A gimlet was found in Booth's trunk at the National Hotel.
However, Frank Ford wrote, "… I say again and unequivocally that John Wilkes Booth did not bore the hole in the door leading to the box President Lincoln occupied the night of his assassination. … The hole was bored by my father, Harry Clay Ford, or rather on his orders, and was bored for the very simple reason it would allow the guard, one Parker, easy opportunity whenever he so desired to look into the box rather than to open the inner door to check on the presidential party. … My father would always ‘blow his top,’ to use today’s slang, whenever he read or heard of this historical absurdity … and would often finish his vehemence by saying, ‘John Booth had too much to do that day other than to go around boring holes in theatre doors."
Bill, personally I can go either way on this.
It seems to me that coming from Mr. Ford-himself-it bears a lot of weight-but like you say-one could go either way.
It's a split decision with me also. I used to believe the Ford version until Mr. Kauffman stated in his book that Booth had wood chips wrapped in a handkerchief when caught. I can't figure out where else he would have gotten those chips - but I also can't figure out why he wouldn't have dumped them as soon as he left the theater that afternoon, or at least somewhere during the twelve days he was on the run!
With the Ford version, I can also suspect that Mr. Ford was trying to cover for the fact that Booth was allowed free rein in the theater ahead of time in order to sabotage the door without anyone noticing.
Another one of those little details that we will likely never solve.
At the Surratt trial, Theodore Rhodes testified about the little hole in the wall and the wooden bar used to wedge the door closed. He said he recognized the prisoner (John Surratt) as the one who had the bar with him. Did Rhodes also testify about the hole in the door?
Remember the Gov't shut down Ford's Theater. After years and years the gov't finally bought it to use as warehouse. Ford took a painful financial loss. He was also thrown in prison for a while. Booth was his friend. Anything Ford has to say is going to be prejudiced, in my opinion. (Although if it had been me, I would blame Booth instead of the Gov't for the trouble he caused)
Any one remember what Kauffman's source is abouth the wood chips in the handkerchief? Keeping wood chips in a handkerchief for over a week seems a little weird to me. But it is the weird stuff that captivates us.
While Booth lay dying, Colonel Everton Conger searched the assassin’s pockets. He removed the following
• Diary
• Bills of exchange
• Money
• Compass
• Whistle
• Wood shavings
• Tobacco
• Small folding knife
• Stick pin
• Weapons – 2 revolvers, 1 Spencer repeating carbine, 1 Bowie knife and a pistol belt
• Piece of map from wall of Garrett farmhouse
Thank you, Rich!
I mentioned a gimlet in a previous post. It was G. W. Bunker, a clerk at the National Hotel, who testified at the conspiracy trial that a gimlet with an iron handle was found in Booth's trunk.
Now I am sort of leaning to Booth boring the hole...
Like Laurie mentioned-why would Booth hold onto the wood shavings? Perhaps an oversight-he was rather preoccupied!
There were several shows at Ford's during the week of the assassination. For example what was the name of the show that was performed on Tuesday, April 11, 1865?
(08-24-2012 09:20 AM)RJNorton Wrote: [ -> ]There were several shows at Ford's during the week of the assassination. For example what was the name of the show that was performed on Tuesday, April 11, 1865?
Richard Sheridan's "School for Scandal." (Source: Restoration of Ford's Theatre)--it has a listing of all productions from 1863 through April 14, 1865--a great resource.
I can't get one by you, Joe! You are correct. Indeed that was my source, too. I sure agree with you - a great resource and free download
here. For my aging eyes, the easiest to read format is to download the .pdf file.
I'm backtracking a bit but I wanted to chime in about the "holey door". I had put a lot of faith in Frank Ford's letter regarding his father, Harry Clay Ford, being the one to commission the peep hole. A copy of the letter can be found in the book Roger links to above, on page 124. However, short;y after the assassination, Harry Clay Ford stated that he, "Did not notice a hole in the door or in the wall. Did not take particular notice of the wall or door however." Maybe he was afraid of being implicated at the time, but it casts doubt on Frank's letter.
New question. The Lincoln log cabin was dissambled and reassembled on several occasions. It is believed that the "Lincoln" logs may have been infiltarted by logs from the birthplace of another great American patriot, also born in Kentucky. Who's logs may be mixed in with Lincoln's?
That would be Jefferson Davis, I believe.
If I remember correctly they were both displayed at the Chicago World's Fair at the same time when Thomas Jones was trying to sell his book. The logs got all shuffled together after that.
(08-24-2012 07:38 PM)Dave Taylor Wrote: [ -> ]That would be Jefferson Davis, I believe.
If I remember correctly they were both displayed at the Chicago World's Fair at the same time when Thomas Jones was trying to sell his book. The logs got all shuffled together after that.
Dave, you are correct........as usual.