under the stage

[mgambuzza]

Hi:

One thing has always bothered me about the sequence of events on the night of the assassination. Why did Booth et al have to lift the trap door (stage right) to cross under the stage when it seems they could have walked to stage door left by proceeding down the alley. Also, when looking at the limited photos of Ford's circa 1865, it's impossible to discern that there is indeed a passageway between the Star Saloon and Ford's. Does anyone know of a photo that shows this passage?

Mike

[BettyO]

Are you talking about JWB going into Ford's through the backway? There was a "dairy scene" on stage at the time he entered with heavy props, so had to go under the stage to go up the back stairway to enter. I have never seen the floor plans for the connector between the Ford's theatre (Green Room I think) and the Star Saloon - at least they do not appear in the reconstruction plans - anyone else?

[mgambuzza]

(11-03-2015 09:50 AM)BettyO Wrote:  Are you talking about JWB going into Ford's through the backway? There was a "dairy scene" on stage at the time he entered with heavy props, so had to go under the stage to go up the back stairway to enter. I have never seen the floor plans for the connector between the Ford's theatre (Green Room I think) and the Star Saloon - at least they do not appear in the reconstruction plans - anyone else?

Betty:

When I look at the plan of the theater and alley, it seems there is a narrow passage from the back alley to 10th street. When told the dairy scene was on, I would have thought JWB would go back out the alley and walk down to the stage left door instead of having to cross under the stage by lifting the trap door, etc. I just finished reading Thomas A. Bogar's excellent book entitled "Backstage at the Lincoln Assasination" and there is a sketch in the book made by John Ford that shows the layout.

Mike

[BettyO]

Don't know why, but it was always said that JWB walked under the stage - perhaps he was afraid there were too many actors waiting in the wings?

[RJNorton]

Dave's page here may help on this.

[mgambuzza]

(11-03-2015 10:31 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  Dave's page here may help on this.

Roger:

Thanks for the link. Leave it to Dave - I think he explained it with his drawing. It looks like the narrow passage between Star Saloon and theater could not be directly accessed from the back of the alley. My sense was JWB was a real pain that night having people jump at his every whim. It also never ceases to amaze me what a hard drinking crowd it was in those days. They are always in and out of bars! I think I would have enjoyed a couple of drinks with JWB even though I don't condone what he did.

Mike

[Tom Bogar]

You know, Mike, I've always wondered that, too. Ford's drawing shows no obstruction between the end of the passageway out to Tenth Street, and Baptist Alley (even on a larger, clearer color version that I scanned from the original, which I can send you as an attachment, if you private message me with an email address). And he certainly would have known of the existence of both of the doors backstage. The only guard at the stage door (stage left) was usually Peanut John, and he would have been no hindrance to Booth. My conjecture has always been, since he came and went so many times through the lobby, that perhaps he wanted to snag a quick look up at the box from the backstage area. And yet, he did go directly into the Star Saloon. Another head-scratcher.

Tom

P.S. Thanks for the adjective.