Mudds aim to clear name of doc who treated Lincoln killer

[L Verge]

(11-02-2015 07:15 PM)STS Lincolnite Wrote:  

(11-02-2015 05:34 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Bob - I think you are referring to Samuel Cox, Jr.'s comment that Dr. Sam told him exactly that while the two were campaigning for a state political position years later.

That is interesting. I had never heard about that comment from Cox before. Laurie, can you tell me where and when Cox reported what Mudd had told him? Thanks!

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In doing a little digging, I found a transcript of an affidavit given by a man by the name of George W. Dutton. Dutton (a Captain in Co. C of the 10th regiment of the Veteran Reserve Corps) was guarding Mudd and other prisoners while they were being transported to the Dry Tortugas. In his affidavit given August 22, 1865, he says that Mudd admitted to him that he did in fact know who Booth was when he arrived at his home on the morning of April 15th but didn't say anything because he was afraid for his own and his family's safety. There were several other things that he states Mudd admitted to. Apparently the fact that Mudd made these statements was corroborated by a Navy paymaster and an Army general who were present at the time the statement was made.

In a response to the affidavit, Mudd (in a statement dated August 28, 1865) of course denied having ever made such a statement to Dutton.

I have to delve the depths of my brain right now - and it is befuddled with a horrible cold. However, I believe that Cox, Jr. wrote that description in the margins of his copy of Thomas Jones's book. Cox's original copy with that marginal note is in the Maryland Historical Society, I believe.

If you have not read Ed Steers's great book on His Name Is Still Mudd (now out-of-print), go here for an excellent synopsis: http://www.historynet.com/dr-samuel-a-mudd.htm

[RJNorton]

There is also the discussion Samuel Cox, Jr. had with Osborn Oldroyd. It's included on pp. 268-269 of Oldroyd's book. Oldroyd talks about his 1877 conversation with Cox, Jr.

[STS Lincolnite]

Thanks Laurie and Roger!

Laurie, I looked up Samuel Cox Jr. in Steers' Lincoln Assassination Encyclopedia to see if he had anything. Even with your self described cold befuddled brain, you are correct about a notation in the margins of Cox Jr's personal copy of Thomas Jones book. By the way, I hope you get over your cold soon as I can relate to the feeling. I am home today with the same affliction. I will be sure to add Steers' His Name is Still Mudd to my reading list.

Roger, thanks for the reference to Cox Jr.'s statement to Oldroyd. I have a copy of that book but have not read it through cover to cover. I read the section you referenced and also note that Cox Jr. says that he (at the time of the interview) was the only living person that knew the place where Booth and Herold's horses were shot by Franklin Roby. I know there has been some controversy (as there is with most everything related to the Lincoln Assassination) about whether the horses were shot or not.

[L Verge]

If you have not already read Rick Smith's postings about the James Owens statement and the young "white boy" seen with two strangers on horseback (matching the descriptions of Booth and Herold and their two steeds) in and around Newport and Allen's Fresh when the fugitives were thought to be hiding miles away, you'll think immediately of Samuel Cox, Jr. (And, I apologize for what may be the longest opening prepositional phrase on record!).

Most of you know my thoughts on the fate of the horses, and like a good resident of Southern Maryland, young Cox went along with the ruse that the horses were cruelly disposed of. Meanwhile, they and their offspring ate the green, green grass of Maryland pastures for years to come...

[jonathan]

You can include me in the group that thinks Mudd was guilty, as I've said before. When I look at the facts, I just find it impossible to conclude that he was innocent. I'm not saying he was in on everything from start to finish, but I firmly believe that he knew exactly who was at his house that night and that Booth almost certainly told him what had happened. If he had truly found out about the assassination for the first time the next day, and knowing there were two strangers in his house, you'll have to do some work to convince me that he would have taken his sweet time going back home. He would have made a beeline. I believe he took his time because he already knew about the assassination, he knew exactly who was at his house, and he was trying to decide the best way to handle the situation (save his own neck). The whole thing about the "false whiskers" is, to me, just ridiculous. As was mentioned before, why would he tell Lloyd what he had done and then turn around and try to hide it all from Mudd? I just don't believe that he would. So if I believe Lloyd told the truth, I almost have to believe that Booth hid nothing from Mudd. And I believe Lloyd. Not because he was this straight shooting, upstanding citizen, because he obviously wasn't, but because it sounds exactly like something Booth would have said/done.

[RJNorton]

I am not sure if the George Dutton statement has been posted before. If not, here it is:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Camp Fry, Washington, D.C.
August 22,1865.

Brig. Gen. Joseph Holt,
Judge Advocate General, U. S. A.:

Sir - I am in receipt of your communication of this date, in which you request information as regards the truthfulness of certain statements and confessions reported to have been made by Dr. Mudd while under my charge, en route to the Dry Tortugas.

In reply, I have the honor to state that my duties required me to be constantly with the prisoners, and during a conversation with Dr. Mudd, on the 22nd of July, he confessed that he knew Booth when he came to his house with Herold, on the morning after the assassination of the President; that he had known Booth for some time but was afraid to tell of his having been at his house on the 15th of April fearing that his own and the lives of his family would be endangered thereby. He also confessed that he was with Booth at the National Hotel on the evening referred to by Weichmann in his testimony; and that he came to Washington on that occasion to meet Booth by appointment, who wished to be introduced to John Surratt; that when he and Booth were going to Mrs. Surratt's house to see John Surratt, they met, on Seventh street, John Surratt, who was introduced to Booth, and they had a conversation of a private nature. I will here add that Dr. Mudd had with him a printed copy of the testimony pertaining to his trial, and I had, upon a number of occasions, referred to the same. I will also state that this confession was voluntary, and made without solicitation, threat or promise, and was made after the destination of the prisoners was communicated to them, which communication affected Dr. Mudd more than the rest; and he frequently exclaimed, "Oh, there is now no hope for me." "Oh, I can not live in such a place."

