The Spur Question

[J. Beckert]

I think it's very reasonable to believe that Booth lost both a hat and a spur at Ford's. While Ford's spur may be dubious, the lost hat is well documented (and long gone), but the spur story has some meat on it.



Contemporary reports say Booth's spur made "a rent in the baize green carpet" of the stage. This Brady photo shows what is most likely this damage.

Although dubious as well, an EBay auction recently offered some items from the purported collection of the Lafayette Baker family. Included was a red handkerchief (Terry Alford stated Mrs. Quesenberry wrapped his food in a red handkerchief) and a spur identical to the one Ford's purports was Booth's.

   

It's a stretch, but stranger things have surfaced. Do your own math, folks...