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wsanto · 09-18-2014, 07:48 AM

I took a Free Walking Tour of D.C this past weekend called The Lincoln Assassination Free Walking Tour. It was okay--the tour guide was young and energetic and gave a basic story of the events. A few silly mistakes here and there (like saying Grant attended the cabinet meeting with Lincoln in the West Wing and minor things like that).

But there were also some claims made that I was unsure if they were mistakes. She identified the house where the Lincolns picked up Clara and the Major. It was on the west side of Laffeyette Park and currently has the address 713. These houses are all row houses now but I assume they were stand-alone houses in 1865.

She also identified the tree that Booth was standing near while listening to Lincoln's last speech from the White House. It was the largest oak just off the drive on the east side of the North Portico. She also identified the window from which Lincoln gave that speech as the window above the North Portico's front door. It was fairly dramatic looking at the White House and imagining the scene as she presented it.

Another mistake she presented was that Peanut John was holding Booth's horse at a stable about half-way down Babtist Alley. I think we all believe Peanut John was just outside the backdoor of Ford's with Booth's horse.

She did confirm that Booth broke his leg in the jump. And I was relieved to hear this (just kidding-but I had to throw that in there)

She also claimed Seward had a broken neck instead of broken jaw and that Atzerodt carried a gun to Johnson's door instead of the knife he threw in the gutter. She also said Atzerodt's room was in Booth's name--I never heard that before.

RJNorton · 09-18-2014, 07:58 AM

(09-18-2014 07:48 AM)wsanto Wrote: She also said Atzerodt's room was in Booth's name--I never heard that before.

Bill, I think you are definitely correct. I think the Kirkwood House's register was produced at the trial, and a "G.A. Atzerodt, Charles County" took a room on the morning of the 14th.

STS Lincolnite · 09-18-2014, 08:07 AM

(09-18-2014 07:58 AM)RJNorton Wrote:
(09-18-2014 07:48 AM)wsanto Wrote: She also said Atzerodt's room was in Booth's name--I never heard that before.

Bill, I think you are definitely correct. I think the Kirkwood House's register was produced at the trial, and a "G.A. Atzerodt, Charles County" took a room on the morning of the 14th.

Atzerdot did register under his own name. See a photo of the register below from Dave's boothiebarn website. Of course much of what was found in his room was Booth's - that may be where the tour guide got mixed up.

http://boothiebarn.com/picture-galleries...-register/

BettyO · (This post was last modified: 09-18-2014 08:47 AM by BettyO.)

Quote:I took a Free Walking Tour of D.C this past weekend called The Lincoln Assassination Free Walking Tour.

Sounds like today's computer software - "freeware" ain't where it's at anymore! Perhaps the mistakes are why this tour was free.... one probably has to pay to get the "upgraded Good/Correct" tour! Tongue

RJNorton · 09-18-2014, 09:04 AM

(09-18-2014 08:46 AM)BettyO Wrote: Sounds like today's computer software - "freeware" ain't where it's at anymore! Perhaps the mistakes are why this tour was free.... one probably has to pay to get the "upgraded Good/Correct" tour!

Betty, there is also the Beta Tour - contains some mistakes and some correct.

wsanto · (This post was last modified: 09-18-2014 10:17 AM by wsanto.)

(09-18-2014 08:46 AM)BettyO Wrote:
Quote:I took a Free Walking Tour of D.C this past weekend called The Lincoln Assassination Free Walking Tour.

Sounds like today's computer software - "freeware" ain't where it's at anymore! Perhaps the mistakes are why this tour was free.... one probably has to pay to get the "upgraded Good/Correct" tour!

Of course it wasn't really "free". You were expected to give a tip at the end. Most people gave between $5-20. I think she did pretty well for herself for a 2-hour tour.

Apparently Ford's has their own tour which would probably be a lot more accurate. I didn't know about it until after we already had this one booked.

(09-18-2014 08:07 AM)STS Lincolnite Wrote:
(09-18-2014 07:58 AM)RJNorton Wrote:
(09-18-2014 07:48 AM)wsanto Wrote: She also said Atzerodt's room was in Booth's name--I never heard that before.

Bill, I think you are definitely correct. I think the Kirkwood House's register was produced at the trial, and a "G.A. Atzerodt, Charles County" took a room on the morning of the 14th.

Atzerdot did register under his own name. See a photo of the register below from Dave's boothiebarn website. Of course much of what was found in his room was Booth's - that may be where the tour guide got mixed up.

http://boothiebarn.com/picture-galleries...-register/

One other thing she mentioned was that Booth left the note at the Kirkwood and had a room there in order to implicate Johnnson by association in the conspiracy just in case Atzerodt was unable or unwilling to kill him.

