Conspiracy Theories

[Laurie Verge]

Maddie - Either Bainbridge or Ruggles stated later that they had seen Booth's leg and that it was in pretty bad shape by the time he crossed the Rappahannock. However, I don't recall the Garretts having said anything about the leg being unusually bad. Somewhere there is a comment about the poor job of splinting that Dr. Mudd had done, so maybe the leg got worse over time. I still don't think that changed anything. I would also suspect that the situation that he was in when surrounded by the troops and seeing the flames shoot up would have caused him to forget any pain in that leg. I have arthritis in both legs, but I think I would forget the pain of walking if my life were in danger.

As for the major manipulation theory set forth in American Brutus, I can't buy it. I see Booth as dangling carrots of adventure, money, and Southern patriotism in front of his gang in order to entice them into the capture scheme. Arnold and O'Laughlen bailed when Booth did not assure them of Confederate support. Powell, I think, was following orders from the higher-ups via Mosby; and Herold and Atzerodt were snookered in by the promise of adventure (Herold) and money (Atzerodt).