James P Ferguson, witness to the assassination

[RJNorton]

Many thanks, Joe!

I admit to being one of those who feel Spangler was unjustly convicted. I wonder if the "help" Spangler was to provide was a reference to holding Booth's horse.

Those who feel Spangler was involved will interpret it differently...that Spangler was either supposed to turn out the gas lamps or help with the escape in some other manner or both.

I have always felt the altercation Spangler had with Ritterspaugh was due to Spangler not knowing (at that moment in time) who the assassin was. Also, years later, Harry Hawk admitted in an interview that he actually said some of the words Ritterspaugh attributed to Spangler.