Oddities of the Lincoln assassination

[HerbS]

He was in fantasy land in his thinking.Take a look at his actions in his"Swing around the circle"campaign.History,treated him fairly!

[L Verge]

Here's an oddity that I have seen mentioned before (maybe in Nora Titone's great book), and am throwing out there to see if anyone has any further information on it:

We are all familiar with (and probably tired of) the story about Edwin Booth saving the life of Robert Lincoln. However, there is also a story of John Wilkes Booth saving the life of a uniformed Union soldier during the New York Draft Riots. John was visiting his brother Edwin at the time, and Edwin's home was close to ground zero during the Riots. The Union soldier had been in New York recuperating from wounds. He was also a friend of Edwin Booth. The angry mobs set upon him since he was in uniform and John pulled him away and to safety.

The man's name was Adam Badeau, and he was part of Gen. Grant's support staff - later serving as Grant's secretary. It was Adam Badeau that Robert Lincoln told the story to about Edwin Booth pulling him out of the path of the oncoming train at Jersey City.

Does that qualify as an odd coincidence?

[HerbS]

Yes,I think that qualifies as a strange coingidence!

[Rhatkinson]

Jim's post in an earlier thread about the benefits of books like O'Reilly got me thinking of an interesting topic for the board.

What are your favorite/most intriguing facts or oddities of the Lincoln assassination? I'll start with a few of mine:

1. Lincoln's body was autopsied and embalmed in the current White House room (the old Prince of Wales Room) where First Families since Truman have eaten their meals (the current family dining room.)

2. (As Jim noted) JWB lounged/napped in the very bed where Lincoln would later die in the Petersen House.

3. Robert Lincoln once saved the life of Edwin Booth by helping him off a train track just before a train arrived.

Heath

Oops - vice versa on #3 Heath...

Right, Laurie. I feel so stupid.

[SSlater]

Here is a coincidence that you may not have heard about:

Frank Stringfellow left Washington somewhere about April 1, 1865 and headed home. In his trek south he moved along the "Secret Line" through Maryland - Heading always toward Thomas Jones. He had met Jones on his way into Washington and knew that Jones would put him across the Potomac. Frank's trip wasn't smooth and easy - he had to hide out at times. Also, he spent some time in a lock-up, but he escaped and continued south. (Good Reading)

(This story is predicated on an article I wrote for the "Courrier" about 35 years ago - "Hold the Boat Tom". I don't have a copy, so I can't quote the minute details."

About this same time, Booth came to Washington to do his thing and afterward headed home, down the same :Secret Line", headed toward Thomas Jones.

Would you believe,Thomas Jones had both Booth and Stringfellow, on his hands at the same time?, and put them both across safely.

My sources included Stringfellow's book, "Stringfellow of the 4th", for the details of his escape, and the Logbooks of the Gunboats, to verify weather conditions. For example: When Davey Herold said they were on the river in the fog - the Logbooks said there was fog. and Stringfellow said FOG When Stringfellow said it rained - the Logbooks showed it was raining. Herold said there was RAIN. The Weather Bureau records of moon phases, compared favorably with the conditions expresses by both men. The moon was late rising , so Booth and Herold were on the river in the complete dark - they came "out of the Nanjemoy at sundown...." But they did have two Lightships to guide on. One at the mouth of the Nanjemoy (The Upper Cedar Point Light) and the other at the mouth of the Gambo (The Lower Cedar Point Light,) Gambo Creek is in Virginia, but The Lower Cedar Point is in Maryland. The entire Potomac is in Maryland, so the light was owned by Maryland. AMEN.

I'll bet that Laurie's gang could come up with the original story, if any one is interested.

[SSlater]

I have one more oddity to present, which you will not believe until you see it yourself.

I found an item in the O.R. in my youth (last year), where the Sec. of the Navy (Wells) I think. ordered the Navy NOT TO SEARCH FOR BOOTH. He says that the Army has been charged to find Booth.

My source, of course, is the O.R. But my Volumes are boxed up and sent to storage, in anticipation of my pending move. Thus, I can't provide Book and page. Someone, please Help. Thanx.

