Identification of Booth's body

[mikegriffith1]

To follow, I see that according to Lawrence Gardner, Eckert did not want an autopsy photo because the body bore so little resemblance to Booth! Lawrence said that “General Eckert” said it would be better not to take an autopsy photo because the body did not look much like Booth. He claimed that no autopsy photo was taken and that the reason for this was Eckert’s concern that the body did not resemble Booth. Said Lawrence,

Quote:After everything had been prepared, General Eckert concluded that inasmuch as there was so little likeness in the remains [the body] to the photograph in existence of Booth, perhaps it would be best not to make the picture and the plan was abandoned for that reason. (“Wilkes Booth’s Body”)

Lawrence Gardner also claimed that since he had heard that Booth’s initials were on one of his “arms,” he unbuttoned the left sleeve cuff and saw the initials “JWB” on the forearm. Really? This is a doubtful claim that was probably told in a deliberate effort to bolster the government’s version of events.

Leaving aside the fact that the initials were not on the forearm, is it not very odd that Lawrence’s father, Alexander Gardner, did not take at least one photograph of this crucial item of evidence? Is it not equally odd that when Dr. May said that the body bore no resemblance to Booth and that he could not believe it was Booth, Lawrence Gardner and others did not immediately point out the tattooed initials? Why did not either of the doctors who examined the body mention the initials? Why did Holt fail to ask any of the identification witnesses if they had seen the initials?

I mean, my goodness, if Lawrence had seen the initials "JWB" on the body, surely it would have occurred to him to turn to his dad and say, "Hey, Dad, look here: Here are Booth's initials on the body!" And his dad and Eckert and the others surely would have realized the enormous evidentiary value of taking some photos of the initials. But, I guess we're supposed to believe that this natural, common-sense action did not cross anyone's mind?