Why was Mary Surratt not photographed after her arrest?

[RJNorton]

I don't think she was arrested, questioned, etc. Theodore Roscoe wrote, "But do not arrest the society woman who had consorted with him (Booth) in Washington drawingrooms. Do not impound this amourette who seated the killer near Lincoln at the Inaugural. Never breathe the name of Booth's betrothed. She is privileged, beyond the law, sacrosanct. She is the daughter of a United States Senator!....Senator Hale whisked his daughter to Spain soon after the Lincoln tragedy. There the veils that concealed her face were even more impenetrable that those offered by the War Department."

Philip Van Doren Stern wrote that Miss Hale "was the only one near Booth who did not have to pay a public penalty for having been associated with him."

[Gene C]

She benefited from her fathers position. Personally I think her relationship with Booth was blown out of proportion. Booth is a matinee idol, at the peak of his career, is not likely to marry anyone (at this time) He used her for whatever he thought he could get from here, mainly entrance to a different level of society that his brother had obtained.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Thanks! I wonder how she felt when she learned she had been engaged to a murderer. Must be a terrible experience- especially as I assume she didn't share JWB's political views but rather ignored them because she probably idolized him. I also wonder what her father thought about her engagement (if he knew thereof).

[Gene C]

Her father was not to thrilled about her relationship (whatever it was) to JWB. Supposedly, that was one of the reasons he accepted the ministry position in Spain, to get her away from Booth. I believe he accepted that position before the assassination, but had not left for Spain yet. He left soon after the assassination, it helped protect her somewhat from the fall out from her association with Booth.

If you haven't done it yet, search her name on this site and you'll find all kinds of interesting info about her.

[J. Beckert]

(11-13-2013 11:58 AM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  Thanks! I wonder how she felt when she learned she had been engaged to a murderer.

Edwin wrote that he had received a letter "from the girl he had promised so much happiness" and she said she'd marry him "at the foot of the scaffold".

[BettyO]

Quote:Her father was not to thrilled about her relationship (whatever it was) to JWB. Supposedly, that was one of the reasons he accepted the ministry position in Spain, to get her away from Booth. I believe he accepted that position before the assassination, but had not left for Spain yet. He left soon after the assassination, it helped protect her somewhat from the fall out from her association with Booth.

In the 19th Century, actors were unfortunately NOT regarded at the top of the social register. No, her father would not have been pleased by her affiliations with Booth; wealthy and as popular as he may have been. He was noted as a womanizer and a drinker and his political affiliations were suspect. No, I for one, could not see Senator Hale thrilled about his daughter's romantic affairs.

[Sally]

(11-13-2013 09:40 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  Theodore Roscoe wrote, "But do not arrest the society woman who had consorted with him (Booth) in Washington drawingrooms. Do not impound this amourette who seated the killer near Lincoln at the Inaugural. Never breathe the name of Booth's betrothed. She is privileged, beyond the law, sacrosanct. She is the daughter of a United States Senator!....Senator Hale whisked his daughter to Spain soon after the Lincoln tragedy. There the veils that concealed her face were even more impenetrable that those offered by the War Department."

OUCH! Who was this Theodore Roscoe and what prompted his bitterness toward the Hales? (Though I do like the word "amourette"!)

And Gene wrote: "If you haven't done it yet, search her name on this site and you'll find all kinds of interesting info about her.

This is true. But if you just browse the rest of the internet looking for information, be prepared to suspend your disbelief. Most of what's written about Lucy Hale on the web (and in most books) is a lot of HOOEY! (to use a polite term for it.)

I recently had the opportunity to read through the papers of Lucy and her sister, Lizzie, at the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord. Although there was nothing in them about her relationship with Booth, they helped give a personality to a woman who is known primarily as the Dumpy Dimwit Duped by JWB and Deserving of Disdain.

For example, who is the source of the quote that she'd "marry him at the foot of the scaffold if they let (me)"? As far as I know, any letter(s) she sent to Edwin Booth no longer exist. Asia mentions one in her memoir, but she says nothing about the scaffold line. I'm not saying that a "heartbroken little girl" (as Edwin called her) wouldn't say something stupid like that after the shock of finding out her dashing suitor was really a lying murderer. But that quote is so often put out there as absolute fact. Most everything that is "known" about Lucy Hale and her relationship to Booth is second, third, fourth, and fifth-hand information from dubious or biased sources.

It seems to me Lucy and her family took all her secrets (and the truth) to the grave. Unless Terry Alford can dig up some good scoop in his research for his forthcoming book. (Fingers crossed!) Who knows? Maybe he'll find proof that she really was a dumpy dimwit deserving of disdain!

[RJNorton]

(11-13-2013 09:04 PM)Sally Wrote:  Who was this Theodore Roscoe and what prompted his bitterness toward the Hales? (Though I do like the word "amourette"!)

