David Herold

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David Edgar Herold (June 16, 1842 – July 7, 1865) conspired with John Wilkes Booth to assassinate Abraham Lincoln.

Herold was born in Maryland, the sixth of ten children of Adam and Mary Porter Herold. He grew up in a large brick house near the Washington Navy Yard, attended Gonzaga College High School, Georgetown College, and Rittenhouse Academy, and worked as a pharmacist and as a clerk for a doctor. He also was an avid hunter. Herold attended Charlotte Hall Academy, where he met John Surratt, who introduced him to Booth.

On the night of April 14 1865, Herold guided Lewis Powell (aka Lewis Payne) to the house of Lincoln's Secretary of State, William H. Seward. Inside, Powell attempted to kill Seward, severely wounding him and other members of his household. The ensuing commotion frightened Herold and he rode off, leaving Powell to fend for himself. Another conspirator claimed that Herold was to have killed Vice President Andrew Johnson, but this attack was never carried out.

It was at this time that John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln at Ford's Theater. During the assassination, Booth broke his leg. Despite this injury, Booth escaped Washington into Maryland, and by pre-arrangement met up with Herold. Herold assisted Booth to the home of Dr. Samuel Mudd, where Booth's leg was set. Herold remained with Booth and continually aided him until the authorities caught up with them. Herold and Booth were cornered by authorities on 26 April, 1865, after taking refuge in a barn; Herold surrendered to the police, but Booth refused to lay down his arms and was shot dead.

Herold was tried before a military tribunal. Having already admitted his involvement in the assassination conspiracy, his defense was that he was feeble-minded and under undue influence from Booth. He was hanged in Washington, D.C., and is interred in the Congressional Cemetery there next to his sister Mary.