The Trial Today: May 16

Here’s a sample of what occurred on this day in the Lincoln conspiracy trial:

• The commission met at Ford’s Theatre and took a tour of the scene of the crime
• The railing in front of the prisoners’ dock was extended and Mary Surratt was put on an elevated stand with the other conspirators
• Testimony continued trying to show that Michael O’Laughlen had lied in wait for General Grant at Secretary of War Edwin Stanton’s home
• More witnesses described Edman Spangler’s interactions with John Wilkes Booth on the night of the assassination
• The bullet and gun that killed President Lincoln were entered into evidence
• The first witnesses against Dr. Samuel Mudd took the stand

The May 16, 1865 entry for the trial of the Lincoln assassination conspirators is now released and has more information. Please click here to access it. You can also access it through The Trial homepage.

Throughout May and June of 2020, I am publishing a day by day chronology of the trial of the Lincoln assassination conspirators. This includes almost daily posts announcing the release of what happened at the conspiracy trial 155 years ago. For more information about the creation of this project please click here.