Article about Edman Spangler at Fort Jefferson

[John E.]

(03-03-2015 08:26 PM)Tom Bogar Wrote:  

(03-01-2015 11:59 PM)John E. Wrote:  I am extremely dubious that Spangler's letters came from his own pen. If anything, he had someone else (perhaps Sam Arnold) write for him. If you ever get the chance to read his original writings located in the Maryland Historical Society, you may agree. I believe they are located in the Ford papers.

Having viewed the originals of both (sharply contrasting) styles of Spangler's letters at the Maryland Historical Society and the Ford and Butler papers at the Library of Congress, I agree with you, John, that the syntax, plus Arnold's job at Ft. Jefferson being that of a scribe, plus the melodramatic flourishes, strongly suggest that it was Arnold who penned them for Spangler, likely as a quid pro quo for all the carpentry tasks Spangler performed for them.

Tom, slightly off topic but do you believe Spangler knew what Booth was going to do that night? It seems to me JWB could hardly hold his enthusiasm before, during and after the assassination.

I'm almost certain Spangler had no idea what Booth was up to until that afternoon - but that he knew Booth was going to do something. It just seems he took his circumstances a little too well.