The Spangler Connection

[Craig Hipkins]

Hello folks, I am about half way through Tom Bogar's book Backstage at the Lincoln Assassination. A great read! While I have been reading it a question has come up regarding Spangler's involvement. Although this has almost certainly been talked about before I would like to hear peoples thoughts on the hole that was bored through the door of Lincoln's box.

In Backstage on page 98 it talks about stagehand Jacob Rittersbach seeing a man standing in the dress circle smoking a cigar. When Rittersbach pointed this out to Spangler he was told to let it go. This would have been a perfect time for someone to tamper with the door as most of the stagehands and actors had gone to supper. I wonder if it is possible that Spangler (a carpenter) could have bored the peephole and cut the groove for the wedge Booth later used to block the door? Perhaps Booth was merely checking on Spangler's handiwork? I would think that it would have taken a considerable amount of time to do this during the day, especially not knowing who might walk in.

Didn't Spangler often times sleep at the theatre?

Just something that has aroused my curiosity

Craig

[RJNorton]

Hi Craig. I think anything is possible. It's possible Spangler did the carpentry. Frank Ford said the hole was bored by either his father or on his father's orders. Theodore Rhodes, at the trial of John Surratt, testified he saw Surratt doing the carpentry. IMO, I go with the "traditional version" of Booth himself doing it. George W. Bunker, a clerk at the National Hotel, testified a gimlet with an iron handle was found in Booth's trunk. Wood shavings were found on Booth's remains at Garrett's. It's really a guessing game, Craig, but I lean to Booth himself doing the handiwork. Who knows, though. And I sure agree that Tom's book is outstanding.

[Gene C]

I've always questioned the wood shavings found on Booth's remains. If they are from the theater doorway, why carry the wood shavings around with you for over a week, but a gimlet with an iron handle he puts in his trunk? Why put the gimlet away, but keep the wood shavings? Did he keep them to start a fire?
(I doubt he thought that far ahead) Did he just forget to dispose of them? He can get rid of them anywhere. A souvenier? What were the wood shavings saved for? Inquiring minds want to know.

[Craig Hipkins]

Roger and Gene, I had always assumed that the wood shavings found in Booth's pocket were fire starter material. I guess that if it was constantly wet outside this would be one way of keeping the chips dry.
I agree Gene, why keep the wood chips and toss the gimlet?

Craig

[RJNorton]

I agree on the wood shavings. Does anyone know if the theater has a position on who made the hole? What are visitors to Ford's told?

[BettyO]

I agree as well. JWB probably used those shavings for fire starter. I would think that they would have needed a small fire perhaps out in the pine thicket -- or would they have been afraid to make a fire because it would have been seen by search parties. A good thought that no one has made much of. I doubt that JWB would have put the shavings from the door into his pocket and carried them around. Several works of fiction state that he bored out the hole in the door and then collected the shavings in his handkerchief. But then that's fiction..... or is it? Makes for a good story, anyway. It would be interesting to know if Spangler DID make the hole. Seems logical.

[Eva Elisabeth]

(02-12-2014 03:55 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  Theodore Rhodes, at the trial of John Surratt, testified he saw Surratt doing the carpentry.

Never heard of this, could you share some details, please? Was Theodore Rhodes employed at Ford's, or was he acquainted with John Surratt, or both, and how came it he allegedly saw him, and when? What was thought of the testimony?

As for the wood carvings, (why) isn't it likely he simply put them into his pocket to get them away (to avoid someone discovering the hole), and then just forgot to dispose of them? I would assume they were only few, light, and little ("fluffy") and would spread in a pocket (whereas a gimlet is rather inconvenient to carry on the body - depending on the location of the pocket).

[RJNorton]

James Gifford was asked about the hole at the trial of John Surratt.

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Q. Did you make an examination at any time to ascertain how the door was fastened?

A. Yes, sir; while the Secretary of War was there I explained it to him. There was a hole cut in the plastering of the wall; from that they had a bar that slipped against the door, and the door being at an angle, was secure from any rushing in or attempt to force it in; but if they shook the door the bar would at once fall out. There was a hole in the door close to the President's box, that I thought at first was where a pistol was fired, but on close examination I found it was cut with a left-hand auger bit.

Q. Describe where that cut was.

A. It was right in the corner of the panel, by the moulding. I thought, at first, it was shot through by a pistol.

Q. How did you examine it?

A. By looking at it; the only way I know.

Q. Go on with your statement.

A. That is all I have to say.

Q. Do you think it would have been observed easily by persons whose attention had not been called to it?

A. No, sir; you might have passed it a dozen times, you might have passed H a year and not have taken notice of it.

Q. How large was the hole?

A. It was about a quarter of an inch in diameter.

Q. When did it appear that this hole had been made? Did it seem to be fresh cut?

A. It appeared to be tolerably fresh.

Q. You had never observed it before?

A. Never.

Q. Could you tell what it had been made by?

A. Yes, sir; I could tell by the way it was cut; it was cut by a bit that turned left-handed.

Q. What sort of an instrument?

A. It was cut by a gimlet. I understood the government had the gimlet that cut it. The hole had been tampered with by cutting it, so as to make it appear larger on the outside of the box.

Q. How long would it require to make it?

A. A man could put it there in half a minute. All he had to do was to turn the bit a few times round. The stuff was not more than three-eighths thick. Two or three turns would take the gimlet through it. It was at the rising of the panel, right in the corner where the moulding of the panel mitres. Mr. Pierrepont. Step to that door and explain to the jury where, corresponding in the door, it was. (Witness explained.)

