Musical chairs in the State Box?

[Jim Garrett]

Roger is most likely correct on where Booth most likely was. The irregular shape of the box makes it diffucult to understand the seating arrangement. You really have to look at it that the Lincoln were sitting in the fron row of Box 7. There would be very little room behind them because most of the back half of Box 7 was eliminated by the vestibule or alcove that serviced both Box 7 and Box 8

Box 8 was occupied by Clara Harris, sitting in front on an uphostered chair, with Henry Rathbone sitting behind her on a matching uphostered sofa or love seat. These were from the set that the rocker belonged to. there were two rushed bottom wooden (spinnet style) chairs in the box. One was empy, the other occupied by Mary. There was a gap in the front just to the left side of the center column (looking at the boxes from the front. This is where Booth almost certainly leapt from.

Rathbone was almost certainly in civilian clothes. The NPS has in storage, two of Rathbones uniforms that show no sign of the wound inflicted. The NPS also has a black formal vest from Rathbone that has heavy staining of the white linen lining on the left side, as if someone may have bled profusely on that side.

IMO, none of the pictures are totally accurate, but some are better than others.