James S. Case

[Rob Wick]

Going through the Tarbell Papers (which I think will likely take me the rest of my natural life plus about 20 years ) I found a letter from a James S. Case, who, according to the letterhead, was manager of the Brooklyn Daily Times. He first wrote to McClure's Magazine in 1896 about the programme for Our American Cousin which Lincoln supposedly had when he was shot. Instead of trying to type this and the follow-up he wrote to Tarbell, I will link to them. I can't seem to find the letter she wrote Case which he mentions, but evidently much of the McClure Papers regarding her series was destroyed after the company was sold. I don't know that I've ever come across this. Has anyone else?

Best
Rob

First letter

Second letter

[LincolnMan]

I've never heard that Lincoln had the Our American Cousin programme when he was shot. Has any one else? Where is it, if so?

[J. Beckert]

In one of Joseph Hazelton's statements he stated he gave Lincoln and everyone in the party a playbill as they entered. I've seen photos of one with blood drops near the bottom, but I couldn't find a picture of it.

[LincolnMan]

Wow, I didn't know. It makes sense that theater goers received it as they entered into the building. But the presidential party was late...but he was the President! Wonder where it is?

[Rob Wick]

I don't see any mention of such an item in the auction catalog for Oliver Barrett's collection, so it must have ended up in the Case family or in the hands of another collector, assuming, of course, that it is real and still exists.

Best
Rob

[Dave Taylor]

The playbill Mr. Case discusses is currently in possession of the Rosenbach Museum & Library in Philadelphia. Despite the wonderful provenance of having a sworn affidavit by John Ford stating that he picked the playbill up from under Lincoln's rocker, the playbill is not a genuine one from that night. Instead it is a Buckingham reprint. The Rosenbach Museum has an interactive site of the playbill here:
http://www.21stcenturyabe.org/2009/01/07...bill-1865/

Not knowing that it was a reproduction at the time, Tarbell would use the image of Case's playbill in her book, The Life of Abraham Lincoln: http://books.google.com/books?id=-bUTAQA...&q&f=false (Page 35)

LincolnMan, I discussed the Ford's Theatre assassination playbills in a post on my blog if you want to learn more: http://boothiebarn.wordpress.com/2012/06...playbills/

John Ford clearly perjured himself when he made his affidavit to this playbill's authenticity. He was in Richmond when Lincoln was assassinated and didn't get back into town until Monday. Between the assassination and Ford's return to his theatre, many people had rifled through the box taking souvenirs. There's no way any playbill would have been left in the box by the time he got there.

[Rob Wick]

Great job, Dave. Thanks.

Best
Rob

[Dave Taylor]

Thanks, Rob. When I saw this thread's name, I thought for sure I'd have no idea what you would be discussing. But, after reading Case's letters, I knew I had seen that playbill somewhere before. When it comes to the assassination playbills, I enjoy the hunt.