The Old Scrap Book

[Warren]

Recently, I came across an old scrap book with a lot of articles about Lincoln. These articles came mainly from Texas newspapers, and probably most of them are from Houston newspapers attributing to larger newspapers where applicable. I realize most of you have probably seen these before, but maybe they will be of some help to the researchers. They date from approximately 1882 to 1904 (best that I can determine). Here is an index, and I hope to photograph the articles for the appropriate threads if anyone desires to see them:
se are the titles of the newspaper clippings (my notes in parenthesis):
1. "John Wilkes Booth's Body" (story or interview about Louis Dietrich, and how he went on board at the time of the post mortem signed Washington Cor., Kansas City Times, no dateline).
2. Another Tale of Booth" - "A Texas Traveler Who Says Lincoln's Slayer is Still Alive" - "Formerly Lived in This State" (dateline of Pontotoc, Texas, April 2, no year, and signed John C. S. Baird).
3. "Is John Wilkes Booth The Slayer of Lincoln Alive?" - "The Remarkable Story of Christopher Ritter, Boon Companion of the Assassin, Related and Corroborated by Prof. Weichman." (dateline of Anderson, Indiana, January 30, no year).
4. "Another Booth Skeleton"- "A Fruitful Search Among Ancient Baltimore Archives" (about Junius Brutus Booth and how he lost a wife, separation and marriage. Quotes lots of county records about Junius Booth, some good geneology, dateline of Baltimore, May 3, no year.)
5. "John Wilkes Booth" - Pleasing Reminiscence of the Great Actor by One of the Finest Talks in Georgia" (about Hon. Albert R. Lamar's remembrances of a gentle Booth. Dateline of Atlanta, September 5, no year - from the New Orleans Democrat. Signed "S.C." at end of article).
6. A short pasted clipping of Boston Corbett's whereabouts and occupation (no dateline or attribution).
7. "John Wilkes Booth" - "The Forty-Eight Hours Preceding His Capture- His Arrival at the Garrett Farm, and His Bearing" (Very lengthy article with a lot of meat and quotes such as from Conger (dateline of Philadelphia, December 12, no year, from the Chicago Tribune).
8. "(missing heading, continuing-) "The Assassination." (short article, no dateline).
9. "The Death of Booth" - "An Interesting Story Told By Perhaps the Only Living Witness" (story about and quotes by Rev. Dr. R. B. Garrett of Austin, Texas, the teen who was with his father, Richard Garrett at Booth's death. Dateline of 1898 (cut and pasted on article) Baltimore Special to the Pittsburgh Dispatch).
10. "Wilkes Booth's A Natural Death" - "Woman Tells the Details of His Escape on the Mary Porter" - "Sailed for the Bahamas" (story about Booth's escape, giving ring to captain's wife, died in England, etc. Story about Mrs. J. W. Christ. Dateline Beloit, Wis., April 21, no year).
11. "Stories of Lincoln" (reminiscences of General Badeau. No date, but must be 1904 because it states, "Lincoln was born 84 years ago on February 12, 1820").
12. "Souvenirs of Uncle Abe" - "They Were Gathered Together By Osborn H. Oldroyd" (good description of his collection in the Peterson House. Do dateline, but signed by Gabrielle Marie Jacobs).
13. "Lincoln's Remains" - "They Are Taken From Their Temporary Grave And Laid Finally to Rest (dateline Springfield, Ill., April 15, no year, but must be 1887. Good description of the coffins.)
14. "Where Lincoln Died" - "Relics of the Place Where the Assassinated President Died" ( I posted pictures of this article. No dateline, but came from Chicago Herald).
15. "The Last of Earth" "Death Bed Scene as the Noble Soul Went Out From Life" and "Where Lincoln Died" (mainly copies of either woodcuts or engravings of the deathbed scene and the Peterson House. No dateline).

There are more articles, but these above are about the assassination, death and Booth. As I've said, I'm sure these are not new to you, but maybe there's a gem or two to be mined from them.

[Jim Garrett]

That old scrapbook is a real gem. It looks like it has a real mix. Somewhere in Texas, about a hundred years ago, someone had a real interest. That would have been great on Roger's site.

