Lincoln Discussion Symposium

George Bryant?

Nope, but your guess is excellent.

David Rankin Barbee?

No, but the first letter of the correct answer's last name is the same as in the last name of both of your guesses.

Hint #1: His book was a Book of the Month Club selection.

Jim Bishop?

Fido, you got it. Way to go! Somewhere in my closet I have a photo of David Herold's "splendid pointer dog." That will be your prize if I can find the darn thing.

Who were both the lawyer and the witness in this interchange in court?

Q. Do you recollect that woman's face you saw dancing?
A. I did not pay much attention to her face; I paid much more attention to her legs.

Q. Do you think you would recognize them if you were to see them?
A. I do not think I would.

He paid much more attention to her legs? For shame in the Victorian age!

The witness was Benjamin W. Vanderpoel, a lieutenant of the 59th NY Volunteers who was an acquaintance of Booth and claimed to have seen Booth and Company at a meeting at the Canterbury Music Hall, where a woman was dancing around and "flashing her legs" on the stage - this was testimony given at the 1867 John Surratt Trial and I'll be darned if I can remember the Defense!

Good enough, Betty! The attorney was Richard Merrick.

Your prize is a gift certificate good only at Parr's china shop in Baltimore!

Who wrote the following?

"No record has been found to show that Booth was considering this scheme prior to the time he registered at the Parker House on July 26, 1864. Yet the evidence is persuasive that he left the hotel four days later for Baltimore to enlist the first two recruits into the evolving conspiracy that would ultimately take the life of Abraham Lincoln."

Hint #1: About this man William Hanchett wrote, "So far as I could tell, he never went to bed, preferring to use a cot in the room with his desk and some of his files."

Lafayette Baker?

Nope, not him, Gene.

Hint #2: This gentleman scholar was born in 1912.