Why was Booth admitted into the presidential box?

[John Fazio]

I have a question about President Lincoln's security at Ford's Theatre. In some books I have read that it was normal procedure for Lincoln to attend performances with no security at all. But William H. Crook (one of the detail of White House guards) writes:

"It was the custom for the guard who accompanied the President to the theatre to remain in the little passageway outside the box – that passageway through which Booth entered. Mr. Buckingham, who was the doorkeeper at Ford’s Theatre, remembers that a chair was placed there for the guard on the evening of the 14th. Whether Parker occupied it at all I do not know – Mr. Buckingham is of the impression that he did. If he did, he left it almost immediately; for he confessed to me the next day that he went to a seat at the front of the first gallery, so that he could see the play. The door of the President’s box was shut; probably Mr. Lincoln never knew that the guard had left his post."

Was Crook right? Was it normal for a guard to be sitting in the passageway whenever Lincoln and party occupied that box?

Roger:

The statement you quote above is affirmed by similar statements made by Crook in the same source (Through Five Administrations)and in his other work (Memories).It is also affirmed by Tom Pendel, George McElfresh, A. C. Richards, Charles Forbes and Mary Todd Lincoln. It is also accepted as fact by Roscoe, Eisenschiml, Bryan, Clark and Brooks, among others, including me. See pages 152-158 of the book.

John

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John,thanks for your fantastic research!My eyes are open towards purchasing your book.

Herb:

Thanks. I will be most interested in your commentary when you are finished with it. Perhaps you can write a review for Amazon. Something modest like "Tour de force!!!!" "Fantastico!!!" (Italian for "fantastic") "Mama Mia!!!" (Italian for, well "Mama Mia"). Well, I don't want to put words in your mouth, but I thought I would just try a few.

John



John