Ruggles. Bainbridge and Jett at the River

[JMadonna]

Mary Edith Powel, a prominent citizen of Newport, also claimed later in her life to have seen Booth at Newport (she thought it was around April 6).

https://newport.oncell.com/en/mary-edith...29826.html

It appears that Smith was a clerk at the hotel. It's difficult to tell from the original letter whether he's misspelling the hotel name or just has sloppy handwriting. (I tried to upload the letter but couldn't get the image to appear.)

The entry in the hotel registry has been sold at auction. It does bear the date of April 5.

https://historical.ha.com/itm/autographs...14-61205.s

With all due respect to Mary Edith Powell I find it hard to believe that JWB came up from Washington to wander idly in front of her house and try to pick up teen age girls. Where was the woman that Smith says he checked in with?

I'm sure she was playing to the legend that Booth was seen there and thought she'd use it to spice up her memoirs. After some forty years later who's going to contradict her?

It would be interesting to know if anyone authenticated Booth's signature. I wasn't able to find that information from the auction site.