(09-21-2014 12:06 PM)Tom Bogar Wrote:  To further muddy the waters, may I suggest it might have been regular Ford's Theatre stock company actor James C. McCollom, who was in Washington but not in the cast that night? The similarity of his name to McCullough's may have caused confusion or a misidentification.

Interesting thought. There is precedent for confusion. James C. Ferguson made a statement that he knew Booth and that "He played here some five or six weeks ago at the benefit of Mr. John McCollum."(Edwards&Steers, p. 490). The benefit was in fact for John McCullough. At the very least, the fact that the name was mentioned, recorded or transcribed incorrectly illustrates that the similarity of the names causes confusion. As a stock actor, he probably would have been around the theatre a lot and been a familiar face. As before, I can't help but wonder what his motivation would have been for tipping off the authorities (he was also a friend of Booth) but to me this possibility is at least as likely as Mathews (more in fact).

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(09-21-2014 12:41 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  Hi Tom. I think anything is possible on this mystery. I think the fact that Mathews was sometimes called "Crazy John Mathews" probably influences my feeling. I am thinking his eccentricity might have somehow caused his mind to think he was doing right by giving McDevitt the tip. Obviously sheer speculation on my part.

Roger, along with you I find Mathews a real enigma and it really is so difficult this far after the fact to know what anyone would do when facing the stress of the assassination.

As far as "Crazy John" I always thought from reading about him, that the moniker was more related to physical characteristics (darting eyes, mussed up hair, solemn appearance) than due to something in his behavior. Though I know people certainly did describe him as eccentric. I'm sure Tom could set me straight on those points.

(09-21-2014 12:49 PM)STS Lincolnite Wrote:  Roger, along with you I find Mathews a real enigma and it really is so difficult this far after the fact to know what anyone would do when facing the stress of the assassination.

Scott, I agree. I cannot recall if I read this in Tom's book or elsewhere. I read it somewhere, though. After leaving Ford's and going to his room and burning the letter, Mathews decided to venture out again for a drink. Entering a bar he told the folks he was there to see if John Wilkes Booth was present. In other words, Mathews asked for Booth at a bar even after having knowledge of what happened at Ford's plus reading Booth's letter. Surely he would know Booth was not still in town drinking. The crowd at the bar got angry and threatened to kill Mathews. Mathews somehow saved himself by denying knowledge of anything and running away. IMO, strange.

(09-21-2014 03:40 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  

(09-21-2014 12:49 PM)STS Lincolnite Wrote:  Roger, along with you I find Mathews a real enigma and it really is so difficult this far after the fact to know what anyone would do when facing the stress of the assassination.

Scott, I agree. I cannot recall if I read this in Tom's book or elsewhere. I read it somewhere, though. After leaving Ford's and going to his room and burning the letter, Mathews decided to venture out again for a drink. Entering a bar he told the folks he was there to see if John Wilkes Booth was present. In other words, Mathews asked for Booth at a bar even after having knowledge of what happened at Ford's plus reading Booth's letter. Surely he would know Booth was not still in town drinking. The crowd at the bar got angry and threatened to kill Mathews. Mathews somehow saved himself by denying knowledge of anything and running away. IMO, strange.

Roger, that visit to the saloon was indeed in Tom's book. I believe it was from testimony in the John Surratt trial. The incident happened on Saturday (morning I think) and not Friday night though. Harry Hawk was there as well and Mathews grabbed Hawk to talk to him and that is when the other patrons decided anyone asking about Booth might be a conspirator and Mathews almost lost his life right then and there.

When I first read that account, my first thought was that Mathews went looking for Booth so Booth could tell him he had not killed the President. I don't think Mathews could come to terms with the fact that his friend Booth had committed the terrible crime even though so many people knew he had done it. Later in life, Mathews continued to be sympathetic to Booth and defend him (not the crime, but Booth himself as a person).

Concerning Mathews: in an interview with the Cincinnati Enquirer on April 16, 1881, Harry Hawk described being arrested and then released on Dr. Brown’s bond early Saturday morning. Then he and Brown “went into Charley Bennett’s to get a drink, and while several of us were talking, John Mathews came in and seemed to be in search of some one. ‘Who are you looking for?’ demanded one of the party. ‘I wanted to see if John Booth was here,’ he replied. With that the crowd took hold of him and threatened to hang him, saying, ‘Tell us all you know of this affair.’ He protested most vehemently that he knew nothing at all about it, other than what everyone knew, and after awhile they let him go.” I can’t immediately put my hand on the soldier’s report (my research from that book has been all boxed up since I’m deep into the next one) that described Mathews’ almost being strung up by the crowd from a lamppost and he (that soldier) saving him. But see also Bryan’s Great American Myth, p. 202, in which he says (without source) that Mathews in later years “would sometimes hint that he had come within an ace of being hanged on a lamppost.” (Of course, just above that Bryan erroneously says Mathews was rooming that week at Petersen’s.

