Booth's visit to the Surratt Boarding House after the assassination

[JMadonna]

Mary's actual quote, according to Lloyd, was "have those shooting irons ready..." Could that term apply to pistols as well as carbines? Were Weichmann, Lloyd, and Emma Offutt lying about the size of the package that she delivered? Lloyd only talked about bringing the one carbine and the field glasses out of the tavern.

If those pistols weren't on Booth's person, then I'm betting on them being stashed at Mudd's on April 12 or 13.

Booth had his hat at the bridge so most likely he picked up the pistols at the same time.

What makes you think they were stashed at Mudd's? Do you think Mudd was a planned stop?

[Jim Garrett]

Joe, I had forgotten about Hazelton's description of Booth's attire. That makes sense that he came prepared to ride hard and fast. I have never worn a slouch hat, but I have always been of the opinion that it was pulled down more towards the ears and more secure on the head.

Jim Garrett - your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to put on white gloves, convince the Ford's curator to let you examine the boot, and report back to us as to any pockets on the inside.

Seems to me that Joe's remembering the Hazelton statement and the possibility of examining Booth's boot might provide the factual information required?

I will check on the boot as best as I can. The boot is entombed in the display case, and is virtually impossible to get to without an act of.....oh well. I will check with Gloria Swift, the former curator, who is probably the very best resource.

[Gene C]

Do you think that if Booth's boot had a pockett inside it, large enough to holster a gun, that it would have previously been mentioned or noted before now?

[Rsmyth]

Gene, I would tend to agree with you. But anyway I would like Jim to check for a zippered pocket large enough to store diary pages.

[Rick Smith]

Gents,

I wish you all the best, but I do not believe that you are going to find any pockets inside those boots, zippered or otherwise.

The zipper had yet to be invented.

Look at the boot's surface. If there were any pockets, my feeling is that it would show on the outer surface, which is very smooth.

I think that finding pockets in the boots is highly unlikely.

Rick

[BettyO]

I heartily agree, Rick! Thanks for the lesson on Victorian "social history!"

No, zippers were NOT invented until the 1920s....and there was, to the best of my knowledge, no pocket in a boot! I'm sure he owned those boots BEFORE he ever thought of assassination - so why would he want a pocket in his boots...no I think you are 100 percent Rick!

[Rsmyth]

So the people on this forum do not think I am a complete idiot and I stress "complete," the statement about the zipper was tongue in cheek.

[Art Loux]

Joe, I had forgotten about Hazelton's description of Booth's attire. That makes sense that he came prepared to ride hard and fast. I have never worn a slouch hat, but I have always been of the opinion that it was pulled down more towards the ears and more secure on the head.

Jim Garrett - your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to put on white gloves, convince the Ford's curator to let you examine the boot, and report back to us as to any pockets on the inside.

Seems to me that Joe's remembering the Hazelton statement and the possibility of examining Booth's boot might provide the factual information required?

Laurie,

A man who examined the boot in 1925 wrote: "This is of well-worn black leather, 23 (maybe 28) inches long an approximately 20 inches in diameter at the top or thigh. The sole and heel together measure 11 inches outside, the sole at its greatest width ?? inches, and the sharply squared off toe is 2 1/2 inches. It is the boot for the left foot. The heel is intact at the outside, but is worn down about 1/4 inch at the inside and the same is true of the sole , indicating that when walking Booth turned his ankles in, and perhaps was inclined to be knock-kneed. [Yes, I know he was bowlegged] Inside, at the top, the boot is faced with smooth white calfskin for a distance down of 6 1/2 inches, where it joins the rough interior. At the front on this calfskin , some two inches below the top, is written in black ink, but very faintly, the name and address of the maker, and about an inch below this the name "J. Wilkes -----" From "New Interest in Booth Relics Keeps War Department Busy," Washington Star, Sunday Morning, May 17, 1925 by George M. Battey, Jr.

There is no mention of a pocket. I have another article which claims Booth used the boots for ice skating and there is a screw hole in the heel for mounting skates.

[J. Beckert]

I found where I read the reference to the boots having pockets. It's on page 190 of AB. It states ".......Booth ordered a pair of tall cavalry-style boots from Henry Lux, on Broadway. He wanted them made with pockets inside, for hiding papers." The footnote, on page 440 lists the source as "Lux in LAS 2:157"

I was off on the quinine reference and this only states he wanted them with pockets, not that is was done. If, however, it was done, a pocket big enough to hold an envelope could surely hold a pistol of that size.

[John E.]

This is a very interesting topic but I'm afraid its one that I haven't given much thought to in the past. I don't believe that two guys high-tailing it out of Washington would want to be slowed down by anything. Therefore, I would suspect that Herold was tasked with carrying the extra guns.

If you recall, Atzerodt stated that Herold wanted access to the hotel room to retrieve weapons. Atzerodt refused. This leads me to believe that Herold may have went elsewhere to get pistols and had them available when he met up with Booth. Perhaps he carried the extra hat as well for JWB.

[BettyO]

Great! Valid points, John!

[Gene C]

It's on page 190 of AB. It states "....... The footnote, on page 440 lists the source as "Lux in LAS 2:157"

I'm not familiar with the abrev. for the references. What do they refer to?

[J. Beckert]

Sorry, Gene, AB is "American Brutus" and the LAS are the Gov't's Lincoln Assassination files. I've never read them and don't know if they're online. Can anyone help with that?

[Rsmyth]

Jim Garrett asked me to post this:

According to Gloria Swift who has examined and done everything with the boot but put it on, there is no pocket, zippered or otherwise in Booth's boot at Fords.

[J. Beckert]

Thanks, Rich and Jim, but regardless of the fact the boot has no pockets, I'm still sticking to the fact Booth could have easily concealed a revolver of those dimensions in each boot.