Those Booth Horses Again -

[Rick Smith]

(04-12-2014 02:36 PM)wsanto Wrote:  i get the sense you all are a little frustrated with me for bringing this up again but I respectfully disagree that the "where he broke his leg" is unimportant.

Some have speculated Booth went into the boardinghouse after the assassination to get supplies and a new hat before continuing his escape. This becomes less likely if he broke his leg at Ford's. If I want to believe this theory I have to believe the horse fell and broke Booth's leg later in the escape.

Others speculate that Booth only changed the course of his escape from a planned northern route through southern Maryland to Mudd's house
because of his horse fall and his newly injured leg. If I want to believe this theory, again, I have to believe the horse-fall theory.

The primary source for the theory that Booth broke his leg at Ford's is his diary.

For me, the best evidence there was a horse fall would be evidence that the horse was injured. Mr Kauffman says that Thomas Davis "told investigators" that Booth's horse had a "badly swollen shoulder" and was "lame". I would like to read that statement/letter/telegram Mr Kauffman used as his primary source. I was hoping someone knew of it.

The reason I want to see it is because it is contradictory to the statement given by Thomas Davis in "The Evidence" (see previous post). It also seems contradictory to Mudd's statement where he states he saw this horse (never mentioning an injury) when it was rode by Davey Herold the next day while he and Mudd were trying to find a carriage all the way to Bryantown. It also seems contradictory to the fact that the horse was ridden many more tough miles along the escape before being ditched in the pines.

Thanks--

Bill C

Not frustrated at all, Bill.

It was a great topic to introduce. I believe that Booth's leg was broken when the mare slipped and fell on him, just as I believe that the horses were not destroyed.

Guess I better not introduce that again.

Rick