Thomas A Jones

[L Verge]

(06-16-2015 08:16 AM)Jim Garrett Wrote:  It's great to see such an informed group (Jim Page included) believe that Booth and Herold may very well spent those few days elsewhere. I agree wholeheartedly with Laurie, Thomas Harbin and Thomas Jones were still on duty. I think it amazing that after his return from self imposed exile, Thomas Harbin is the front desk clerk at the National Hotel. An ideal spot to watch a lot of comings and goings.

And that Dr. Richard Stuart was a major stockholder in the National Hotel...

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(06-15-2015 06:31 PM)Jim Page Wrote:  Bill, I'm not to be trusted with such a question, but I believe he was the sole source. Jim Garrett or Lindsey Horn, can one of you chime in?

I'm not Jim nor Lindsey, but I believe that Jim Page is correct in that Thomas Jones is the sole source for the reference to the pine thicket. He may first have mentioned it in his interview with George Alfred Townsend and then put it in his own book.

I have always wanted to see an aerial view of the area between today's Bel Alton-Newtown Road (the access route closest to the so-called pine thicket today) and the Newport and Allen's Fresh area. To me, that might give a hint as to how extensive the area was and if it would have been feasible for Booth and Herold to move from Point A to Point B without detection in between.

Bel Alton wasn't there at that time, and its first name was Cox's Station when the railroad went through after the war, so the Bel Alton-Newtown Road probably did not exist at that time (unless as a farm road). Straight highways like Route 301 weren't there either, so in my mind, we have to consider where the fugitives could have wandered without being seen by troops and others who might not cooperate. I also think that, the closer they got to the river, the more they could depend on people helping or keeping quiet. Those citizens had assisted in the Secret Line (or at least played dumb) for four years.

When Rick Smith first found the Owens's statement in Mr. Hall's files at Surratt House, he noticed that Hall had written in the margin to the effect that Owens needed to be studied more because he sure knew an awful lot.