[Craig Hipkins]

Good topic, Heath!

According to p. 280 of Theodore Roscoe's The Web of Conspiracy several American towns received word that the President had been assassinated BEFORE it happened. These cities included:

1. St. Joseph, Minnesota.
2. Manchester, New Hampshire
3. Middletown, New York

Roger,
Charles Chiniquy uses the Minnesota report as evidence for the Jesuit involvement in Lincoln's death.

Craig

[RJNorton]

Hi Craig and thanks! I have the following information in my files, but I don't remember where I found it.

"George Kulzer (1831-1912), a pioneer of Stearns County, Minnesota, told the following story about St. Joseph, MN: "That was an eventful year, 1865. In April, an odd thing happened in St. Joseph. Early in the morning on Wednesday, the 14th, people were horror-stricken to hear that President Lincoln had been assassinated. No one knew how the news had arrived, since we had no telegraph. Later we heard that Mr. Lincoln had indeed been assassinated, but not until late in the evening of that day. No one remembered how the news had started. Weeks later, some of the Eastern papers heard of it and tried to infer that the priest of St. Joseph knew of a Catholic plot against the government and had spread the news prematurely. This was, of course, ridiculous. Father Bruno was indignant, but some people wanted to believe it, and many years later it would still be whispered." Mr. Kulzer was wrong on the day of the week, as the 14th was a Friday.

[Jim Garrett]

Another interesting side note.....Lt. Edward Doherty married the daughter of restauranteur Charles Gautier, where Booth hosted the March '65 midnight dinner for his co-conspirators. They were married at ST. Patrick's Catholic Church, half a block from Ford's and where Mary Surratt attended mass and Father Jacob Walters was installed for decades. I've been trying to find out if he performed the ceremony.

[RJNorton]

half a block from Ford's and where Mary Surratt attended mass and Father Jacob Walters was installed for decades.

One thing I have read about him is that he kept writing that all of the members of the military commission had died violent deaths and/or committed suicide. In response, many years later, most of the military commission members put out a declaration that they were alive and happy.

[Jim Garrett]

half a block from Ford's and where Mary Surratt attended mass and Father Jacob Walters was installed for decades.

One thing I have read about him is that he kept writing that all of the members of the military commission had died violent deaths and/or committed suicide. In response, many years later, most of the military commission members put out a declaration that they were alive and happy.

Edward Doherty was recalled to Washington from service on the plains for charges of conduct unbecoming of an officer. He was dismissed from the army. It was during that time that he met Catherine Gautier. Years after Doherty's death, his widow received a letter from on of Doherty's scouts on the plains saying he was never derelict in his duties and always conducted himself properly. The writer was none other than Buffalo Bill Cody.

[HerbS]

True- About half of the crew of the Enola Gay[Hiroshima] commited suicide after they dropped the A-bomb.After Lincoln was assassinated-72-Confederate prisoners died within 5-days at Elmira Prison[retribution?].

[LincolnToddFan]

Andrew Johnson was a snake.

Andrew Johnson was the only person who recognized what a great statesman he was. He is buried wrapped in the American flag with his head lying on a copy of the Constitution.

In all reality, Johnson didn't have a chance. Between his performance at the second inauguration and having to follow in the footsteps of AL with all the factions jockeying for control, He stepped into an untenable situation.

I've always found the details of Johnson's burial just fascinating. I also read somewhere-I cannot remember where-that toward the end of his term in office AJ was referring to the assassination of his predecessor and his own ascendency as "Divine Providence".

I've also found it very revealing that Sen. Preston King-one of the men most responsible for the hanging of Mary Surratt, as he allegedly prevented the pardon from reaching Johnson-later committed suicide by jumping into the East River with a bag of weights around his neck.

[HerbS]

Very interesting research about Sen.King.Please read the biography of Johnson-by Albert Castel[my mentor].

[Warren]

Oddity- that RTL was present or very near by three presidential assassinations.

(Family oddity - a very close friend of my family, not involved with the government in any way or any kind of kook, was interviewed by the Secret Service concerning one presidential assassination (Kennedy) and one attempted presidential assassination (Reagan). What are the odds of that?