George Atzerodt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Atzerodt
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Atzerodt in 1865
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| Born |
Georg Andreas Atzerodt
June 12, 1835 |
| Died | July 7, 1865 (aged 30) Arsenal Penitentiary, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C., U.S.
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| Cause of death | Execution by hanging |
| Occupation | Carriage repair business |
| Criminal status | Executed |
| Conviction(s) | Conspiracy to assassinate Andrew Johnson |
| Criminal penalty | Death |
George Andrew Atzerodt (born June 12, 1835 – died July 7, 1865) was a German-American who fixed carriages. He was involved in a secret plan during the American Civil War. Atzerodt was supposed to attack Vice President Andrew Johnson, but he didn't go through with it. He was later found guilty of being part of the plot and was executed along with three other people.
Contents
George Atzerodt's Early Life
George Atzerodt was born in a place called Dörna, which was part of Prussia (now Germany) in 1835. When he was eight years old, he moved to the United States in 1843. As an adult, he started a business in Port Tobacco, Maryland, where he fixed carriages. Even though he lived in the U.S. for many years, he didn't speak English very well.
The Secret Plan
In January 1865, George Atzerodt met John Wilkes Booth in Washington, D.C.. Atzerodt agreed to join Booth's earlier plan to kidnap President Abraham Lincoln. He later admitted this during his trial.
The Role Atzerodt Was Given
According to the people who brought the case against him, Booth gave Atzerodt the job of attacking Vice President Andrew Johnson on April 14, 1865. That morning, Atzerodt checked into room 126 at the Kirkwood House hotel in Washington, where Johnson was staying.
At 10:15 P.M. that night, Booth shot President Lincoln at Ford's Theatre. At the same time, another person named Lewis Powell attacked Secretary of State William H. Seward. However, Atzerodt couldn't bring himself to attack Vice President Johnson. He spent the rest of the night walking around Washington. He dropped his knife in a gutter, and a woman saw it and told the police.
Police Investigation
While staying at the hotel, Atzerodt had asked the bartender about Johnson's location. This made people suspicious the next day, after Lincoln was attacked. A hotel worker told the police about a "suspicious looking man in a gray coat."
The military police searched Atzerodt's room on April 15. They found that he hadn't slept there the night before. They also found a loaded gun hidden under his pillow and a large knife. The police also found a bank book belonging to Booth in the room. Atzerodt was arrested on April 20, at his cousin's house in Germantown, Maryland.
Trial and Outcome
Atzerodt's trial began on May 1, 1865. His lawyer, Captain William Doster, tried to show the court that Atzerodt was a very fearful person. He argued that if Atzerodt had been told to attack the Vice President, he would never have been able to do it. He also suggested that Booth probably didn't give him such a serious task because he knew Atzerodt was a coward. However, this argument did not help Atzerodt.
Atzerodt's Confession
After he was found guilty, Atzerodt spoke with Reverend Butler, a minister who visited him in his cell. Butler said that Atzerodt admitted going to a meeting in March to help plan the kidnapping of Lincoln.
Atzerodt said he only heard about Booth's plan to attack the President two hours before it happened. Atzerodt also said that Booth actually wanted David Herold to attack Vice President Johnson because he thought Herold was braver than Atzerodt. Atzerodt said Booth wanted him to "back up" Herold and "give him more courage."
Execution
George Atzerodt and three other people who were found guilty (Mary Surratt, Lewis Powell, and David Herold) were executed in Washington, D.C., on July 7, 1865. Atzerodt is buried in Glenwood Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
