Booth's Finances

[wpbinzel]

Has anyone done a detailed analysis of John Wilkes Booth's finances, i.e., what he earned, what he spent, his bank accounts, etc.? I have seen passing references in Come Retribution and other books, but not a full analysis, including what he may have paid for his co-conspirators living expenses, etc., in late 1864 and early 1865. Art Loux's book will likely shed some light on this area by virtue of accounting for Booth's activities. In the meantime, I am curious as to whether anyone has crunched the numbers to account for the total cost of the conspiracy and compared it to the Booth's financial resources.

[J. Beckert]

Surratt House has a 21 page booklet titled To Make a Fortune - John Wilkes Booth: Following the Money Trail.

[wpbinzel]

Thanks! I own most everything in the Surratt House Museum bookstore, but somehow missed that one. I see a trip to Clinton, MD in my future next Wednesday.

[historybuff22]

Years ago I discovered that JWB invested $20,000 in oil wells in Eastern Pennsylvania in 1859. By 1864 he had lost it all - no wells.

[RJNorton]

(05-23-2014 12:19 PM)wpbinzel Wrote:  In the meantime, I am curious as to whether anyone has crunched the numbers to account for the total cost of the conspiracy and compared it to the Booth's financial resources.

I, too, am curious as to how much of the conspirators' expenses did Booth pay for. For example, prior to the assassination, Atzerodt often stayed at the Pennsylvania House (also called the Kimmel House). Did JWB or Atzerodt himself pay for that? Then, on the day of the assassination, Atzerodt checked in at the more upscale Kirkwood House. Who paid for that? Or was the bill never paid? Powell was staying at the Herndon House. Did he pay for that out of his own funds, or did JWB pay for it? Am I correct in saying that none of the three men who were hanged on July 7, 1865, were working a regular job during the immediate time period leading up to the assassination?

[BettyO]

According to what Powell told Gillette on the night before his execution, he was "kept in funds" by unnamed men high up in the Confederate hierarchy. He worked at their "bidding." i.e. following orders from them. Who they were he never divulged. Whether or not they were from Richmond or in the Canadian cabinet or in New York we don't know. As far as can be determined, Powell did not state that Booth supplied him with monies; at least outside of novels, there is no direct quote regarding such either to Gillette or anyone else. Powell also did go so far as to mention to Gillette that the "head of the boarding house" where he stayed in Baltimore (Joseph Branson) was also working for the same men; i.e. the Confederacy.

Powell had a "job" working for D. Preston Parr as a clerk in his Baltimore china shop, but this was more or less a "front" for the real operations which were going on behind the scenes. It was Parr who introduced Powell to Surratt after which Surratt introduced Powell to Booth.

Parr was also a known agent for the Confederacy.

About to meet his Maker, I don't think Powell would have lied to Gillette.