[LincolnMan]

Where did you find it? Priceless!

[Warren]

I found it in Houston, Texas, at an estate sale. I only bought it because I thought there might be some political campaign material in it and I saw a Custer article when I opened it up. The Custer article was a dud, but I started pulling stuck pages apart and saw all the Lincoln articles. I will be posting some of the articles, or any that any members may want to see.

[BettyO]

What a great find, Warren! And thanks - yes, we'd love to see the articles -

[Jenny]

I would LOVE to see number 7 about JWB at the Garrett Farm! All of them are interesting though - what an excellent find!

[LincolnMan]

They all sound right down our alley!

[L Verge]

I agree - great find and perfect for this audience. I'd like to know the details about #1, the article from someone who supposedly was on the Montauk at the time of the autopsy. John Elliott would be interested in this, I suspect (unless he already knows about this Mr. Dietrich's claim).

[RJNorton]

Laurie, I found another story about Mr. Dietrich.

Publication: Daily News-Democrat
Location: Huntington, Indiana
Issue Date: Monday, April 3, 1899
Page: Page 7

"Many of the stories about John Wilkes Booth are very absurd," says Mr. Louis Dietrich, an old Washingtonian "I have heard people throughout the country say that Booth was never killed or captured and that the body which was brought to Washington was a dummy. I have seen such statements in the papers, as though the writers believed the nonsense about which they write. But I can tell you that I was one of the very few who actually did see and touch the dead body of the murderer of Abraham Lincoln. "I knew Mr. Lincoln very well and I knew the crazy man who slew him. Booth was better known to the people of Washington than Lincoln. Of course, the president was seen at different times, on great occasions, and his pictures were everywhere. But he was not often personally seen by the people. John Wilkes Booth was a character well known to Washington. He was almost as eccentric as his eccentric father, who was in many respects a crazy man. "The elder (Booth was a man who would go to a saloon and pawn his body for liquor, and the theatrical managers would have to hunt him up at the saloons and pay the money which he owed in order to get him on the stage. He became excited once, when he was playing 'Richard III,' and tried to kill the man who played Richmond. He chased him off the stage and all over the theater until he was himself was captured by a policeman and disarmed. "His son, John Wilkes, was a man of uneven mind. He drank to excess and did many eccentric things. He was a great pedestrian. He was constantly taking long walks. Everybody in the city knew him by sight. "When his body was brought here on a gunboat I wanted to see him; but it was almost impossible to get a chance. I thought of all schemes to get on board and at last went to my friend, Dr. Todd, of the army, and asked him how I should get to see the body. He said: 'We are to make a post - mortem examination to - morrow In the afternoon. You come to the boat and tell the guards that you have a message for me. I will be on board and will tell them to send you to me as I am expecting you. I did so and was admitted. ' ' "Just before the post mortem examination Dr. Todd lifted the big tarpaulin that was laid over the body on the upper deck, and showed me the face of the dead man.' It was calm and peaceful as a baby's, and it was John Wilkes Booth. It is all nonsense to say that he was not there. I saw him and touched his head. It was cold and dead; and it was Booth. I know what I know, and I saw Booth lying there. The gunboat was anchored between the arsenal and the navy yard, but nearer the yard than the arsenal." "Among other absurd stories told about Booth was one to the effect that his body had been sunk - in the eastern branch of the Potomac, at midnight, and that no one knew where it was. That was false as everything else they told. His body was buried in the old penitentiary ground, where the arsenal now is, together with those of the other conspirators, ', Harold, " Payne," Mrs. Surratt and Atzerodt. There the body laid for ten years, until it was finally disinterred and carried to Baltimore and buried beside, that of his father in the family burying ground."

[LincolnMan]

Roger: thanks for posting this. I don't suppose that there was an accounting taken of all those who viewed the body on the ship?

[Warren]

    Roger, your story by Dietrich is a longer one, but somewhat identical to the one in the scrap book. But at least it dates mine to around the same time, 1899, I would guess, so I'm noting that on mine.

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By the way, I'm working on photographing the other articles; I just have a learning curve to get over regarding the best way to photograph them with the fewest photos that will still be easy to read.