I have a book which says one of the doctors in the Lincoln assassination saga was the world's first physician to amputate a person's leg at the hip. The book says he made medical history with this operation. What was the doctor's name?

That's an easy one. It's a well known fact that instead of splinting Booth's leg, Dr. Mudd just lobbed the whole thing off at the hip.

Dave, thanks for clarifying. I misremembered that.

Hint #1: This doctor had a brother who had served in Congress.

Don't know about your hint, Roger, but not that long ago I read in "American Brutus" about Dr. May being the first to perform this amputation.

Brilliant, Eva!! The book I referred to is indeed Mike Kauffman's American Brutus, and the doctor is John Frederick May. One of his brothers, Henry May of Baltimore, was a Representative in Congress prior to the Civil War. Dr. May's father was also a doctor.

Your prize is my continued good wishes and hopes for an early spring in Germany.

Thanks, Roger! I found this interesting and highlighted it in my copy when reading. The prize is most welcome!

I was goofing around during Daytona 500 pre trace coverage and came across this interesting collection of newspaper articles

https://openlibrary.org/works/OL16906817...am_Lincoln

What an interesting find Thomas. Thanks for sharing!

Many years ago a man wrote a short account of Booth's days on the run. In his account he claimed that Booth's leap to the stage at Ford's was twenty feet! Who was this man?

(02-27-2015, 06:27 AM)RJNorton Wrote: Many years ago a man wrote a short account of Booth's days on the run. In his account he claimed that Booth's leap to the stage at Ford's was twenty feet! Who was this man?

Finis L Bates? Of course, according to him Booth (or his mummy) is still on the run!

Excellent guess, Scott, but it was not Bates.

George Alfred Townsnd

Another excellent guess, Bill, but it's not Townsend.

Hint #1: Bill's guess is in the right century - this author's pamphlet was published in the 19th century. The author is not as well known as either Townsend or Bates.

Hint #1.5: The entire text of the author's pamphlet is a free download on archive.org

Hint #2: In In The Shadow of Lincoln's Death Otto Eisenschiml mentioned this author's name and "leap estimate," and he said it was not worthy of serious consideration.

I cannot think of any more clues, and this is such a little known writer I shall just say the answer.

The gent's name is Paul Devere, and his pamphlet was titled The Flight of J. Wilkes Booth. Lots and lots of errors - the author had quite the imagination. I think it was first published in 1880. I just happened to see it mentioned in Eisenschiml's book.

The 20 foot leap is in the first paragraph here.

Whoever gets this question right gives me there ticket to A Lincoln Commemoration: What was the name of the rendezvous point John Wilkes Booth met David E. Herold after shooting Lincoln?