November 1864 Classified Ad by JWB

[L Verge]

(11-09-2017 08:08 PM)jparkuntz Wrote:  I looked unsuccessfully for any federal legislators named "J. B. Wilkes."

Was either Surratt or Booth well-versed enough in spycraft to follow the scenario Steve suggests? (I'm not impressed that Booth was very cunning.)

BTW, I have no theories as to what is going on. I just have a suspicion, based on years of newspaper clipping research tracking individuals, those November ads were placed by JWB.

Jerry Kuntz
Warwick NY

I tend to agree with you that Booth might not have been skilled in spycraft, however, Surratt had lots of practice in deceiving Union occupiers in Maryland by just living in Southern Maryland, where a majority of the citizens knew little ways to survive their federal antagonists.

As to who placed the ad, I would suspect Booth also, mainly because of the timing -- right when he is making first contacts with Confederate agents in Southern Maryland. The "coincidence" is strong, imo. However, the number of folks seeking abodes in DC right after the national election also included support people who gained employment through elected officials. Therefore, we can't rule out that this Mr. Wilkes was a real person with the real last name of Wilkes.