Assasination relics: Clothing, chairs, death-scene stuff, and other macabre items

[Steve]

(07-09-2018 11:51 AM)Rsmyth Wrote:  Concerning "The Lincoln Flag" in Milford, PA; central to the story is Thomas Gourlay, utility actor and stage manager. There were several Gourlay family members present the evening of assassination including daughter Jeannie. The "story" is that after the assassination Thomas took the flag decorating the box. Returning to Brooklyn, NY he gave the relic to Jeannie prior to his death. Jeannie had married another actor whose family lived in Milford and they purchased a home there as well. After Jeannie's death the flag was acquired by her son, Vivian Paul Struthers who donated the item with other stage memorabilia to the Pike County Historical Society where it is on display as the showcase of the museum. I believe the story is at best, lore and family legend - at worst, made up by a former curator of the museum.

This blog post quotes a 1914 interview of Jeannie Gourlay that I've never seen before and goes more in depth than the other newspaper interviews of Gourlay I've found and posted to the forum before:

http://civilwar.gratzpa.org/2012/11/jean...never-was/

I still don't believe the Pike Co. flag story but I think the parts of the interview quoted in the post are interesting and worth sharing