One more post, on one broken leg.

[Troy Cowan]

Dave wrote, "Richard Baynham Garrett, who was 12 years old when John Wilkes Booth visited and was killed at his father's farm. He replied to a letter written by a man who was investigating Finis Bates' similar theory that John Wilkes Booth escaped his death."

Dave, Richard Baynham Garrett was born on Nov. 22, 1854 and at the time Booth came to his parents farm he was 11 years 6 months old. Finis Bates book came out fifty years later in 1907. Are you taking the word from the memories of an 11 year old boy that are some fifty years old? Richard is simply retelling the stories he has heard over the years. I don't trust the memories of an 11-year-old boy.

ooOoo

The following question has come up: The body was identified at least 4 times - at Garrett's, aboard Montauk, at Harvey and Marr's in Washington in 1869, and at Weaver's in Baltimore in 1869. All of these people identified the wrong body?

I believe that I must give you my personal opinion so that you will understand where I am coming from. You can believe or reject it. I am asking for your tolerance and you are under no obligation to read further. You may skip the rest of this post.

First I believe that Edwin Stanton planned to kill Lincoln and James William Boyd was released from prison to be the assassin. Boyd was a snitch and when his fellow prisoners learned that Boyd was informing on them, Boyd became afraid for his life. Boyd wrote a letter to Stanton telling him of his usefulness. He was released from prison and went to work for Stanton as the assassin of Lincoln. All Boyd wanted to do is get out of jail. On April 14, 1865, Boyd left the city, leaving Stanton without an assassin. When Lincoln was killed by another, Stanton became afraid that Boyd would talk. Stanton wanted Boyd dead, he could care less about Booth. Booth knew nothing about Stanton's plan.

People aboard Montauk were under pressure to give the identification that Stanton wanted. The same applies to others under Stanton's control.

The Booth family knew that John was alive and well. They certainly didn't want to body to be identified as that of another and then have the search for John Wilkes Booth reopened.

Back at the Garrett's farm just after a shot was heard.

Harold asked, “Who had been shot?”
Dougherty replied, “Booth.”
Harold said, “It was not Booth, but Boyd.
(Act of Congress, Trial of the Assassins and Conspirators (Barclay, 1865), 28.)

Two soldiers, Joseph Ziegen and Wilson D. Kenzie, were viewing the body of Booth on the Garrett's porch when one said to the other that it couldn't be the body of Booth because this person had red hair. One of the officers over heard them talking and shouted, "Don't you repeat that." A short time later, "Lieutenants Doherty and Baker and Colonel Conger then forced all present to swear that they would never revel what they had seen." The soldiers were threatened with court-martial if they did.
(John Griffin, Abraham Lincoln's Execution, (Pelican Publishing, 2006), 410.)

On February 17, 1869, Eliza Rogers wrote, "John Wilkes was there at Mr. Weaver's [funeral home]. When John's coffin was opened, he was laced up in 2 government blankets. His leg was broken square off below the knee and the bones had passed each other, and was protruding out the flesh"(John Griffin, Abraham Lincoln's Execution, (Pelican Publishing, 2006), 411.) Her statement does not match Dr. Mudd's. Dr. Mudd said it was a minor break just above the ankle, not a break below the knee.

Mr. Basil Moxley was one of the pallbearers at the funeral for Booth. He examined the body prior to the funeral and said it couldn't be Booth because the man had red hair.