Mudds aim to clear name of doc who treated Lincoln killer

[L Verge]

(11-02-2015 07:15 PM)STS Lincolnite Wrote:  

(11-02-2015 05:34 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Bob - I think you are referring to Samuel Cox, Jr.'s comment that Dr. Sam told him exactly that while the two were campaigning for a state political position years later.

That is interesting. I had never heard about that comment from Cox before. Laurie, can you tell me where and when Cox reported what Mudd had told him? Thanks!

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In doing a little digging, I found a transcript of an affidavit given by a man by the name of George W. Dutton. Dutton (a Captain in Co. C of the 10th regiment of the Veteran Reserve Corps) was guarding Mudd and other prisoners while they were being transported to the Dry Tortugas. In his affidavit given August 22, 1865, he says that Mudd admitted to him that he did in fact know who Booth was when he arrived at his home on the morning of April 15th but didn't say anything because he was afraid for his own and his family's safety. There were several other things that he states Mudd admitted to. Apparently the fact that Mudd made these statements was corroborated by a Navy paymaster and an Army general who were present at the time the statement was made.

In a response to the affidavit, Mudd (in a statement dated August 28, 1865) of course denied having ever made such a statement to Dutton.

I have to delve the depths of my brain right now - and it is befuddled with a horrible cold. However, I believe that Cox, Jr. wrote that description in the margins of his copy of Thomas Jones's book. Cox's original copy with that marginal note is in the Maryland Historical Society, I believe.

If you have not read Ed Steers's great book on His Name Is Still Mudd (now out-of-print), go here for an excellent synopsis: http://www.historynet.com/dr-samuel-a-mudd.htm