An eyewitness account of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

[J Hewitt]

I'm sure most of you have heard this recording by Joseph Hazleton. Seems to be filled with inacurracies. I'm not sure how true it is, and I have never believed that old therory that Booth escaped and lived in Oklahoma. I know Hazleton went on to act in quite a few silent films. How much of his story should we believe?

Hazleton Recording here:
https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/colle...ll6/id/647

Thanks!

[RJNorton]

John, as you correctly say, there are numerous inaccuracies in Hazelton's account. Here are just a few that I recall:

The Lincolns were accompanied by Clara Harris and Henry Rathbone. Miss Harris was not accompanied by Surgeon General Joseph K. Barnes.

Hazelton says that Laura Keene yelled to the crowd that John Wilkes Booth was the assassin. My memory is that Keene did not yell Booth's name to the audience.

Hazelton says a 3rd party joined and rode with Booth and Herold. I do not believe that to be true.

Hazelton says Booth was at Garrett's but got away. I do not believe that to be true.

There is one topic Hazelton mentioned that I am not sure of. He says the Lincoln party arrived at Ford's during the second act of Our America Cousin. I thought the party arrived at about 8:30, and that the first act was still in progress. I am not clear on this topic of where the play was when the Lincolns arrived.

I am sure other folks can add to this list.

[LincolnMan]

Roger: Just within my own own memory (which gets hazier with age) -everything you said was accurate.

[RobertLC]

Roger and Bill, you are both correct according to Tom Bogar’s book Backstage at the Lincoln Assassination. He indicates that the show began at 8:15 with the Presidential party arriving about 11 minutes after that. He also notes that “Act Two got underway around 9:15.” My memory isn’t too great either, Bill. I had to look it up.

Bob