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Jenny · 05-08-2018, 01:49 PM

(05-08-2018 01:43 PM)Gene C Wrote: For those of us that can't quite read her handwriting and for the future generations that will be unable to read cursive, what's it say?

Gene, Susan and Steve found the text in The Evidence. Wink

Here is what it says:

Enclosures to Gurley's letter [sent to Stanton from W. H. F. Gurley, reporting the contents of the theatrical trunks Booth had had shipped]
Friday evening
6 pm

Wilkes,

I know imperative business kept you away today. Would you please try & come down tomorrow as soon after two as possible. You can dine privately with me. I do not mind your drive. I trust you are feeling better today. Be very good until I see you. Bring my ring tomorrow. Anything that please you will be acceptable. God bless you my precious friend & believe me, devotedly your friend

N

One smack little kiss

PS Mollie S. was here. Pretty also bring with my ring ____ if you cannot come please send me word.

Gene C · (This post was last modified: 05-08-2018 02:03 PM by Gene C.)

Not sure I would ever have been able to figure that hand written note out.

thank you....I see it now in previous post # 139 & 140
Idea

I'm having one of those "the lights are on, but nobody's home" days

Jenny · 05-08-2018, 02:21 PM

(05-08-2018 01:58 PM)Gene C Wrote: Not sure I would ever have been able to figure that hand written note out.

thank you....I see it now in previous post # 139 & 140
I'm having one of those "the lights are on, but nobody's home" days

I know those days all too well, Gene!

RJNorton · 05-08-2018, 02:31 PM

(05-08-2018 02:21 PM)Jenny Wrote: I know those days all too well, Gene!

Me, too!

There is a side of me that wants to think the Etta letter was legitimate. Apparently New York Police Superintendent, John Kennedy, searched many of New York City's brothels looking for a woman named Etta. Kennedy reported he drew a blank on his search. But, in a city that size, I would think there had to be at least some brothels JWB could have visited that Kennedy didn't search or didn't know about.

Jenny · 05-08-2018, 02:34 PM

(05-08-2018 02:31 PM)RJNorton Wrote:
(05-08-2018 02:21 PM)Jenny Wrote: I know those days all too well, Gene!

Me, too!

There is a side of me that wants to think the Etta letter was legitimate. Apparently New York Police Superintendent, John Kennedy, searched many of New York City's brothels looking for a woman named Etta. But, in a city that size, I would think there had to be brothels JWB could have visited that Kennedy didn't search or didn't know about.

Plus prostitutes often had several aliases or variations of names so that could have added to the confusion. “Etta” might have been one of those.

Steve · (This post was last modified: 05-08-2018 03:53 PM by Steve.)

(05-08-2018 02:34 PM)Jenny Wrote:
(05-08-2018 02:31 PM)RJNorton Wrote:
(05-08-2018 02:21 PM)Jenny Wrote: I know those days all too well, Gene!

Me, too!

There is a side of me that wants to think the Etta letter was legitimate. Apparently New York Police Superintendent, John Kennedy, searched many of New York City's brothels looking for a woman named Etta. But, in a city that size, I would think there had to be brothels JWB could have visited that Kennedy didn't search or didn't know about.

Plus prostitutes often had several aliases or variations of names so that could have added to the confusion. “Etta” might have been one of those.

The Etta letter says "I received your letter of the 12th (stating you would be in this city on the 16th inst.)", with "this city" being New York. That, along with its April 13th date but April 18th postmark, make me think that the letter is a fake and its purpose was to divert resources/people away from the hunt for Booth to follow a bogus lead that he might be headed toward New York. If this letter was really written by a prostitute/paramour of Booth, why would she wait 2 days to mail it - then find out Booth murdered Lincoln - wait 3 more days then bring attention to herself by mailing it. Also, by the 18th, due to the all of the news reports, she would know Booth was no longer in Washington DC. Why would she mail her letter to him there? The only logical reason for the letter to be mailed to Washington is for it to be read by investigators, not Booth. Also, if "Etta" is responding to Booth's "letter of the 12th" (April?), then how could she receive it in the mail in New York from Washington DC by April 13th?

I suppose it's possible that Booth was behind the "Etta" letter himself as a misdirect, but it could just be a crank who wanted to inject themselves into the story/investigation themselves without getting in trouble.

RJNorton · 05-08-2018, 04:26 PM

Could the "Sam" in the Etta letter be a reference to Samuel Chester?

Jenny · 05-08-2018, 04:27 PM

(05-08-2018 03:45 PM)Steve Wrote:
(05-08-2018 02:34 PM)Jenny Wrote:
(05-08-2018 02:31 PM)RJNorton Wrote:
(05-08-2018 02:21 PM)Jenny Wrote: I know those days all too well, Gene!

Me, too!

There is a side of me that wants to think the Etta letter was legitimate. Apparently New York Police Superintendent, John Kennedy, searched many of New York City's brothels looking for a woman named Etta. But, in a city that size, I would think there had to be brothels JWB could have visited that Kennedy didn't search or didn't know about.