Hi Sally. Theodore Roscoe wrote one of my favorite assassination books entitled The Web of Conspiracy. He was very critical of the U.S. government for covering up many things after the assassination and not doing a thorough investigation (including the lack of questioning of Lucy Hale). He makes many controversial statements in the book; nevertheless the reader is never bored. It's easy to criticize the book as being similar to Eisenschiml's in that Roscoe implies top government officials were involved in the assassination, but the book also includes lots of other information that is often difficult to find in other sources. For me that says something as I am not the best of readers, but Roscoe's style is lively and keeps moving. It's a big book - over 500 pages - that I would recommend to anyone who has interest in Lincoln's assassination.

Theodore Roscoe

[BettyO]

You are so right, Roger!

Roscoe's Web remains one of my favorites - flaws and all. Still, it IS a fast-moving good read. Yes, there is a lot of speculation contained therein, but I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in the assassination. It's considered one of the "classics" alongside Bishop's novel The Day Lincoln was Shot and Oldroyd - irregardless what one thinks of the author's theories....

[Gene C]

(11-13-2013 09:04 PM)Sally Wrote:  I recently had the opportunity to read through the papers of Lucy and her sister, Lizzie, at the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord. Although there was nothing in them about her relationship with Booth, they helped give a personality to a woman who is known primarily as the Dumpy Dimwit Duped by JWB and Deserving of Disdain.

Sounds like an interesting article for the Courier. I'd like to hear more about her.

[L Verge]

I have to agree with Roger and Betty. Despite some flaws, The Web of Conspiracy is still one of my favorite reference books on the assassination, and many of us old-timers cut our teeth on it back in the 1960s and 70s.

I would also dispute that Lucy is known primarily as the "Dumpy Dimwit Duped by JWB and Deserving of Disdain" (great use of alliteration, however). Most books that I have read on the assassination credit Lucy Lambert Hale with being a very intelligent, witty, well-read conversationalist with a personality that attracted more than just Booth -- others such as Robert Lincoln and John Hay enjoyed her company. I suspect that Miss Lucy could hold her own with Booth.

[brtmchl]

(11-14-2013 05:18 AM)BettyO Wrote:  You are so right, Roger!

Roscoe's Web remains one of my favorites - flaws and all. Still, it IS a fast-moving good read. Yes, there is a lot of speculation contained therein, but I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in the assassination. It's considered one of the "classics" alongside Bishop's novel The Day Lincoln was Shot and Oldroyd - irregardless what one thinks of the author's theories....

Betty, I just recently purchased a copy of Oldroyd’s The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln. The fun part about it, was that it was completely by accident. Even better was the name of the store I found it in. I was in Chicago and came across a storefront called Powell’s Bookstores. Powell's, has been in business for the over 40 years. There are three stores, in Hyde Park, University Village and Lakeview, each carrying quality used, rare, and discounted books. They also partner with Abebooks.com so if you cannot find something in the store they check for worldwide sellers. For anyone wanting to sell used or even new books I believe you can sell through Abebooks kind of like eBay I guess.

[RJNorton]

(11-14-2013 09:21 AM)L Verge Wrote:  Most books that I have read on the assassination credit Lucy Lambert Hale with being a very intelligent, witty, well-read conversationalist with a personality that attracted more than just Booth -- others such as Robert Lincoln and John Hay enjoyed her company. I suspect that Miss Lucy could hold her own with Booth.

Dr. Blaine Houmes wrote an excellent article on the Robert Lincoln/Lucy Hale relationship which was published in Manuscripts in 2007 (Vol. 59, No. 1). The article is entitled "Lincoln & Booth: A Love Story?" Robert sent Lucy flowers from the White House gardens plus other gifts including a book. Blaine concludes the relationship was probably nothing more than a friendship. As Laurie noted, other men had an interest in Lucy including Oliver Wendell Holmes and John Hay. However, I have not seen the evidence of the story that Robert, John Hay, and Lucy were studying Spanish together at the White House on the afternoon of the assassination. I do not know if Blaine's article is online or not.

Wikipedia says, "On the afternoon of April 14, Lucy allegedly spent the afternoon studying Spanish with Robert Lincoln, and another former admirer, John Hay, President Lincoln's assistant private secretary." There is no footnote for the statement.

[L Verge]

Many years ago, someone else wrote an article on "They All Loved Lucy." I want to say that it was a contributor to American Heritage?

[Susan Higginbotham]

(11-14-2013 12:10 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Many years ago, someone else wrote an article on "They All Loved Lucy." I want to say that it was a contributor to American Heritage?

I can actually be of help here:

http://www.americanheritage.com/content/...loved-lucy