The Conspirator Page #3

No, I don't.

All right. Is there anyone

who will give your version of events?

You mean the truth?

Well, obviously the government

believes your version is not the truth.

Based on what?

They're not releasing

their list of witnesses

or the evidence they'll use against you.

And can they do that?

This kind of proceeding,

they can do to you

whatever they want.

Well, then what difference

does it make?

Those generals

have made up their minds.

I can tell by the way

they look at me.

The way they look at you?

Just the same way

you're looking at me.

I have to go.

Good day.

Mr. Aiken, I haven't a word

from my daughter since I've been here.

Would you look in on her for me?

I'd be most grateful.

Thank you.

Soldier.

Frederick Aiken,

lawyer to Mary Surratt.

It's perfect.

Pardon?

- Anna Surratt?

- Mm-hmm.

My name is Frederick Aiken.

I'm representing your mother.

What's perfect?

Uh, nothing.

No, do tell.

I'm sure I've heard much worse.

Well, I was just thinking

that this would be the perfect place

to conspire to overthrow

the government.

No one would ever suspect.

Right?

You alone here?

Yes.

Why? Are you afraid

to be seen with me?

Eh...

Your mother asked

that I look in on you.

Please tell her not to worry,

since I'm a prisoner in my own house.

Where's your brother's room?

Second floor, on the left.

Did you find what you were looking for?

Uh, yes.

Did your brother share a room

with an L.J.W.?

Louis J. Weichmann.

He was like a son to my mother.

He'll swear she's innocent.

I suppose he's disappeared, too.

Did you fight in the war, Mr. Aiken?

Uh-huh.

Kill any on our side?

Miss, do you have any documents

indicating who stayed here

or a ledger of accounts?

Do you want me to help

your mother or not?

Is there anything else

you're concealing?

Such as?

Your brother, to start.

Look, if you know...

Did you see who threw that?

No, sir.

Are you hurt?

I'm fine.

Mr. Aiken, if you have no further

need of me...

Here. I'll give you two to sell.

You have the latest on this one?

That, I'll take two.

Cigars! Jars!

Picture frames!

Original, right here, ma'am.

Who wants a cigar?

Fresh roasted nuts here.

Fresh roasted nuts.

Move along.

Mustn't keep it block ed.

Thank you very much.

Left.

Left, right, left.

- Cigars!

- Left...

Cigars!

Left. Left. Left.

Left, right, left.

Left...

Company, arms rest.

- March.

- Shoulder arms.

Quick step.

Left.

Left, right, left.

A chance to get it back?

There he is.

- Fred.

- Hey.

Hamilton here has offered

to be your second chair.

Oh. Re... Not a chance in hell.

- No? You sure?

- Oh, yeah.

I'll carry his briefcase,

but I'm not...

- Sarah.

- Fred.

Why are you here?

I'm trying to understand

why you're here.

I suppose I should wish you luck.

Come to order.

How is Anna, Mr. Aiken?

She's fine...

looking forward

to when you come home.

That's very nice of you to say, Mr. Aiken.

Judge Advocate Holt,

will you please proceed?

In the matter of Mary Surratt,

the prosecution calls as its first witness

Mr. Louis Weichmann.

I thought he was like family.

Why are they calling him?

Place your right hand on this Bible.

I don't know.

Do you swear to tell the truth,

the whole truth

and nothing but the truth,

so help you, God?

I do.

Please.

Are you acquainted with the defendant,

Mary Surratt?

Yes. Yes, I am.

I attended Divinity College

with her son John.

And until recently,

you resided at the boarding house

owned by Mary Surratt.

Is that correct?

That is correct, sir.

Were any of these men

ever present in her home?

Yes, sir.

These three over there

on several occasions.

Let the record reflect

that the witness has identified

the prisoners Herold,

Payne and Atzerodt.

And who invited these men?

John Surratt.

Objection.

Objection?

Uh, uh...

There's no way to prove

that John Surratt

even knew these men,

let alone invited them.

Mr. Surratt's absence

from this proceeding

is Mr. Surratt's problem.

Objection overruled.

Continue, Mr. Holt.

Was John Wilkes Booth

also a frequent guest of John Surratt?

Indeed, but all the Surratts adored him...

John, his sister Anna

and their mother, too.

And were there ever meetings

held at the boarding house

involving Mr. Booth?

Many, sometimes lasting

two, three hours

and always in secret,

behind closed doors.

And did you ever see Mary Surratt

object to these, uh, meetings?

No, sir.

Or to the presence of those men?

No, she did not.

- Thank you.

- She appeared to welcome them.

Thank you. That'll be all,

Mr. Weichmann.

How long did you say these

secret meetings lasted?

At least two, three hours.

You were timing them?

Eh, if you were timing them,

I suppose these secret meetings

were not, in fact, kept secret from you.

I knew about them, sir,

but I had no knowledge

of what they were about.

And that is because you never attended

any yourself, correct?

Exactly.

Why was that?

I thought them suspicious.

Suspicious?

Well, then, you see, you did know

what they were about.

No, sir, I did not.

Then why were

your suspicions aroused?

By the snatches

of rebel conversation

I overheard in the hallways

and by their frequent whisperings.

Well, in that case, if it was

of such great concern to you,

why did you not report your suspicions

to your superiors at the War Department?

I did.

Excuse me?

I did reveal my suspicions.

I made a confidant of Captain Gleason

in the War Department.

Mr. Aiken, if there's nothing else...

Counselor, will that be all?

Uh, yes.

Uh, no.

No. No, I do have something else.

Tell me, Mr. Weichmann. Tell us all.

- You ever been in Richmond?

- Objection.

I merely wish to know if the witness

has ever visited the capital

of the Confederacy.

I don't recall.

Then perhaps this train receipt

will refresh your memory.

It indicates passage to Richmond,

and it has your initials on it.

Yes.

That's right.

I considered continuing my divinity studies

there after the war.

I plan on becoming a priest.

That's very nice.

Do you recall, Mr. Weichmann,

at which institute in Richmond

you were thinking of enrolling?

The name?

Yes, Mr. Weichmann, the name.

Well, uh...

- There is no academy of the kind...

- Objection.

...in Richmond, is there,

Mr. Weichmann?

- In fact, perhaps you visited Richmond...

- Objection, General.

...for another purpose entirely.

Objection sustained.

You worked for the general in charge

of rebel prisoners, did you not?

Yes.

So?

Perhaps a distinguished clerk like yourself

knew certain information.

What sort of information?

Information that might have been of

"divine" interest

to certain rebels within the capital

of the Confederacy.

Objection, General.

The witness is not on trial here.

Well, he ought to be!

Objection sustained.

The witness is not on trial.

Sir, I am merely trying to establish

the witness' credibility

or rather the lack of credibility

of this man.

Mr. Aiken, you are incriminating

Rate this script:3.0 / 1 vote