I guess that's the way things worked out for Johnson to some degree in the end but I'm not sure that was Booth's intention.

Jim Garrett · (This post was last modified: 09-19-2014 05:52 AM by Jim Garrett.)

The Ford's Theatre Societ tour is good and very entertaining. It is conducted by a professional actor portraying Detective McDevitt who enlists your aide in following up clues of the assassination. He brings you back to 1865 by such warnings as "please be careful of the cattle and what they leave behind. It starts at Ford's and ends at Lafayette Square.

I did have the pleasure of meeting Bill, AKA wsanto and his charming wife this past Sunday at Ford's. It has been absolutely fantastic to meet many members of the symposium over the past couple of years.

RJNorton · 09-19-2014, 06:57 AM

(09-19-2014 05:43 AM)Jim Garrett Wrote: It is conducted by a professional actor portraying Detective McDevitt who enlists your aide in following up clues of the assassination.

Roughly four hours after the assassination McDevitt and other detectives visited the Surratt boardinghouse. Does McDevitt tell the tour how he got the tip that the Surratt boardinghouse was "suspicious?"

Jim Garrett · 09-19-2014, 07:18 AM

Indeed he does. However the tour does not go by the boarding house. Instead of going to towards the board house, they turn down 7th St and go by where the telegraph office was, Gardner's studio, Brady's and go up Pennsylvania Ave towards the location of the Kirkwood House, Murder Bay, the Willard Hotel, White House and Lafayette Square.

RJNorton · 09-19-2014, 07:21 AM

(09-19-2014 07:18 AM)Jim Garrett Wrote: Indeed he does.

Was "the tipster" John Mathews?

Jim Garrett · 09-19-2014, 07:29 AM

He doesn't name a tipster, just that it was reported that they had received information that Booth had been scene in the company of John Surratt. He mentions Superintendent A.C. Richards quickly move on the investigation, however I don't remember if this McDevitt takes credit as the first at the boarding house. While I think Richards was in the boarding house, I don't think he was the first to arrive.

RJNorton · 09-19-2014, 03:13 PM

Jim, this is just another of those assassination-related events that I find interesting and intriguing. Just the other day, regarding the carrying of Lincoln out of Fords, you mentioned they didn't have a clear destination in mind. Like you, I also find that fact interesting. This situation with the boardinghouse intrigues me, also. Authorities show up at the boardinghouse 4 hours after the assassination. I have never known specifically what caused this to happen. I have wondered if it were John Mathews who gave McDevitt the tip.

wsanto · 09-19-2014, 05:47 PM

(09-19-2014 05:43 AM)Jim Garrett Wrote: The Ford's Theatre Societ tour is good and very entertaining. It is conducted by a professional actor portraying Detective McDevitt who enlists your aide in following up clues of the assassination. He brings you back to 1865 by such warnings as "please be careful of the cattle and what they leave behind. It starts at Ford's and ends at Lafayette Square.

I did have the pleasure of meeting Bill, AKA wsanto and his charming wife this past Sunday at Ford's. It has been absolutely fantastic to meet many members of the symposium over the past couple of years.

It was our great pleasure to meet Jim as well (Although he looks nothing like his picture). He gave us a lot of great information.

I hope to take Ford's walking tour on my next trip to DC.

Jim Garrett · 09-19-2014, 06:55 PM

(09-19-2014 03:13 PM)RJNorton Wrote: Jim, this is just another of those assassination-related events that I find interesting and intriguing. Just the other day, regarding the carrying of Lincoln out of Fords, you mentioned they didn't have a clear destination in mind. Like you, I also find that fact interesting. This situation with the boardinghouse intrigues me, also. Authorities show up at the boardinghouse 4 hours after the assassination. I have never known specifically what caused this to happen. I have wondered if it were John Mathews who gave McDevitt the tip.

Matthews was kind of in the thick of it wasn't he. It must have been a angst filled few days.

Gene C · 09-19-2014, 07:04 PM

(09-19-2014 03:13 PM)RJNorton Wrote: This situation with the boardinghouse intrigues me, also. Authorities show up at the boardinghouse 4 hours after the assassination. I have never known specifically what caused this to happen. I have wondered if it were John Mathews who gave McDevitt the tip.

I wonder if Weichmann's concerns expressed to his superior officer, Captain Gleason, in Feb 65' about the activities at the Surratt House, had anything to do with it

http://books.google.com/books?id=bFI9CkR...on&f=false