Report that Booth's Horse Fell on Him

[Laurie Verge]

I agree with Joe. I'm sitting at my desk right now looking up at a nine-foot ceiling - which is about three feet lower than the distance from the Presidential Box railing to the stage. You cannot tell me that even an experienced gymnast could make that leap IN HASTE, WITHOUT PREPARATION, catch a spur on a flag or the frame of an engraving, and land evenly (with a drum roll, please) and not twist something in the process.

Do we have any evidence to indicate that Booth's theatrical career ever called for him to make such a jump? What scenery in which play had a twelve-foot cliff for him to jump from? Did he do daily calisthenics to keep in tip-top shape -- epecially during the last six months of his life?

And why do I suspect that I found the orthopedic surgeon amongst us? Wsanto???