Booth's visit to the Surratt Boarding House after the assassination

[Jim Garrett]

(11-13-2012 09:38 PM)Peter Taltavul Wrote:  

(11-13-2012 09:53 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  

(11-13-2012 08:56 AM)Jim Garrett Wrote:  The theatre is small and the box is very visible from the opposite side of the stage. Booth entered throught the back door. He would have a pretty clear view of the box from the wings and been able to determine how many people were in the box.

Thanks, Jim. I had been thinking of John Buckingham's statement. If memory serves me, I think Buckingham said Booth was outside/inside about 5 times before entering the theater for the final time. Then, after all of that, Booth started humming a tune and climbing the stairs. I was just wondering if Booth were trying to figure out how many folks were in the State Box with all his outside/inside movements in the c.10:07 P.M. time frame.

I feel like Colombo. The one shot derringer continues to bother me. Not that it was not sufficient to accomplish the goal. It surely was. If JWB was trying to observe who was in the State Box and could clearly see another couple it seems almost ill prepared to undertake the action with limited hardware. And even if he did not know - even in the midst of confusion after firing the shot - there was also the possibility that someone in the audience who may have been armed could have reacted. Perhaps it was the element of surprise and the timing of the portion of the play and limited actors on stage at that moment that he felt comfortable with. Even if I was counting upon someone to assist with the lighting in the theatre - at least for my own insurance - I would feel a lot more secure if I was carrying/using more than a single shot weapon and a knife. But then again - it was 1865.

Perhaps I am over thinking.

I like the way you think. This thread has really taken on a life of it's own. I think Booth had it unbelieveably well thought out for the short time that he had to put the assassination together, (11:00am to 8:00pm). I don't think he wanted the gas lights turned down. Heck, He probably would have wanted them turned up if he could, so everyone could see him. I think JWB had the timing down perfect. He knew an audience and he knew human nature. To jump up and leap over the orchestra pit, would have been very difficult. Heck, The orchestra pit had.....the orchestra in it. While the act was certainly a bad, bad decision, the execution (no pun intended) was carried out with great precision. Damn, he pulled it off. The only upside, here we are, almost 150 years later, and it still draws the most interest of any other event in our history.