Drawing of Booth Body

[Linda Anderson]

(03-12-2014 02:03 AM)John E. Wrote:  Lawrence worked as an assistant with his father and was present on the day of Booth's examination aboard the Montauk. Lawrence Gardner could not have been more clear when he stated, "Did we take a picture? No.". These weren't offhand remarks or an inference captured by a reporter. This was a first-person, direct quote from Gardner and was followed by a logical explanation.

Alexander Gardner was tasked to take a photo of Booth's body but Maj. Thomas Eckert rescinded the order when it was evident Booth's day-old, "rapidly changing" corpse bore little resemblance to the handsome actor. Booth had shaved off his signature mustache and a 10 day growth of beard covered his face. Additionally, Booth's face had become freckled and discolored due to livor mortis.

Hi John,

This may have been covered before but is it possible that Lawrence Gardner was lying to cover up the fact that a photo was actually taken?
That was the story and he was sticking to it.

Also, Seaton Munroe, who was a witness for the military commission trying to establish Booth's identity which was being held below deck, wrote, "The handsome countenance was unmarred by the agony of his lingering death..."

So what did Booth look like on the Montauk anyway? Could his body have changed that quickly?