atzerodt immigrated to the United States in 1843. He eventually settled in Port Tobacco, Maryland, and established a wagon repair business.
Meeting John Wilkes Booth
In Washington, D.C., Atzerodt became acquainted with John Wilkes Booth. Booth was a Confederate sympathizer and actor who planned to kidnap President Abraham Lincoln. Atzerodt agreed to participate in the conspiracy.
The Failed Assassination Attempt
On April 14, 1865, Booth tasked Atzerodt with assassinating Vice President Andrew Johnson. However, Atzerodt's courage failed him, and he chose to spend the evening drinking at a hotel bar instead.
Suspicion and Arrest
While staying at the hotel, Atzerodt's suspicious behavior arose when he inquired about Johnson's whereabouts. After Lincoln's assassination, the hotel staff alerted authorities to a "suspicious man in a gray coat." Military police searched Atzerodt's room, finding a loaded revolver and a concealed knife. They also discovered a book inscribed with Booth's name. Atzerodt was promptly arrested on April 20.
Weak Defense and Execution
Atzerodt's attorney argued that he was too cowardly to carry out the assassination, but this line of defense failed. On July 7, 1865, Atzerodt was hanged with three other conspirators: Mary Surratt, Lewis Powell, and David Herold. His remains were interred at Old Saint Paul's Cemetery in Baltimore.
Final Words
Before his death, Atzerodt uttered, "May we all meet in the next world. The Lord is taking me now."
