The original photograph of a young David Herold that was plastered on the reward poster was obtained by Detective McDevitt and Louis Weichmann from the Herold family home. On page 258 of the Surratt Society's "In Pursuit of" it says that on April 28th Alexander Gardner came on board the Montauk and took pictures of Herold. One of these was substituted for the "boyish" photo on a second reward poster issued by the War Dept. My question is why? Why would the war dept. bother if Herold was already in irons on the gunship.

(11-10-2012, 03:25 PM)Rsmyth Wrote: The original photograph of a young David Herold that was plastered on the reward poster was obtained by Detective McDevitt and Louis Weichmann from the Herold family home. On page 258 of the Surratt Society's "In Pursuit of" it says that on April 28th Alexander Gardner came on board the Montauk and took pictures of Herold. One of these was substituted for the "boyish" photo on a second reward poster issued by the War Dept. My question is why? Why would the war dept. bother if Herold was already in irons on the gunship.

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I think you got the reason with your reference to 'boyish'. Perhaps those in control of the posters wanted to eliminate any chance of sympathy for the accused. An older version of Herold, a little worse for wear after the chase, provided more of the 'look' that they wanted.

Barry, I would agree with you 100%.

I always thought that the Reward Posters with the Gardner mug shot were like the later "Our Americab Cousin" playbills. They were produced for the commercial appetite.

Jim, if only it were only that easy.

Thank goodness for the questonable research of Ray Neff. In his book "Dark Union" p. 159-160, "Without fanfare, the NDP brought Herold into Washington, drunk and manacled. He had worked peripherally in the kidnap plot, and although the Booth he had caroused with on Good Friday was unrelated to the assassin, Lafayette Baker figured that Herold might be a useful guide in his private manhunt. Herold was photograhed at NDP headquarters and hustled back out of town into the Maryland countryside".

But there's more to this exciting story. The feds take him and Booth look-a-like, James Boyd into southern Maryland to help with the man hunt for the real Booth. They escape (or are allowed to escape) and the fun continues....

According to Neff, That's the real reason about the photo's on the wanted poster. Sound a bit "stange"? The chapter notes indicate as his reference for all of this , (drum roll please) the "Potter Papers"

(11-11-2012, 08:12 PM)Gene C Wrote: Jim, if only it were only that easy.

Thank goodness for the questonable research of Ray Neff. In his book "Dark Union" p. 159-160, "Without fanfare, the NDP brought Herold into Washington, drunk and manacled. He had worked peripherally in the kidnap plot, and although the Booth he had caroused with on Good Friday was unrelated to the assassin, Lafayette Baker figured that Herold might be a useful guide in his private manhunt. Herold was photograhed at NDP headquarters and hustled back out of town into the Maryland countryside".

But there's more to this exciting story. The feds take him and Booth look-a-like, James Boyd into southern Maryland to help with the man hunt for the real Booth. They escape (or are allowed to escape) and the fun continues....

According to Neff, That's the real reason about the photo's on the wanted poster. Sound a bit "stange"? The chapter notes indicate as his reference for all of this , (drum roll please) the "Potter Papers"

Boy, don't I feel stupid!! I should have known the was a totally implausible explanation.

Newly discovered photograph of chemist turned historians Otto Eisenschiml and Ray Neff

http://0.tqn.com/d/movies/1/0/m/R/Y/the-...bunsen.jpg

(11-12-2012, 09:02 PM)Gene C Wrote: Newly discovered photograph of chemist turned historians Otto Eisenschiml and Ray Neff

http://0.tqn.com/d/movies/1/0/m/R/Y/the-...bunsen.jpg

You're going to give the muppets a bad wrap.