That's interesting Tom, that could mean that Balsiger almost got it right in his Lincoln Conspiracy book & movie. The wrong guy was shot and killed in Garrett's barn, and it was Booth. James Boyd actually shot Lincoln, but because he resembled Booth so much, and the assassination took place in the theater, everyone (except Matthews) believes it was Booth that killed the president. Booth has to run for his life due to mistaken identity, breaks his leg on the road trying to escape (solved that mystery) and is finally shot and killed in Garrett's barn.

Excuse me, I've got a 48 page e-book to write up before someone beats me to it.
(do you think I can get Laurie to review my manuscript? )

(09-20-2014 06:56 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Also, the one-eyed horse (Cyclops) was purchased from the Gardiner family, next door neighbors to Dr. Mudd. That's interesting about the blood found on the horse's gear, Betty. I don't remember this ever being mentioned. Please don't tell me it was in your first edition of Alias Paine and I missed it! I will plead, however, that I read that great book over twenty years ago...

Laurie, I am laughing - was that horse really named "Cyclops" or is that you just being clever? Either way, it's an appropriate name!

I have to admit that I stole that line from Mike Kauffman. He used to tell people on our Booth escape route tours that, when he first read about the one-eyed horse being bought from Mudd's neighbor, all he could think of was one eye in the middle of the horse's forehead.

Roger Powell, a long tenured ranger at Ford's is from Southern Maryland and very keen on the history of the area. He shared with me that it was a common practice that if a horse was hard to catch, the owner would sometimes put out an eye so he could come up on that side to be catch the horse. Kinda harsh.

"Harsh" is putting it mildly..it sound incredibly cruel!

As an animal lover I wish I hadn't read that.....

(09-22-2014 08:13 PM)Jim Garrett Wrote:  Roger Powell, a long tenured ranger at Ford's is from Southern Maryland and very keen on the history of the area. He shared with me that it was a common practice that if a horse was hard to catch, the owner would sometimes put out an eye so he could come up on that side to be catch the horse. Kinda harsh.

The horse Booth rode was described as "spirited" so I guess that possibility would make sense as to how the horse lost its eye. But definitely harsh and then some.

Yes, the thought of putting an eye out makes me squeeeemish!!!

Quote:The horse Booth rode was described as "spirited" so I guess that possibility would make sense as to how the horse lost its eye. But definitely harsh and then some.

I think ya'll are confusing Booth's spirited bay mare (a "Rent a Horse" - not owned by him) with Powell's one-eyed nag, purchased by Booth from Gardner.... that horse was anything but spirited according to others who claimed that the animal appeared somewhat sluggish and Powell had a hard time getting him going on his "getaway" after the assault on Seward.... don't know how the animal lost his eye; but to deliberately blind an animal is cruel in the extreme --

I've never heard of that practice before. I could understand putting a blinder over one eye. Maybe that's what was meant?

If you are unfamiliar with horses...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blinkers_(horse_tack)

(09-23-2014 10:09 AM)BettyO Wrote:  

Quote:The horse Booth rode was described as "spirited" so I guess that possibility would make sense as to how the horse lost its eye. But definitely harsh and then some.

I think ya'll are confusing Booth's spirited bay mare (a "Rent a Horse" - not owned by him) with Powell's one-eyed nag, purchased by Booth from Gardner.... that horse was anything but spirited according to others who claimed that the animal appeared somewhat sluggish and Powell had a hard time getting him going on his "getaway" after the assault on Seward.... don't know how the animal lost his eye; but to deliberately blind an animal is cruel in the extreme --

Betty you are correct. Gene pointed that out to me and as I responded to him, in my post-work, brain addled state I got my horses confused. I beg for the mercy of the court! Unfortunatley it probabley won't be the last time I get myself confused. Seems to happen to me more and more. I need a vacation!

No problem.... I get the original owners of Powell's nag mixed up! I posted that he was purchased from "Dr. Queen!" Don't know where THAT came from.....

I need to RETIRE - and Fast!! HA!

Thanks Lincolnite!