Q. How high was it from the floor?

A. I judge about 4 feet five or six inches, so that a man could look through.

By Mr. Wilson: Q. Was it so that any person looking through it could easily see the whole interior of the box?

A. No, sir; he could see the left-hand side of the box; he could not see over the box. It was in a direct line from where the President sat.

Mr. Bradley. You mean by that that the President would be in full view from that hole?

A. He could see the back part of the President's head from where that hole was bored.

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Welcome to our new member, Gino. James Gifford was Gino's great great grandfather!

[RJNorton]

Eva, here is Theodore Benjamin Rhodes' testimony at the John Surratt trial.

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Q. State where you live.

A. I am living at the present time east of the capitol.

Q In this city?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. How long have you been living here?

A. Since 1862. I was away a very short time.

Q. What is your occupation?

A. Repairing of clocks and watches, and working in the garden that I have adjoining my house.

Q. State whether you were in the city of Washington on the day of the assassination of President Lincoln.

A. I was.

Q. Do you know this building on Tenth street, between E and F, called
Ford's theatre?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. State, if on the day of the assassination you were in that neighborhood.

A. I was in Ford's theatre on the day of the assassination.

Q. State as near as you can what time in the day.

A. As near as I can impress it upon my mind it was within half an hour of twelve o'clock, when I entered the building.

Q. After entering the theatre, state if your attention was directed by anything you saw going on in one of the private boxes.

A. I went in merely to look at the theatre. I went up the steps to the second floor; went down in front where the circle was, to look upon the stage; whilst there I saw one of the box doors open a little and shut. I was anxious to see from that point of view, and supposing some one was in there, having heard some one stepping about, I went down to the box and looked out from that point. As I approached the box whoever was in there walked away out of the box, and I entered and looked from that point on the stage. I had been looking there about a minute or two when the same person, I suppose, who went out of the box returned and spoke to me. He said he was connected with the theatre. We then had a few words together, when my attention was again drawn to the scenery on the stage. They had a curtain down that had recently been painted, I believe, and I stood there looking at that. Then I heard this man behind me doing something. In turning around to see what it was he was doing — I supposed he was looking down as I was — I noticed that the had a piece of wood; whether he had it put in under his coat or was taking it out I cannot say. The piece of wood was about three feet long and about as wide as my two fingers - maybe a little more in the center - slanting a little towards each end from the center.

As I turned around he said, "The President is going to be here to-night." That was the first intimation I had of the expected presence of the President that night. I said, "He is?" He then said, "We are going to fix up the box for his reception. I suppose there is going to be a big crowd here, and we are going to endeavor to arrange it so that he won't be disturbed."

He then fixed this piece of wood into a small hole in the wall there as large as my thumb. I should think the hole to be an inch or an inch and a half long, and about three-quarters of an inch wide. He placed one end of this stick in the bole and it being a little too large took a knife and whittled it down a little. He also gouged out the hole a little for the purpose of making it fit. Then he placed it against the panel of the door across to the wall, forming an angle. He says, "The crowd may be so immense as to push the door open, and we want to fasten it so that this cannot be the case." He asked me if I thought that would hold it sufficiently tight. I told him I should judge that it would bold against a great pressure; that a hole would be punched through the panel of the door before it would give way. The wood was either oak or of North Carolina pine. I am not acquainted with that kind of wood, but I am rather of the impression it was North Carolina pine, which is a very tough wood, I believe. After he had fitted that to suit him we had a few words more together. I then heard some one come across the stage, back of the curtain.

The District Attorney. You have spoken of this interview with a person. I will ask the prisoner to stand up here. [The prisoner did so]

Q. State if that is the man, (pointing to the prisoner), and whether you saw him there?

A. I should judge that was the man.

Q. Have you any doubt about it?

A. No, sir.

[Cliff Roberts]

In my opinion, Rhodes' testimony is complete rubbish, for a variety of reasons. Hardly worth the effort to refute.

[L Verge]

How about two chief reasons for your belief, Cliff? P.S. I agree with you. I also agree with Eva's assessment that Booth picked up the wood shavings after quickly drilling the hole and put them in his pocket where they stayed for the next twelve days simply because there were so few of them that he just forgot about dumping them. The gimlet would have been tangible evidence of the deed - the shavings were not.

[Craig Hipkins]

Gifford's testimony is very interesting. According to him it seems that the person that drilled the hole knew where the President was going to sit.
Thanks for posting that Roger.
Craig

[Eva Elisabeth]

Thanks also for Rhode's testimony.

[RJNorton]

Eva, in the past, I have held out some belief that John Surratt may have pulled a fast one and was really in Washington helping JWB on April 14, 1865, not Elmira, NY. However, due to numerous discussions on this issue, and the thoughts and arguments of Laurie and others, I have pretty much come to the belief that Surratt was indeed in Elmira. Thus, IMO, Mr. Rhodes was mistaken in his testimony. IMO Booth himself did the carpentry at Ford's Theatre.

I am undecided on the shavings and probably lean to the "fire starter" theory. However, long ago, and as usual I cannot remember where, I think I did once read that some of the shavings were painted similar to the door at Ford's. I am sure I saw something like that somewhere.

[HerbS]

In my research of John Surratt.I feel that he was in Elmira and Canandaigua,NY.He went by train to Albany,NY.He then proceeded to Montreal,Canada and stayed at the St.Lawrence Hotel.[Canadian National Archives]. I have his signature from the Hotel Ledger and matched it with other signatures of John Surratt.