Please acknowledge receipt of this letter.

I am General, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
George W. Dutton
Capt. Co. C, 10th Reg't. V. R. C., com'dg. Guard.

[jonathan]

It just occurred to me how incredibly annoying artistic license can be sometimes. Recently I caught part of National Treasure 2 on tv, and Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage) launches into an explanation of how the expression "his name is mud" came from Dr. Mudd. I realize that movie makers have to do a bit of twisting to make things entertaining, but I just can't imagine how that untruth made that movie any better. What bothers me the most about those things is that people hear it, believe it, and propagate it. It kind of makes me want to pull my hair out. I realize that this isn't exactly on topic, sorry.

[Steve]

(07-19-2015 03:08 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Booth comes to Southern Maryland with letters of introduction from Canadian exiles. Those letters direct him to Dr. William Queen and Dr. Samuel Mudd. Dr. Queen gets word to Dr. Mudd to come to a Catholic church outside of his own parish (frowned upon in those days) to meet with Booth - supposedly under the guise of Booth looking to buy land and maybe a horse (the latter of which Dr. Mudd does acquire for him). Otherwise, Dr. Mudd claims that his land is all they discussed. And yet, Dr. Mudd did not own his farm - his father still owned it.

Dr. Queen is elderly and dies shortly before the assassination, but in the fall of 1864, Queen had at least a son-in-law who could have squired Booth around the neighborhood in developing plans; but it is Mudd who introduces Booth to Thomas Harbin and also to John Surratt, Jr., and from there the Southern Maryland role in at least the kidnapping begins to grow. If that doesn't indicate involvement, at least in the beginning....

We can fast forward to the well-known history of what occurred with Dr. Mudd and his rendering assistance to Booth and Herold for over twelve hours, his reluctance to notify authorities, etc. I do not think that Mudd knew of the assassination until the fugitives arrived at his door, but the evidence leading up to that point makes him at least liable for conspiracy.

I have known members of the Mudd families my entire life and have been friends with those who have fought the good fight. They know my feelings and that my greatest argument is that they try too hard to disavow their Southern Maryland heritage of the Civil War when Dr. Mudd's feelings are well covered in his letters to his wife and his rantings to the Catholic journalist Orestes Browning. I do applaud their tenacity, however.

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BTW: Gen. Tidwell and Mr. Hall thought they had found evidence of a third doctor in Southern Maryland with whom Booth could make contact -- a Dr. Garland. There was a Dr. Garland in St. Mary's County (again Southern Maryland), but from what we could find, he might have been the Dr. Garland that went to Richmond and served Jefferson Davis as a doctor during the war. We were never able to make the connection however.

Laurie,
Do you have any more information on the Dr. Garland who served as a doctor for Jefferson Davis in Richmond?

[L Verge]

(09-14-2017 07:18 PM)Steve Wrote:  

(07-19-2015 03:08 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Booth comes to Southern Maryland with letters of introduction from Canadian exiles. Those letters direct him to Dr. William Queen and Dr. Samuel Mudd. Dr. Queen gets word to Dr. Mudd to come to a Catholic church outside of his own parish (frowned upon in those days) to meet with Booth - supposedly under the guise of Booth looking to buy land and maybe a horse (the latter of which Dr. Mudd does acquire for him). Otherwise, Dr. Mudd claims that his land is all they discussed. And yet, Dr. Mudd did not own his farm - his father still owned it.

Dr. Queen is elderly and dies shortly before the assassination, but in the fall of 1864, Queen had at least a son-in-law who could have squired Booth around the neighborhood in developing plans; but it is Mudd who introduces Booth to Thomas Harbin and also to John Surratt, Jr., and from there the Southern Maryland role in at least the kidnapping begins to grow. If that doesn't indicate involvement, at least in the beginning....

We can fast forward to the well-known history of what occurred with Dr. Mudd and his rendering assistance to Booth and Herold for over twelve hours, his reluctance to notify authorities, etc. I do not think that Mudd knew of the assassination until the fugitives arrived at his door, but the evidence leading up to that point makes him at least liable for conspiracy.

I have known members of the Mudd families my entire life and have been friends with those who have fought the good fight. They know my feelings and that my greatest argument is that they try too hard to disavow their Southern Maryland heritage of the Civil War when Dr. Mudd's feelings are well covered in his letters to his wife and his rantings to the Catholic journalist Orestes Browning. I do applaud their tenacity, however.

---

BTW: Gen. Tidwell and Mr. Hall thought they had found evidence of a third doctor in Southern Maryland with whom Booth could make contact -- a Dr. Garland. There was a Dr. Garland in St. Mary's County (again Southern Maryland), but from what we could find, he might have been the Dr. Garland that went to Richmond and served Jefferson Davis as a doctor during the war. We were never able to make the connection however.

Laurie,
Do you have any more information on the Dr. Garland who served as a doctor for Jefferson Davis in Richmond?

There must have been more found at that time, but I turned my notes over to Mr. Hall and never heard anything more. I've been online this evening trying to reconstruct my thoughts, but the brain is drained.

P.S. It hasn't helped the brain today that I had a conversation with a researcher who has claims that would turn the assassination story as we know it completely on its ear... It screwed up my thought processes for the next week!