The “rubber box” or did Laura Keene indeed held Lincoln’s head?

[RobertLC]

Laura Keene did not testify at the trial of the conspirators, according to Jill Mitchell’s list of witnesses. Moreover, neither Dr. Leale nor Dr. Taft mentioned her being in the State Box in their 1865 reports of attending the President.

Tom Bogar notes in his book that her friend and fellow actress Kate Reignolds said that Keene could not “bear to hear the slightest allusion to that moment” meaning the assassination, of course. So maybe she never granted any interviews or published any accounts.

An excellent account about her being or not being in the box is provided by Norman Gasbarro, “Laura Keene and the Bloody Dress.” He also mentions Billy J. Harbin’s study of the issue, which I have not read.

Robert