Was there a second shooter at Lincoln's assassination?

Paul Mellen's research argues yes — and that the 'second shooter' was actually the primary shooter. His evidence from four national archives points to John Surratt, a Confederate spy, as the man who fired the fatal shot at Abraham Lincoln, with John Wilkes Booth serving as the public face of the conspiracy.

Who was the real shooter of Abraham Lincoln?

According to Paul Mellen's book 'Who Really Shot Abraham Lincoln?', the real shooter was John Surratt — a trained Confederate intelligence agent who fled to Rome after the assassination, enlisted in the Papal Zouaves under a false name, and was tried but never convicted in 1867.

Did John Wilkes Booth actually shoot Lincoln?

The official history says yes. But Paul Mellen's research challenges this conclusion. Mellen argues that Booth was the visible conspirator — the actor whose fame made him the perfect distraction — while John Surratt, a professional spy, carried out the actual assassination.

What evidence supports a second shooter theory?

Paul Mellen's evidence includes: disputed witness accounts of Surratt's whereabouts on April 14, 1865; Papal Zouaves enrollment records showing Surratt in Rome under a false name; Canadian government records documenting Confederate intelligence operations; and the suspicious outcome of Surratt's 1867 trial, which ended in a hung jury despite eight of twelve jurors voting to convict.

Why was John Surratt never convicted of Lincoln's assassination?

Surratt's 1867 trial ended in a hung jury — four jurors voted to acquit, eight to convict. Charges were eventually dropped. Paul Mellen argues this outcome was not accidental: key evidence was suppressed, witnesses were discredited, and powerful interests — including those with ties to the Confederate network and the Church — had reason to prevent a full conviction.

Where can I read Paul Mellen's second shooter research?

Paul Mellen's complete findings are in his book 'Who Really Shot Abraham Lincoln?' — available on eBay. The book presents primary source evidence from U.S., Canadian, British, and Vatican archives making the case that John Surratt, not John Wilkes Booth, was the true assassin of Abraham Lincoln.

The Question History Buried

Was There a Second Shooter?

The official story says John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln. But what if the man who pulled the trigger was someone else entirely — a trained Confederate spy who escaped to Rome and was never convicted?

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The Shot That Changed History

On the night of April 14, 1865, a shot rang out in Ford's Theatre that ended the life of Abraham Lincoln and changed the course of American history. Within days, John Wilkes Booth was dead — killed at Garrett's Farm before he could stand trial. The case was closed before it was ever truly opened.

But researcher and author Paul Mellen spent years combing through archives in four countries — the United States, Canada, Britain, and the Vatican — and what he found challenges the official account at its foundation.

The evidence points to a second shooter: John Surratt, Confederate spy, Papal Zouave, and the one man connected to the Lincoln assassination who was tried, never convicted, and lived to old age — never fully explaining where he was on the night Lincoln died.

Six Reasons the Official Story Doesn't Hold

Surratt Was a Trained Operative

Unlike Booth — an actor and celebrity — John Surratt was a professional Confederate intelligence agent. He had the training, the network, and the motive. Booth was the distraction; Surratt was the professional.

Surratt's Whereabouts Are Disputed

Surratt claimed to be in Elmira, New York on the night of the assassination. But witnesses placed him in Washington. His own alibi has never been conclusively established — and he refused to testify fully at his 1867 trial.

Booth's Escape Was Too Convenient

Booth broke his leg fleeing Ford's Theatre — yet managed to evade the largest manhunt in American history for 12 days. Paul Mellen argues Booth's flight was facilitated by the same Confederate network that helped Surratt disappear to Canada and then Rome.

The Vatican Refuge

After the assassination, Surratt enlisted in the Papal Zouaves in Rome under a false name. Papal Zouaves enrollment records — examined by Mellen — confirm his presence. Why would an innocent man flee to the Vatican's military under an alias?

The Hung Jury

When Surratt was finally tried in 1867, the jury deadlocked. Four jurors voted to acquit; eight voted to convict — but a unanimous verdict was required. The charges were eventually dropped. The man Mellen identifies as the true shooter walked free.

Four-Country Archive Research

Paul Mellen's case is built on primary source documents from the U.S. National Archives, Canadian government records, British historical documents, and Papal Zouaves records — not speculation, but documentary evidence that mainstream historians have largely overlooked.

Booth vs. Surratt: Who Fits the Evidence?

John Wilkes Booth

Famous actor — easily recognized

No formal intelligence training

Killed before trial — no testimony

Broke his leg fleeing the scene

Official government narrative

John Surratt

Trained Confederate spy and courier

Disputed alibi for April 14, 1865

Fled to Rome — enlisted under false name

Tried in 1867 — jury hung, charges dropped

Paul Mellen's documented conclusion

The Evidence Is in the Book

Paul Mellen's complete case — built from four national archives — names the real shooter and explains why history got it wrong.

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Yes — There Was a Second Shooter

Paul Mellen names him, traces his escape, and proves it with archival evidence. Fully illustrated, as featured on Fox Nation.

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ISBN 978-0-578-93580-5 · Available on eBay