Your guess: "angels" or "ages?"

[Gene C]

Found this image years ago and just stumbled across it....

I don't know what it is or where it is -- but it looks like some sort of "wax works" with a very placid, calm and thin Mary staring into space as if bored to death and supported by another figure who appears to be Edwin Booth.

Lincoln appears to be somewhat as if suffering from the flu or some other ailment.

And who is the lady taking the picture? I didn't know there were such cameras in 1865!

And who is the lady taking the picture? I didn't know there were such cameras in 1865!

I think she was one of Gardner's assistant's, Bill....a little known lady photographer, "Tammy O'Sullivan".... she was known for experimenting with odd camera devices. I think this was the early forerunner for the Poloroid.

I thought that was Maureen O'Sullivan before she became a movie star.

http://www.suspense-movies.com/stars/tarzan-jane/

[wsanto]

In Appleton's cyclopædia of American biography, Volume 8 it states;

"...From the moment that Lincoln was laid on his deathbed, until he breathed his last, O'Beirne, as provost marshal of the district of Columbia, was in constant attendance under the direct orders of Secretary of War Stanton. By the latter he was sent to summon Vice President Johnson from the Kirkwood House, and it was he who escorted Vice President Johnson through the dense crowds in the streets to the bedside of the dying President.

http://tinyurl.com/qjxvady

Keep reading...

As part of his invistigation, he apparently went to Port Tobacco where he happened upon Booth's crutch-print in the ground and tracked it "mile after mile" across the river and then the next day Booth was captured and killed.

I doubt that is true but makes for a pretty good tale.

A lot of these people embeliished their roles for the sake of legacy. I doubt he was at the bedside but truly believe that he wanted everyone to think that he was.

[Linda Anderson]

Wsanto, that account was not written by O'Beirne. As Rob Wick noted in Post #71, you have to read Appleton's with some caution. O'Beirne's statement to Stanton dated May 1, 1865 was written in a very straightforward manner. He doesn't say anything about tracking the crutch print.

From The Lincoln Assassination: The Rewards File by Steers and Edwards.

"As my course from the time I landed in Maryland and Virginia was so varied and changing, it is not easy for me to give details of my movements and perhaps not necessary. I however respectfully submit that I was continually on the move and kept my force acting in like manner with a view to meet your approbation and discharge the duties expected of me. I have carefully and studiously refrained from communicating with the Press until so authorized by the Hon. the Secretary of War and as a consequence the newspapers have teemed with the names of many who were connected with the pursuit. None have been made of me and my men which I believe will meet with your approval."

O'Beirne then "takes the liberty...of inviting attention to the material advantages arising from a course of conduct" by his men and lists their names.

[wsanto]

Wsanto, that account was not written by O'Beirne. As Rob Wick noted in Post #71, you have to read Appleton's with some caution. O'Beirne's statement to Stanton dated May 1, 1865 was written in a very straightforward manner. He doesn't say anything about tracking the crutch print.

From The Lincoln Assassination: The Rewards File by Steers and Edwards.

"As my course from the time I landed in Maryland and Virginia was so varied and changing, it is not easy for me to give details of my movements and perhaps not necessary. I however respectfully submit that I was continually on the move and kept my force acting in like manner with a view to meet your approbation and discharge the duties expected of me. I have carefully and studiously refrained from communicating with the Press until so authorized by the Hon. the Secretary of War and as a consequence the newspapers have teemed with the names of many who were connected with the pursuit. None have been made of me and my men which I believe will meet with your approval."

O'Beirne then "takes the liberty...of inviting attention to the material advantages arising from a course of conduct" by his men and lists their names.

I was just making light of the claims made in this biography.

Although I wonder where Appleton came up with such a tale. It must have been someone's claim. If not O'Beirne, who else?

It just goes along with my theory that a lot of these folks were trying to pad their legacy. Saying "I was there", "I did this"; I think it was pretty typical for the time or, at least, that particular moment in time.

[Linda Anderson]

Although I wonder where Appleton came up with such a tale. It must have been someone's claim. If not O'Beirne, who else?

It just goes along with my theory that a lot of these folks were trying to pad their legacy. Saying "I was there", "I did this"; I think it was pretty typical for the time or, at least, that particular moment in time.

I think we should take Appletons' with a grain of salt. It may be that a contributor dramatized O'Beirne's claims to make the article more interesting for Appletons' readers. Considering that Appletons' created 200 fictional biographies, I would be very wary of believing anything they say without consulting another source.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appletons'_..._Biography

[Angela]

Since the original question asked for a guess - mine would be "ages", simply because I did not come across anything yet that depicted Stanton as a very religious person. He seemed to have dealt with personal tragedy in a manner that is little recorded other than that he changed as a person. Also, he just doesn't strike me as a person to even ever use the word "angels" and especially not on the occasion mentioned.
As I'm trying to picture the moment, he was probably worried a lot about public perception of the events of that night and how they would play out. He was probably fearing riots, an uprising of the southern states, chaos in Washington...this might have led to that particular quote. Maybe he was relieved that he did not have to deal with Lincoln's public perception anymore, knowing that he had only one way to go?

[Anita]

In Appleton's cyclopædia of American biography, Volume 8 it states;

"...From the moment that Lincoln was laid on his deathbed, until he breathed his last, O'Beirne, as provost marshal of the district of Columbia, was in constant attendance under the direct orders of Secretary of War Stanton. By the latter he was sent to summon Vice President Johnson from the Kirkwood House, and it was he who escorted Vice President Johnson through the dense crowds in the streets to the bedside of the dying President.

http://tinyurl.com/qjxvady

Keep reading...

As part of his invistigation, he apparently went to Port Tobacco where he happened upon Booth's crutch-print in the ground and tracked it "mile after mile" across the river and then the next day Booth was captured and killed.

I doubt that is true but makes for a pretty good tale.

A lot of these people embeliished their roles for the sake of legacy. I doubt he was at the bedside but truly believe that he wanted everyone to think that he was.

Thanks for the information on "Appleton's". While I wasn't relying on Appleton's alone to support O'beirne's being at the bedside, it's a good reminder to myself and students to check out sources.

[BettyO]

I think we should take Appletons' with a grain of salt. It may be that a contributor dramatized O'Beirne's claims to make the article more interesting for Appletons' readers. Considering that Appletons' created 200 fictional biographies, I would be very wary of believing anything they say without consulting another source.

Has anyone ever checked Appleton to see if Wardell (supposedly present at Booth's Autopsy) is listed in the "fictional" sense/section ?

Just curious....