The Conspirator (1961) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Mary Surratt was convicted of conspiring with John Wilkes Booth to assassinate President Lincoln. While she maintained she only conspired to kidnap Lincoln, not kill him, witnesses testified that she provided a boarding house for conspirator meetings and possessed binoculars and firearms. The court found her guilty on all charges, and despite defense attorney Frederick Aiken's efforts, President Andrew Johnson commuted her sentence from life imprisonment to execution. The political climate and public demand for justice following Lincoln's murder heavily influenced the verdict.

Foreshadowing: Earlier testimony revealed that Louis J. Weichmann was connected to Mary’s son John and had seen conspirators meeting at her boarding house.

• mary surratt
• execution
• conspiracy
• lincoln assassination
• death penalty

Frederick Aiken, a Union veteran and lawyer, was initially hesitant to take Mary Surratt's case due to the political sensitivity and public sentiment against her. However, he was eventually appointed as her defense attorney. Throughout the trial, Aiken sought to find evidence proving her innocence, even as he privately questioned her guilt. His defense of a woman accused of conspiring in the President's assassination cost him his membership at the Century Club and created significant professional and personal conflicts.

Foreshadowing: The timeline shows Aiken celebrating with Union supporters on the night of Lincoln's assassination, making his eventual defense of a suspected conspirator more surprising.

• frederick aiken
• mary surratt
• defense lawyer
• trial
• union veteran

John Surratt, Mary Surratt's son, escaped capture immediately after Lincoln's assassination and went into hiding. A nationwide manhunt was launched to find him. Sixteen months after the executions, Aiken visited John, who was captured abroad and incarcerated. John declined his mother's rosary but expressed gratitude for Aiken's kindness. In approximately 1867, John's case went to trial but the jury could not reach a verdict, leading to his release and the end of the conspiracy trial outcomes.

Foreshadowing: Mary claimed during her trial that her son John had left town weeks before the murder and was not involved in the plot.

• john surratt
• escape
• manhunt
• captured
• release

Lewis Powell (Lewis Payne) attacked Secretary of State William Seward, leaving him fatally wounded but alive despite severe injuries. Powell failed to complete the assassination. George Atzerodt, assigned to kill Vice President Andrew Johnson, became overwhelmed by fear, got intoxicated, and fled without attempting the assassination. These failures, combined with Booth's death, effectively dismantled the broader conspiracy within days of Lincoln's murder.

Foreshadowing: The conspiracy involved multiple targets coordinated on the same night, but the plan unraveled when individual conspirators failed to carry out their parts.

• lewis powell
• george atzerodt
• seward
• assassination attempt
• conspiracy failed

John Wilkes Booth evaded capture for several days after assassinating Lincoln. He fled with fellow conspirator David Herold into Maryland. Union soldiers eventually tracked them to a barn in Maryland. Herold surrendered, but Booth refused to emerge. When Sergeant Boston Corbett attempted to arrest him, Booth tried to raise a rifle, and Corbett shot him. Booth died from the wound shortly after.

Foreshadowing: Booth's escape into Maryland after shouting 'Sic Semper Tyrannis!' set off the manhunt that led to his death.

• john wilkes booth
• death
• maryland barn
• boston corbett
• escape

One year after the trial, the Supreme Court ruled in Ex parte Milligan that citizens were entitled to trial by civilian jury, even during wartime, rather than military tribunals. This established an important legal principle that the conspirators' military trial did not follow standard constitutional protections. Despite this ruling, the outcomes for the executed conspirators were not overturned.

Foreshadowing: The trial itself was conducted as a military tribunal, which later became the subject of constitutional debate.

• supreme court
• legal precedent
• civilian trial
• military tribunal
• ex parte milligan

Defending Mary Surratt made Frederick Aiken a target of public anger and professional retaliation. As a Union veteran who had celebrated Lincoln's death at Ford's Theater, taking on the defense of a supposed conspirator was seen as traitorous. His association with Mary cost him his membership at the Century Club, and he faced significant personal and professional conflicts throughout the trial. Despite these consequences, Aiken continued to investigate evidence and attempt to prove her innocence.

Foreshadowing: Aiken was present at Ford's Theater on the night of the assassination, witnessing Lincoln being carried away unconscious.

• frederick aiken
• controversy
• century club
• public opinion
• professional consequences

Secretary of War Edwin Stanton played a central role in ordering the arrest of all individuals connected to the conspiracy. He directed the investigation that led to the capture of Mary Surratt, David Herold, Lewis Powell, George Atzerodt, and others. Stanton's swift action ensured that suspected conspirators were apprehended quickly, though the investigation and subsequent trial were criticized for their political nature.

Foreshadowing: Stanton's orders came immediately after Lincoln's death, reflecting the urgency and gravity of the situation.

• edwin stanton
• investigation
• arrests
• secretary of war
• conspiracy

John Wilkes Booth, a famous actor, used his knowledge of Ford's Theater to infiltrate the venue. He had inside familiarity with the theater's layout and understood the President's security arrangements. On April 14, 1865, during a performance of 'Our American Cousin,' Booth silently entered Lincoln's box from the back, taking advantage of the minimal security at the time. He shot Lincoln in the back of the head, stabbed Henry Rathbone, and escaped onto the stage.

Foreshadowing: Booth's prior performances at Ford's Theater gave him familiarity with the building's access points.

• john wilkes booth
• ford theater
• lincoln box
• security
• assassination

David Herold was one of the conspirators who fled with Booth after the assassination. He was captured alongside Booth at the Maryland barn, but chose to surrender to Union soldiers rather than face death. Herold was arrested, tried as a conspirator, found guilty, and executed by hanging along with Mary Surratt, Lewis Powell, and George Atzerodt on July 6, 1865.

Foreshadowing: Herold surrendered to authorities while Booth refused to exit the barn, leading to different fates for the two men.

• david herold
• capture
• execution
• conspirator
• maryland barn

Andrew Johnson became president because he was the sitting Vice President at the time of Lincoln's assassination. When Lincoln succumbed to his injuries on April 15, 1865, Johnson was sworn in as the new President. His administration inherited a nation divided by war and facing the aftermath of Lincoln's murder, and he later played a controversial role in commuting Mary Surratt's sentence from life imprisonment to execution.

Foreshadowing: Atzerodt was assigned to kill Johnson on the same night as Lincoln's assassination but failed to carry out the attack.

• andrew johnson
• presidency
• lincoln death
• sworn in
• succession