What action did Atzerodt take that morning that aided authorities?

• A. He fled town
• B. He threw his knife under a wood carriage strap and someone saw and told the police
• C. He confessed to a friend
• D. He attempted to escape by car

Answer: (B)

A single, concrete clue can unlock a whole case. In this moment, the important point is that Atzerodt discarded his knife by hiding it under a wood carriage strap, and someone who saw what happened told the police. That acted as solid physical evidence tying him to the conspiracy and to the plan being carried out that night in Washington. It gave investigators a trace to follow and helped them pinpoint Atzerodt’s involvement, leading to his identification and capture. The other possible actions—fleeing town, confessing to a friend, or trying to escape by car—don’t provide the same immediate, observable lead that a weapon left behind did, making this discarded knife the clearest turning point that morning.