Thomas Jones

[Bill Richter]

Yes I have read Jones' book. It is full of cleverly hidden suggestions and concealment of who did what. Rick Smith and I believe that he intentionally told a tall tale of Booth and Herold's staying in the woods and how they got from the woods to the boat. We believe that James Owens, the black employee of the Adams family in Newport, gave the Feds all sorts of hints as to the real story and was disbelieved by the Feds. He was probably maltreated in prison while questioned. In any case he died shortly after his release. Rick has an article on it in the Surratt Courier, 32 (Oct 2007), 3-6.