Newspaper Tidbits - Booth's Brandy, et.al.....

[BettyO]

Found these facinating little "tidbits" in a NY newspaper -- don't know the validity of truthfulness...but it makes for some interesting reading. Wonder whatever happened to that bottle from which Booth drank? If true, do you think Peter Taltavul kept it? It'll probably turn up on eBay someday - so buyer beware!

It appears that there was as much a rush for relics as there is today -


The “relic” fever has caused considerable damage to portions of Ford’s Theatre in Washington, where Booth killed Mr. Lincoln. That portion of the stage carpet upon which Booth leaped from the President’s box has been cut away for a diameter of four feet. The latest “manifestation” of the relic fever is that of a visitor who went into a saloon attached to the theatre [Taltavul’s Star Saloon], and asked the bartender: “Have you the same bottle on hand out of which Booth drank on the night of the assassination?”
“Yes,sir.” “And the same brandy in it?” “Yes, sir.” “Can I have a drink of that same brandy out of the same bottle?” “Yes, sir.” “Let’s have it.”

The visitor takes the brandy, makes up a wry face and continues: “And that’s the same brandy that Booth drank?” “Yes, sir.” “Well, I don’t wonder he killed the President. A drink of that brandy would make a man kill his grandmother!”

Bloomville, NY Mirror, July 18, 1865


Out of the same paper:


It is stated that Mrs. Surratt, before Booth was captured, and while she was at the Carroll Prison, was offered a free and non-conditional pardon for herself and son, if she would accompany an officer in a buggy and point out the road which Booth had probably taken. She protested that she had no idea which road he had taken, and had no knowledge of his intentions to assassinate the President when he visited the house, and positively refused to accompany the officer, as she could be of no service.

[RJNorton]

Fascinating, Betty! Did the paper give the name of the person(s) who allegedly made this offer to Mary Surratt?

[BettyO]

No - no juicy details other than what was printed here.....which leads me to wonder if some stories were obviously made up to sell papers!

[Anita]

Betty, When the saloon closed in 1865 I wonder what happened to all the bottles, chairs, glasses, etc. that booth and his henchmen used. Taltavul could have made a "killing" in the relic business. Then there's all that wood when the Star Saloon was torn down in 1930.

I haven't run across any relics from Taltavul's but after your post, some may materialize!

[KateH.]

This is a little off topic as it is about an article different from the set mentioned above. However, I don't believe it needs a new thread. I found an article Betty posted some time back that mentioned Powell pitching a game of quoits shortly before being executed. What is quoits?

[J. Beckert]

If it's the same game still popular in Pennsylvania, quoits (pronounced kwaits) is similar to horseshoes. I don't know about the Civil War era, but nowadays a slanted board with a post is used. The object is to toss rings and get them on the post.

[BettyO]

Great photo, Joe - interesting that it's so popular in Pennsylvania, too! Thanks.

Quoits is also still popular in Virginia; particularly Richmond where Supreme Court Justice John Marshall began a Quoits club and held contests at his home in Richmond. The very same club is still in existence and meets to this very day.

One reference mentions Powell in his boyhood (1850s) playing quoits and states that the rings and stake was made of iron.

[KateH.]

Interesting. Thank you for the help.

[RJNorton]

Betty, When the saloon closed in 1865 I wonder what happened to all the bottles, chairs, glasses, etc. that booth and his henchmen used. Taltavul could have made a "killing" in the relic business. Then there's all that wood when the Star Saloon was torn down in 1930.

I haven't run across any relics from Taltavul's but after your post, some may materialize!

Anita, I cannot answer your question, but here's a photo of the interior of Taltavul's taken after the war. I don't have an exact date on the photo.

[BettyO]

It would be fascinating to attempt to track down what became of the interior fixtures. If they went to a salvage yard somewhere in the 1930s, perhaps it could be tracked down. The interior was probably dismantled long before that, though - Interesting thought!

[Hess1865]

someone should make up Taltavul Tavern t shirts

[LincolnMan]

Found these facinating little "tidbits" in a NY newspaper -- don't know the validity of truthfulness...but it makes for some interesting reading. Wonder whatever happened to that bottle from which Booth drank? If true, do you think Peter Taltavul kept it? It'll probably turn up on eBay someday - so buyer beware!

It appears that there was as much a rush for relics as there is today -


The “relic” fever has caused considerable damage to portions of Ford’s Theatre in Washington, where Booth killed Mr. Lincoln. That portion of the stage carpet upon which Booth leaped from the President’s box has been cut away for a diameter of four feet. The latest “manifestation” of the relic fever is that of a visitor who went into a saloon attached to the theatre [Taltavul’s Star Saloon], and asked the bartender: “Have you the same bottle on hand out of which Booth drank on the night of the assassination?”
“Yes,sir.” “And the same brandy in it?” “Yes, sir.” “Can I have a drink of that same brandy out of the same bottle?” “Yes, sir.” “Let’s have it.”

The visitor takes the brandy, makes up a wry face and continues: “And that’s the same brandy that Booth drank?” “Yes, sir.” “Well, I don’t wonder he killed the President. A drink of that brandy would make a man kill his grandmother!”

Bloomville, NY Mirror, July 18, 1865


Out of the same paper:


It is stated that Mrs. Surratt, before Booth was captured, and while she was at the Carroll Prison, was offered a free and non-conditional pardon for herself and son, if she would accompany an officer in a buggy and point out the road which Booth had probably taken. She protested that she had no idea which road he had taken, and had no knowledge of his intentions to assassinate the President when he visited the house, and positively refused to accompany the officer, as she could be of no service.

Great story about the brandy- i'm still laughing!

[Jim Garrett]

Does anyone know the provenance of the picture of Taltavul's?

[L Verge]

Joan Chaconas is my D.C. expert, and I will check with her. For some reason, I believe she has said that she has doubts about that being a photo of Taltavull's bar because an enlargement shows a date on one of the papers on the wall as being in the 1920s.

A city directory for 1924 lists the building as being a War Department branch of the Adjutant General's office.

[RJNorton]

Joan could certainly be right, Laurie. Back in 2001 I had a computer disaster and lost all my email folders that had messages from 1996-2001. The photo I posted was sent to me during that time frame; thus I have the photo but no information. It was labeled "interior of Taltaval's taken some time after the Civil War." I thought it came from a Taltavul descendant, but that is an extremely foggy memory. Unfortunately I have quite a few Lincoln-related photos on my computer that I received 1996-2001, and I have no information on who sent them to me or where they came from.