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Laurie Verge · (This post was last modified: 05-31-2013 10:09 AM by Laurie Verge.)

In the process of trying to find something in my computer files, I ran across the following tidbit on Henry Rathbone's medical care. I have no idea where it came from, but I certainly copied it from somewhere:

On December 23, 1893, the tenth anniversary of the murder of Rathbone's wife, Dr. Rosenbach [the Royal Prussian Court Physician], who had previously been unable to get Rathbone to talk about either his wfe's death or Lincoln's assassination, asked him if he would agree to be hypnotized in an attempt to alleviate his distress. Rathbone reluctantly agreed, but he had one condition that he and Rosenbach switch clothing, so that if "they" came while he was in a trance "they" would not be confused as to whom was the real Rathbone. Doctor Rosenbach apparently agreed and wearing Rathbone's smoking jacket proceeded to put his patient under.

Among the things Rosenbach noted was Rathbone's reliving the night with "a stranger" who had shot his wife and at the same time inflicted new knife wounds on him. However, it was when Rosenbach questioned Rathbone about Lincoln's assassination that Rathbone, in what Rosenbach termed a "dramatic reenactment," described the suddeness of Booth's appearance in the box at Ford's Theatre saying that as Booth strode up behind Lincoln: "Herr Booth exclaimed ich bringen auf lhre Union" ["I bring blessings to your Union]. Dr. Rosenbach supposedly stopped the session shortly afterwards when Rathbone fell to the floor in fetal position and proceeded to scream uncontrollably. Rosenbach claimed Rathbone never agreed to hypnosis again, stating that "them" and "they" forbid him for ever from doing so.

Eva Elisabeth · 05-31-2013, 10:24 AM

THRILLING! Laurie, I don't want to be a pettyfogging know-it-all but the German words make no sense (maybe due to hypnosis...) The translation of [this] sentence is: "Ich bringe ihrer Union Segen!"

Gene C · 05-31-2013, 10:29 AM

Wow, that's eerie. Thanks for sharing that. If you ever find out the source of that info, please pass it on.

Eva Elisabeth · (This post was last modified: 05-31-2013 10:48 AM by Eva Elisabeth.)

Laurie, do you know Dr. Rosenbach's first name?

RJNorton · 05-31-2013, 11:12 AM

It's been a long time since I read Thomas Mallon's book, and I may be wrong in what I say, but I thought I remember there may have been subtle signs that Henry was already mentally fragile well before April 14, 1865. I stand corrected if someone has read the book more recently and can either verify or not my aging memory.

J. Beckert · 05-31-2013, 12:24 PM

Very interesting. I think it was when Rathbone was dying that he was muttering - "The man with the knife. I can't stop him". This reiterates what a tragic human drama the assassination really was to those who were closely connected to it.

Laurie Verge · 05-31-2013, 12:41 PM

I wish I knew where this description came from. It appears to me that I cut and pasted it from something else because it is in a font on my computer that I seldom use. Why I didn't include the source, I don't know. I'll just blame senility again.

Roger, I agree that I have seen references to Henry being "fragile" in earlier years, and it probably was in Tom's book. This is strictly a personal (unkind) thought, but I have always thought it strange that Henry and Clara would end up marrying each other after so many years of being nearly the same as siblings -- and I am one who understands that culture was different back then, and I also have several examples in my own family of first cousins marrying first cousins.

ReignetteC · (This post was last modified: 05-31-2013 08:58 PM by ReignetteC.)

Rathbone August 31 1910.pdf (Size: 49.32 KB / Downloads: 29)

In an article from the August 31, 1910 edition of The New York Times, I see that, after Rathbone was committed, he made "periodical attempts to obtain release."

Eva Elisabeth · 05-31-2013, 10:11 PM

(05-31-2013 08:52 PM)ReignetteC Wrote: In an article from the August 31, 1910 edition of The New York Times, I see that, after Rathbone was committed, he made "periodical attempts to obtain release."

Does anyone else have problems to download this article? Is there any secret how to do it? If I click the link, nothing happens, what a pity.

RJNorton · 06-01-2013, 04:14 AM

Eva, do you have a program that opens .pdf files on your computer? If not, this may be the reason nothing happens when you click the link. There are many free programs that will open .pdf files. The most well known is Adobe Reader. It is free and can be downloaded here. If you do not want Google Chrome as your default browser be sure to uncheck that box before you download the file.

Reignette, thank you for posting the article.

Eva Elisabeth · (This post was last modified: 06-01-2013 05:37 AM by Eva Elisabeth.)

Thanks, Roger, I do have Adobe and haven't had any problems yet, but if I click the link the screen turns blank and the headline says "search or edit ULR"

Jim Garrett · (This post was last modified: 06-01-2013 05:21 AM by Jim Garrett.)

(05-31-2013 12:41 PM)Laurie Verge Wrote: I wish I knew where this description came from. It appears to me that I cut and pasted it from something else because it is in a font on my computer that I seldom use. Why I didn't include the source, I don't know. I'll just blame senility again.

Roger, I agree that I have seen references to Henry being "fragile" in earlier years, and it probably was in Tom's book. This is strictly a personal (unkind) thought, but I have always thought it strange that Henry and Clara would end up marrying each other after so many years of being nearly the same as siblings -- and I am one who understands that culture was different back then, and I also have several examples in my own family of first cousins marrying first cousins.

I'm in the Roger/Laurie camp. I do believe that it is mentioned in "Henry & Clara" about Henry always being different. We've all known people that we have always thought were more than just a little odd (Heck look at Jim Page). I think Henry was probably always crazy. His money and social status went along way helping him "fit in". He was literally the red headed stepson who married his older stepsister. He wasn't even from West Virginia. Sorry, couldn't pass on that one.

Henry's accomodations in the asylum were suppose to be extraordinary, more like an apartment with a library and separate dining room, per a Washington Post article in April 2009 by Michael Ruane. I wonder if a picture of his accomodations exists.

BettyO · (This post was last modified: 06-01-2013 08:05 AM by BettyO.)

Adobe has a new appearance on the web now, Eva - the screen goes dark and sometimes I even have trouble downloading or reading them. PM me and send me your email address and I'll turn the PDF into a .jpg (graphic) and send you - or I can post here -

I've scanned this in so everyone can read --
VERY interesting article.....does anyone know if a version of the trial exists? That would be facinating! Would LOVE to see that -

Thanks, Reignette for posting the article.... hope everyone can read this -

L Verge · 06-01-2013, 01:07 PM

I remember not too long ago being chastised by a member of the Surratt Society for referring to Rathbone's position in the American Consulate in Germany. I was told that Henry never held such a post - period. However, this article and others that I have read since then certainly keep reiterating the fact that he was on diplomatic service in Germany. I'm so confused!

Eva Elisabeth · 06-01-2013, 06:44 PM

Laurie, very strange. Today I suddenly came up with the same question. Currently there is no US consulate in Hannover, and I haven't traced one in the city's history yet. I never before thought about or doubted it for the same reason as you mentioned. I emailed the city administration and the US embassy for info. BTW, if anyone is a member of ancestry.com - there is a "Rathbone" document scanned "Filing for War Svc Pension, Feb 2, 1891".