Booth's mistress, Ella Starr, and other "unknown" Booth ladies!

[antiquefinder]

I wonder how many people were involved in the assasination plot that never got caught???? I never heard of French Kate. I wonder how many people Booth shot his mouth to about the assasination plot?

[HerbS]

It makes me wonder if Booth,with all of these women contracted STD's and that effected his brain?

[Rsmyth]

It makes me wonder what was more difficult for Booth, juggling all these ladies or plotting an assassination?

[Gene C]

It makes me wonder what was more difficult for Booth, juggling all these ladies or plotting an assassination?

I know

[Laurie Verge]

Ask John Stanton to comment on French Kate. I think he did some research on her.

Also, I believe about five years ago there was a polite discussion in the Surratt Courier about the possibilities of Booth suffering from STDs. The proposition was pretty well shot down. Personally, I question whether or not all of Booth's female relationships were of a sexual nature.

Speaking of STDs, however, we do know that Willie Jett succumbed at an early age to one and died in an asylum.

[Rogerm]

It is known that Booth loved his mother very much. I wonder if she ever made any comments about his many lady friends?

[Jenny]

I think John was bipolar but I doubt he had STDs, oddly enough. He could afford condoms and he probably used them or else he very well might have been a walking STD convention. Never have heard about his mother mentioning any women except for that letter about Lucy though.

[JMadonna]

Speaking of STDs, however, we do know that Willie Jett succumbed at an early age to one and died in an asylum.

What was the name of the place he was apprehended called 'The Trap?'. If only they arrived a few hours earlier, he might have had a longer life.

[BettyO]

Here is a really wild article regarding "French Kate" -

http://rogerjnorton.com/weirdstory.pdf

[Laurie Verge]

Jerry,

Willie Jett was apprehended at the Star Hotel in Bowling Green. The Trap (or Trappe) was a house of entertainment run by Mrs. Carter and her semi-lovely daughters (Kauffman's description) between Garrett's house and Bowling Green. Davey, Ruggles, and Bainbridge were the ones who were entertained there - not sure about Jett, he might have been in a hurry to get to his girlfriend whose father owned the Star Hotel.

[BettyO]

Laurie -

Wasn't Jett captured at the Star Hotel?

[JMadonna]

I read this piece in Headley's Operations in Canada. Is he describing Sarah Slater or French Kate or both?

Mrs. ,* a widow only 24 years old, employed by the Confederate Government for secret service in the Northern States, had come to Montreal and called on the prisoners at the jail. She volunteered for the journey to Richmond. After leaving the railroad in Maryland she walked much of the way through the country occupied by the enemy in Virginia. She departed from Richmond with the necessary certified papers, well concealed, one day before Rev. Mr. Cameron arrived there. These two messengers, traveling by different routes, reached Montreal on the same day. She declined to accept from Col. Jacob Thompson any compensation whatever for her services or expenses. This devotee of the South was a Kentucky lady. About 1867 she visited Frankfort when the legislature was in session. During a recess of fifteen minutes taken in her honor she was the recipient of an ovation, being presented by Hon. Thomas T. Coger, of Jessamine County, the home of Lieut. Bennett H. Young. *The prisoners never met this lady before or after her visits to the jail at Montreal. One of the survivors secured her photograph at the jail, but after forty years her name is forgotten

[John Stanton]

The Lady that helped the St Albans Raiders during their stay in Jail was Sarah Slater. That is her picture in Headleys' book. The Raider trial lasted from December '64 to February '65. Sarah returned from Richmond, with the Raiders papers and signed in at the St. Lawrence Hall at 3am and signed "Nettie Slater". This is the only instance that she used her own name. Every other instance she used "A. Reynaud", Her mother's maiden name. April 18th she signed in with "John Harrison", on the next line as, "A. Reynaud".Headley and the Raiders could not remember her name, because they never knew her name.
They called her a "widow" because she dressed as a Widow.
The French Kate story took place beginning in May or June of '65 and continued for a year or more, while Sarah was living with her family in New York. Sarah and Kate were not the same person.

[JMadonna]

The Lady that helped the St Albans Raiders during their stay in Jail was Sarah Slater. That is her picture in Headleys' book. The Raider trial lasted from December '64 to February '65. Sarah returned from Richmond, with the Raiders papers and signed in at the St. Lawrence Hall at 3am and signed "Nettie Slater". This is the only instance that she used her own name. Every other instance she used "A. Reynaud", Her mother's maiden name. April 18th she signed in with "John Harrison", on the next line as, "A. Reynaud".Headley and the Raiders could not remember her name, because they never knew her name.
They called her a "widow" because she dressed as a Widow.
The French Kate story took place beginning in May or June of '65 and continued for a year or more, while Sarah was living with her family in New York. Sarah and Kate were not the same person.

Thanks John

[John Stanton]

Here is a really wild article regarding "French Kate" -

http://rogerjnorton.com/weirdstory.pdf

Betty O. I read the "True Detective" story you posted and I am sorry to say - That "Kitty Wells" was not French Kate. It seems that Kitty was a Lady. I didn't recognize any of the other names either. When I found that French Kate was not Sarah Slater, I disposed of all my notes. You may find some posts on the "All things Lincoln"site, where we traded opinions some time ago. I do remember Kate's last days with Ben Hogan, when they went to Saratoga Springs on a vacation, financed with Kate's earnings from the previous year (thousands of $$$). Hogan gambled away her money very quickly and Kate tried to kill him. She only succeded in shooting off a piece of one ear. I think the book is "The Meanest Man in the World".