Her final words before the execution were said to be, “Don’t let me fall.”

Washington, D.C., Fort Lesley J. McNair holds a chilling past that lingers to this day. Beneath what now appears to be an ordinary tennis court lies a site of historical execution—where four individuals accused of conspiring in President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination met their fate.

Alongside Mary Surratt, three other individuals were executed: Lewis Powell, David Herold, and George Atzerodt. Powell, a former Confederate soldier, was assigned to assassinate Secretary of State William Seward but failed in his attempt. Herold, a loyal follower of Booth, assisted in his escape and was captured alongside him. Atzerodt was supposed to kill Vice President Andrew Johnson but lost his nerve and never carried out his part of the plot. Despite varying levels of involvement, all three were found guilty and sentenced to hang. Among them was Mary Surratt, the first woman ever to be hanged by the U.S. government. To this day, controversy surrounds her name, and many believe she was unjustly accused.

Mary Surratt: Guilty or Innocent?

Mary Surratt’s involvement in the plot to assassinate Lincoln remains a topic of debate. She was a boarding house owner whose establishment became a meeting place for the conspirators, including John Wilkes Booth. Prosecutors argued that she played an active role in the conspiracy, though there was little concrete evidence tying her directly to the assassination plan. Despite her claims of innocence, she was convicted and sentenced to death. Her final words before the execution were said to be, ‘Don’t let me fall.’

In the years since, historians and legal experts have questioned the fairness of her trial. Some argue that she was condemned due to her association with the conspirators rather than for actual participation. Efforts have even been made to secure her posthumous pardon, though none have been successful. Whether guilty or innocent, her story remains a grim reminder of how justice can sometimes be driven by fear and vengeance.

The Role of John Surratt Jr.

Mary Surratt’s son, John Surratt Jr., was deeply involved with the Confederate secret service and was accused of being a key conspirator in the plot against Lincoln. Unlike his mother, John was not present in Washington on the night of the assassination—he had fled to Canada. His absence allowed him to evade immediate capture, but he remained a wanted man.

In 1866, he was finally apprehended in Egypt and extradited to the U.S. for trial. Unlike his mother, he was not convicted—his case ended in a mistrial, and he was released. His escape and later trial only fueled the controversy surrounding Mary Surratt’s execution, with many questioning whether she had been punished in his place.

The Mystery of John Wilkes Booth’s Body

While the execution of Surratt and her co-conspirators was meant to bring closure to the tragedy of Lincoln’s assassination, the fate of John Wilkes Booth himself has fueled even greater intrigue. Officially, Booth was tracked down and killed in a burning barn in Virginia just days after Lincoln’s assassination. The barn was located on the property of Dr. Samuel Mudd, a Maryland physician who had treated Booth’s injured leg. Mudd’s involvement with Booth—whether as a conspirator or simply a doctor performing his duty—remains a point of debate. After authorities tracked Booth to the farm, they set the barn ablaze to force him out. Booth was ultimately shot and killed by Union soldiers, though some argue he may have escaped. However, conspiracy theories suggest otherwise. Some believe that Booth managed to escape and live under an alias for years, with conflicting reports of his alleged sightings surfacing over time.

Adding to the mystery, there have been debates over whether the body buried as Booth’s truly belonged to him. Some family members and researchers have called for DNA testing, but the government has denied exhumation requests. This lingering uncertainty only deepens the drama surrounding one of America’s most infamous crimes.

In January 1903, a man named David E. George was found dead in the Grand Avenue Hotel in Enid, Oklahoma, after ingesting poison. Before his death, George allegedly confessed to being John Wilkes Booth, the infamous assassin of President Abraham Lincoln. This claim reignited debates about Booth’s fate, as the official account states he was killed in 1865.

After George’s death, his embalmed body became a local attraction at W.B. Penniman’s mortuary in Enid. The preserved corpse drew significant attention, with thousands reportedly viewing it during its time there. The body was later acquired by Finis L. Bates, a lawyer who had previously known a man named John St. Helen, who also claimed to be Booth. Bates promoted the mummified remains in sideshows and fairs, including the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. The mummy changed hands multiple times, touring various exhibitions and carnivals across the country. Its current whereabouts, however, remain unknown, adding another layer to the enduring mystery surrounding John Wilkes Booth’s demise.

A Haunted History

The Old Arsenal Penitentiary, where the executions took place, is long gone, now replaced by Fort McNair. However, the spirits of those hanged are believed to remain. The most famous ghost said to linger is that of Mary Surratt. Visitors and military personnel have reported hearing unexplained moans, and some have claimed to see a woman’s figure standing on the tennis court around 1 p.m.—the very time she was executed.

Is it guilt, injustice, or unfinished business that keeps Mary Surratt’s spirit tied to the land? Whether one believes in ghosts or not, her story—and the questions surrounding it—continue to haunt history.

Locations of Interest:

Ford’s Theatre (Lincoln Assassination Site): 511 10th Street NW, Washington, D.C.

Mary Surratt’s Burial Site: Mount Olivet Cemetery, Washington, D.C.

Mary Surratt’s Boarding House: 604 H Street NW, Washington, D.C.

Tennis Court (Execution Site): Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.

Farm Where John Wilkes Booth Was Caught: Garrett Farm, near Port Royal, Virginia

References:

• Kauffman, Michael W. American Brutus: John Wilkes Booth and the Lincoln Conspiracies. Random House, 2004.
• Larson, Kate Clifford. The Assassin’s Accomplice: Mary Surratt and the Plot to Kill Abraham Lincoln. Basic Books, 2008.
• Swanson, James L. Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer. HarperCollins, 2006.
• National Archives (www.archives.gov) – Trial transcripts and historical documents.
• Library of Congress (www.loc.gov) – Historical newspapers and firsthand accounts.
• Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site (www.fords.org).
• Surratt House Museum (www.surrattmuseum.org).
• American Battlefield Trust (www.battlefields.org).