Booth and the Spirit of Lincon

[Gene C]

Written by Bernie Babcock in 1925 and 320 pages.

Intrigued by the title, and authored by a writer of two books that I have enjoyed and posted about (The Soul of Ann Rutledge and Little Abe Lincoln) I was looking forward to reading this. It was very disappointing.

She writes in Appreciation
"This book Booth and the Spirit of Lincoln is founded on documentary evidence, a great potion of which was gathered by Finis L Bates (deceased), early-day friend of John St. Helen, evidence now in the position of his wife, Mrs. Finis L Bates, 1234 Harbert Avenue, Memphis, TN. ......Mr. Bates spent $50,000 accumulating the evidence presented in this book and in latter affidavits.

There you have it. If you liked the book by Finis Bates, believe Booth escaped from Garrett's barn you might like this. The book leans heavily upon a serious relationship between Booth and Lucy Hale. Little of the story line details the conspiracy or the assassination. But about one third of the book is about Booth and Lucy, and Booth's escape up to Garrett's barn.

The other books by Mrs. Babcock have a religious under current to them. This one does too, forgiveness. After the assassination, Booth is plagued by a presence, on occasion a ghostly manifestation of Lincoln. Booth, not getting the praise for his actions he anticipated begins to realize he has committed a terrible crime. Guilt, constantly on the run, traveling across the globe and never finding peace, takes it's toll on him physically and mentally. He frequently hears Lincoln's words "With Charity For All" when he is alone. He comes to realize Lincoln's personality is such that Lincoln forgives him for what he has done, but Booth can not forgive himself. Thus he lives a life of guilt, never finding peace or able to find a purpose for existing. That is the theme for the last two thirds of the book.

It's available on line, but I can't recommend it.
https://archive.org/stream/boothandthesp...5/mode/2up