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

[loetar44]

Ever heard of Lieut. Charles H. Jones? He said he witnessed Lincoln’s assassination and claimed (telling his account in April 1915 – 50 years after the assassination) that he was for a short moment in the presidential box, that Laura Keene entered the box when he was there and that someone came on stage and stopped the pursuit of John Wilkes Booth …

The New York Call of April 14, 1915 printed Jones' story.

1) I leaped over the gallery and balcony rails, swung into the president’s box just in time to see Major Rathbone remove his hands from the president’s head. They were covered with blood. I knew then the emancipator was dying.

2) I remained only a few minutes in the Lincoln box, but before I left Laura Keene had reached the dying president. Her beautiful white silk gown was soon vivid with the blood of the martyr whose head she held in her arms… One actor assassinated Lincoln. Another actor ministered to him as he died.

3) Lieut. Charles H. Jones, then connected with the quartermaster’s department at Washington, sprang from the gallery in time to hear a man on the stage announce, “The assassin is captured,” and thus prevent immediate pursuit of Booth.

Does Jones’ eyewitness account have any validity? I never heard or read that a man came on stage a few seconds after Booth had fled the theatre and that this man announced that the assassin had been captured ???? The article says that this man was in evening clothes ….

And I never heard or read that a Ltn. Charles H. Jones was ever in the box ????