Major Announcement Coming tomorrow regarding the Booth Autopsy Photo

[barryssentials]

Hi all: Barry here. As many of you know, my research partner, John Elliott and I have been working on our book, "Inside the Walls: The Final Days of the Lincoln Conspirators" which is due for release at the end of this year. On May 17, John was investigating aspects of photographer Timothy O'Sullivan's involvement in the Lincoln conspirator photo sessions conducted aboard the Union monitors Saugus and Montauk. During his search, John discovered a major find of historical importance related to the John Wilkes Booth autopsy photograph.

For those of you not familiar with the story of John Wilkes Booth's autopsy photograph and the significance of what will be presented here and on our Facebook page "Inside the Walls", I will quickly summarize what this is about.

On April 26, 1865, after twelve days of being on the run following Lincoln's assassination, John Wilkes Booth and his accomplice David Herold were tracked down by Union soldiers in Bowling Green, Virginia. After a short standoff, Herold gave himself up but Booth, refusing to surrender, was shot and died on site. Herold and the body of Booth were transported back to Washington and in the early morning hours of April 27, delivered to the USS Montauk, a Union monitor anchored 100 yards offshore from the Navy Yard. Moored next to the Montauk was a second monitor, the USS Saugus. The two ships were heavily guarded and received Herold, who joined seven other prisoners suspected of being involved in the plot to assassinate Abraham Lincoln and other government officials. Booth's body was placed on a carpenter's bench on the deck of the Montauk. Later that morning, photographer Alexander Gardner, who had visited the ships over the previous week and a half for the purpose of photographing some of the prisoners, was called upon again. Gardner and an assistant were summoned to photograph the autopsy of John Wilkes Booth. According to a letter written by Detective James A. Wardell published in Mark Katz' 1999 book "Witness to an Era: The Life and Photographs of Alexander Gardner", Wardell reported that he was instructed to collect Gardner and his assistant (Timothy O'Sullivan) and escort them to the Navy Yard for the sole purpose of photographing Booth's autopsy. Only one photograph was to be taken and he was instructed to personally accompany the assistant back to the studio to obtain one print from that negative. He was then to deliver the negative and print to Secretary of War Stanton at the War Department. Based on Wardell's letter, he did as he was told and went to the War Department where he met Col. Lafayette Baker just outside of Stanton's office. Wardell gave Baker the envelope containing the negative and print. Once satisfied with its content, Baker dismissed Wardell. The photograph has never been seen since.

In the world of Lincoln Assassination research circles and Civil War photography investigators, this photograph is considered to be one of the Holy Grails of relics associated with this tragic event.

Besides the Wardell letter, other clues point to its existence. A NY Tribune article published on April 28, 1865 stated that a photograph was taken. Then in May, two woodcut illustrations were published (one in Harper's Weekly and one in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper). Both drawings looked similar in detail and supposedly were based on Gardner's actual photograph (a practice often employed by the newspapers since printing technology to reproduce photographs didn't exist at that time). To further add to the belief that the photograph existed, in 1952, a fourteen year old boy name Ron Rietveld discovered an authentic photograph of Abraham Lincoln in his coffin. This photograph had originally been confiscated by Secretary of War Stanton and was thought to be destroyed. The belief was that if Stanton held onto this photograph, then in all likelihood he kept the photograph of Booth's autopsy as well.

This week, John and I will publish one of the biggest finds we've ever made since we began investigating and researching the story of Lincoln's assassination. And it will shed new and very exciting information about the Booth autopsy photograph. Stay tuned.

Best

Barry

[RJNorton]

I cannot wait, Barry!!!

[BettyO]

Barry - you and John ROCK!!


I can't wait for the announcement! Thanks for sharing!

[Rsmyth]

Oh, what a teaser! One down and Corbett's pistol and the Booth mummy to go! Keep it up guys!

[Jim Garrett]

The determination of what happened to the autopsy photo would be a great piece of detective work. To actually find the photo would be one of the greatest finds in the history of both the Lincoln Assassination and photography. I can't think of two better people to uncover the story and/or find the photograph.

[LincolnMan]

This is simply great and wonderful news! Could it be that the photograph has been found?

[Laurie Verge]

I have been in on this for the past week, and it is great! John Elliott and Barry Cauchon have done tremendous work in the past few years in tracking down anything and everything related to the penitentiary and the last months of the conspirators' lives. To me, this find is going to cause quite a stir in the assassination community.

[Rsmyth]

Cmon...the weeks almost over and we have waited patently for over 2 hours! I won't even take a shower for fear of missing something.

[BettyO]

Quote:I have been in on this for the past week, and it is great! John Elliott and Barry Cauchon have done tremendous work in the past few years in tracking down anything and everything related to the penitentiary and the last months of the conspirators' lives. To me, this find is going to cause quite a stir in the assassination community

I have to second what Laurie says....this is MAJOR. I, too am aware of the surprise (and it IS a surprise!) and it's earth shattering for the Lincoln Assassination field....


Way to go, Guys! I'm so proud of Ya'll !!

[J. Beckert]

This is cruel....

[Dave Taylor]

(05-30-2013 11:22 AM)J. Beckert Wrote:  This is cruel....

Agreed...

Next time I want to be in the loop with the other cool kids.

[BettyO]

Dave -

You ARE one of the Cool kids!!

[Hess1865]

My heart rate just went up when I read this thread!!

[wsanto]

Is today tomorrow or is tomorrow tomorrow?

John's post was listed as from today but was really late last night. I hope today is tomorrow. That's my vote anyway.

[DEFoster]

(05-30-2013 11:25 AM)Dave Taylor Wrote:  

(05-30-2013 11:22 AM)J. Beckert Wrote:  This is cruel....

Agreed...

Next time I want to be in the loop with the other cool kids.

I know I never was, and have no hope of ever being, one of the cool kids, but me too!!! (~I'm so excited~)