Plus prostitutes often had several aliases or variations of names so that could have added to the confusion. “Etta” might have been one of those.

The Etta letter says "I received your letter of the 12th (stating you would be in this city on the 16th inst.)", with "this city" being New York. That, along with its April 13th date but April 18th postmark, make me think that the letter is a fake and its purpose was to divert resources/people away from the hunt for Booth to follow a bogus lead that he might be headed toward New York. If this letter was really written by a prostitute/paramour of Booth, why would she wait 2 days to mail it - then find out Booth murdered Lincoln - wait 3 more days then bring attention to herself by mailing it. Also, by the 18th, due to the all of the news reports, she would know Booth was no longer in Washington DC. Why would she mail her letter to him there? The only logical reason for the letter to be mailed to Washington is for it to be read by investigators, not Booth. Also, if "Etta" is responding to Booth's "letter of the 12th" (April?), then how could she receive it in the mail in New York from Washington DC by April 13th?

I suppose it's possible that Booth was behind the "Etta" letter himself as a misdirect, but it could just be a crank who wanted to inject themselves into the story/investigation themselves without getting in trouble.

I suspect it was a hoax for the reasons you mentioned, Steve.

Steve · 05-08-2018, 05:22 PM

(05-08-2018 04:26 PM)RJNorton Wrote: Could the "Sam" in the Etta letter be a reference to Samuel Chester?

PS Annie who is acting the maid to perfection, wishes to be remembered to her dear. Ahem!!! Sam

That postscript is weird, whatever its purpose was supposed to be. If Booth really did orchestrate the "Etta letter", then it might make sense to mention Chester if he thought his drunken conversation with Chester on the 8th would become known to authorities after the assassination. A little nugget of authenticity that would make authorities second guess any decision to ignore it?

RJNorton · 05-09-2018, 06:31 AM

(05-08-2018 03:45 PM)Steve Wrote: I suppose it's possible that Booth was behind the "Etta" letter himself

When you mentioned this possibility, I thought of the Clara letter which also came from New York. Mike Kauffman feels Booth was also behind the Clara letter. We have discussed the Clara letter previously, but I have forgotten...did we determine that Clara Ritter definitely wrote the Clara letter? Or is the author a mystery like the Etta letter? If the author were a mystery, it would be interesting to compare the handwriting in both letters.

Gene C · (This post was last modified: 05-09-2018 08:29 AM by Gene C.)

(05-08-2018 04:26 PM)RJNorton Wrote: Could the "Sam" in the Etta letter be a reference to Samuel Chester?

How about Sam Arnold?
Booth was angry with him for backing out of the assassination plot as the time for action was at hand.

Susan Higginbotham · 05-09-2018, 09:11 AM

(05-09-2018 06:31 AM)RJNorton Wrote:
(05-08-2018 03:45 PM)Steve Wrote: I suppose it's possible that Booth was behind the "Etta" letter himself

When you mentioned this possibility, I thought of the Clara letter which also came from New York. Mike Kauffman feels Booth was also behind the Clara letter. We have discussed the Clara letter previously, but I have forgotten...did we determine that Clara Ritter definitely wrote the Clara letter? Or is the author a mystery like the Etta letter? If the author were a mystery, it would be interesting to compare the handwriting in both letters.

Everything in the Clara letter points to it having been written by Clara Pix-Soon-to-Be-Ritter (who was indeed in New York at the time the letter was written). The initials she mentions correspond with people she knew; the "surprise" she refers to is likely her own marriage, which occurred just days after the letter was written; and we know from evidence collected by investigators that she was friendly with Weichmann, the recipient. The styles of the letters are very different--Etta's letter has a faux-elegant style; Clara's is girlish and rambling. And there doesn't seem to have been any reason to concoct the letter, as there's nothing in it that could be used against either Clara or Weichmann--except for the mere fact of their acquaintance.

Here is the last page of the Clara letter.

RJNorton · 05-09-2018, 09:18 AM

Thank you, Susan!

Jenny · 05-09-2018, 10:58 AM

Do we have an image of the Etta letter? If not, I will go hunt for it on fold3 if someone tells me the microfilm info.

Steve · 05-09-2018, 02:03 PM

(05-09-2018 10:58 AM)Jenny Wrote: Do we have an image of the Etta letter? If not, I will go hunt for it on fold3 if someone tells me the microfilm info.

Evidence gives the reference location of the Etta letter as (3:618-20). I take it that 3 is a reference roll 3 of microfilm M599 but I don't know what the 618-20 is supposed to reference. I looked at image 618 of roll 3 and it wasn't the letter. Here's a link to a random image of roll 3:

https://www.fold3.com/image/1/7405757

Unfortunately, I don't have any more information to lower the parameters beyond the roll number like before. The original reference given in Evidence for the Etta letter is

E 555 JAO 1865

But I don't think that will help in finding it though.