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(09-21-2014 11:06 AM)Tom Bogar Wrote:  To further muddy the waters, may I suggest it might have been regular Ford's Theatre stock company actor James C. McCollom, who was in Washington but not in the cast that night? The similarity of his name to McCullough's may have caused confusion or a misidentification.

Interesting thought. There is precedent for confusion. James C. Ferguson made a statement that he knew Booth and that "He played here some five or six weeks ago at the benefit of Mr. John McCollum."(Edwards&Steers, p. 490). The benefit was in fact for John McCullough. At the very least, the fact that the name was mentioned, recorded or transcribed incorrectly illustrates that the similarity of the names causes confusion. As a stock actor, he probably would have been around the theatre a lot and been a familiar face. As before, I can't help but wonder what his motivation would have been for tipping off the authorities (he was also a friend of Booth) but to me this possibility is at least as likely as Mathews (more in fact).

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(09-21-2014 11:41 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  Hi Tom. I think anything is possible on this mystery. I think the fact that Mathews was sometimes called "Crazy John Mathews" probably influences my feeling. I am thinking his eccentricity might have somehow caused his mind to think he was doing right by giving McDevitt the tip. Obviously sheer speculation on my part.

Roger, along with you I find Mathews a real enigma and it really is so difficult this far after the fact to know what anyone would do when facing the stress of the assassination.

As far as "Crazy John" I always thought from reading about him, that the moniker was more related to physical characteristics (darting eyes, mussed up hair, solemn appearance) than due to something in his behavior. Though I know people certainly did describe him as eccentric. I'm sure Tom could set me straight on those points.