Assassination Trivia

[RJNorton]

Many thanks, Laurie! Anita, what source did you use?

I do not know if this will help us get clarification, but here is Tony's source (endnote) for his research in determining the 5-4 vote on Spangler:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Verdicts and Sentences, container 92, JHP.ED. Townsend to Hancock, July 5, 1865, HP.

JHP = Joseph Holt Papers, LOC.

[L Verge]

(10-13-2015 12:52 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  Many thanks, Laurie! Anita, what source did you use?

I do not know if this will help us get clarification, but here is Tony's source (endnote) for his research in determining the 5-4 vote on Spangler:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Verdicts and Sentences, container 92, JHP.ED. Townsend to Hancock, July 5, 1865, HP.

JHP = Joseph Holt Papers, LOC.

That certainly should be a very reliable source!

[Anita]

(10-13-2015 11:10 AM)Anita Wrote:  Five voted for hanging and four voted life in prison at hard labor.

The post above is in error. That's what I get for using an obscure blog and reading too quickly. I missed a punctuation mark separating Arnold, O'Laughlen, and Mudd from Spangler. My apologies. So I guess I don't win a prize. I could use new glasses.

[RJNorton]

That's OK, Anita!! You still win best wishes for a wonderful day! The reason I asked this question is that I was thumbing through Tony Pitch's book earlier today, and I noticed he included the commission vote on Spangler. I had never before seen what the vote was on Spangler (or had forgotten if I had), and I thought I'd use it as a trivia question. I have always been interested in Spangler as I am one of those who leans to him being innocent of wrongdoing.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Didn't Weichmann's book include the votes?

[Anita]

(10-13-2015 03:26 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  That's OK, Anita!! You still win best wishes for a wonderful day! The reason I asked this question is that I was thumbing through Tony Pitch's book earlier today, and I noticed he included the commission vote on Spangler. I had never before seen what the vote was on Spangler (or had forgotten if I had), and I thought I'd use it as a trivia question. I have always been interested in Spangler as I am one of those who leans to him being innocent of wrongdoing.

Thanks Roger. Nothing beats a wonderful day. I too lean on the side of Spangler's innocence. I'm reading Holzer's book "President Lincoln Assassinated" and on page 128 in Bingham's closing statement for the prosecution, he states that Spangler's bar was in place and Booth placed it in the mortise to block the passage door after he entered.

What was the prosecution's evidence that it was Spangler who placed the bar there to aid Booth? That would take the charge from abetting Booth's escape to a participant in the dirty deed.

After Spangler's death, Dr. Samuel Mudd found a handwritten statement in Spangler's tool chest presumably written by Spangler while he was in prison. It concludes with the following "I never heard Booth express himself in favor of the rebellion, or opposed to the Government, or converse upon political subjects; and I have no recollection of his mentioning the name of President Lincoln in any connection whatever. I know nothing of the mortise hole said to be in the wall behind the door of the President's box, or of any wooden bar to fasten or hold the door being there, or of the lock being out of order. I did not notice any hole in the door. Gifford usually attended to the carpentering in the front part of the theater, while I did the work about the stage. Mr. Gifford was the boss carpenter, and I was under him."
http://rogerjnorton.com/Lincoln24.html

[RJNorton]

(10-13-2015 04:00 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  Didn't Weichmann's book include the votes?

Eva, do you know what page it's on? I can see on the bottom of p. 275 Weichmann writes, "I was informed by General Ekin in November 1865 that the vote in the case of Mrs. Surratt and the others who were sentenced to death was unanimous." But I cannot find where Weichmann mentions the vote in the cases of O'Laughlen, Arnold, Mudd, or Spangler.

Anita, my mind is blank on your question. I believe I have read that the partition between boxes 7 and 8 was removed by Spangler. This converted it into a single box for the Lincoln party. But I do not recall reading Spangler had a connection to the bar Booth used.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Roger, I will check, but it's possible my memory cheated me. I am sure not long ago I read about the votes of the verdicts and concluded it was in Weichmann's book, but it could have been online, too.

[L Verge]

I thought the bar that was used to block the door was taken from one of the musicians' stands in the orchestra?

[Gene C]

Well that explains why the trombone section was a little flat.

[Eva Elisabeth]

(10-14-2015 09:12 AM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  Roger, I will check, but it's possible my memory cheated me. I am sure not long ago I read about the votes of the verdicts and concluded it was in Weichmann's book, but it could have been online, too.

Roger, there are indeed only the verdicts. I'm sorry for the confusion/misinformation.

[RJNorton]

No problem, Eva. Thank you for trying!!

[Eva Elisabeth]

Whom reminded the assassination of this scenario?
   

[RJNorton]

Rev. Matthew Simpson?

[Eva Elisabeth]

A very smart guess, Roger, but, sorry, not correct.

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Hint #1: The painting was presented to the (London) National Gallery (by Sir George Beaumont) in 1823.