Group Photo of Hartranft and his Staff

[John E.]

Thanks Roger. We specialize in the minutia! For whatever reason, I get a kick out of this stuff. Unfortunately, I have found that Mark Katz took many liberties with his book. I understand he is deceased now and don't want to speak ill of him but some of the stuff is glaring.

He mentions that Timothy O'Sullivan ran in to Hartranft and his men before the execution and convinced them to take a photo in the courtyard. Katz gave us no sources to verify this story. I'd rather he just add that it was his speculation and not fact.

I personally don't have any reason to believe O'Sullivan was even there. No one, not any first hand accounts or newspaper articles mention O'Sullivan being there. Unfortunately, Oldroyd made a claim that O'Sullivan was with Gardner for the Mug Shot photos. He went so far as to ADD O'Sullivan's name when he transcribed an official War Department.

Katz piggy-backed that claim and took it a step further. Wild stuff.