The Spur Question

[Jim Garrett]

Here is what I remember on researching the Ford's Theatre spur and the spur at the USNA at Annapolis.

Ford's spur. When Mr. Oldroyd did his first BERT, he visited with Frankie Mudd. Upon the close of their meeting, Mr. Oldroyd asked Mrs. Mudd if she had anything from that memorable event. She mentioned that they had a spur, but had given it to a neighbor. She gave Mr. Oldroyd the name and where the neighbor lived, (maybe a Gardner). Oldroyd met the owner of the spur and persueded them to part with the spur for $50.00. The spur on display is an 1858 cavalry spur. My personal belief is that the Mudd's neighbor saw a quick opportunity to make some quick money.

The Annapolis spur came from the family of a soldier who was at Ford's on the night of the assassination. When Booth fell to the stage, he apparently broke a spur's leather strap. This soldier is supposed to have picked up the stage and kept it as a momento.
Two problems here. Apparently a spur did come off Booth's boot onto the stage. It was turned into the Metropolitan Police that same night and was illustrated in a newspaper within the next week or so. Also, I was contacted by a self proclaimed "spur expert" a number of years ago. I believe this expert probably knew more about spurs than anyone alive. He had visited the USNA museum a couple of days after me, and he said that the spur was an 1880's english manufactured spur.

I have to conclude that neither if the two known spurs were Booth's.