The tragical procession

[loetar44]

(12-12-2014 07:07 PM)Jim Garrett Wrote:  The interior with the exception of the brass, appears original. The curtains are original, and I believe unrestored. If you look down through the interior, you may notice a door at the end. The door opens up under the driver's seat to allow more space. The hearse can hold a casket/coffin over 7 feet long.

I believe that Rich Smyth spoke to someone about the Tallahassee hearse. There is no provenance for their hearse.

Really GREAT photo's Jim. Thank you for posting.

James L. Swanson, has written two books about Lincoln's death. Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer ( 2007) and Chasing Lincoln's Killer (2009). He said in an interview on February 12, 2009 re. 200 years of Abraham Lincoln (maybe it is also in one of his books....):

"A little while later, soldiers rounded the corner carrying something, and that's when the thousands of people standing on the street maintaining the death vigil let out a wail," ….. "Because that was the final refutation of their hopes. When they saw that box — it wasn't even a proper coffin; it was an ammunition crate or a rifle case — they carried that box up the stairs, they wrapped Lincoln's body in the American flag, and then lowered him into the coffin. And witnesses say the only thing you could hear in that death room was the squeaking of the screws being tightened."

I wonder, what is Swanson saying about the hearse that took the corpse to the White House?