Your guess: "angels" or "ages?"

[wsanto]

Wsanto, that account was not written by O'Beirne. As Rob Wick noted in Post #71, you have to read Appleton's with some caution. O'Beirne's statement to Stanton dated May 1, 1865 was written in a very straightforward manner. He doesn't say anything about tracking the crutch print.

From The Lincoln Assassination: The Rewards File by Steers and Edwards.

"As my course from the time I landed in Maryland and Virginia was so varied and changing, it is not easy for me to give details of my movements and perhaps not necessary. I however respectfully submit that I was continually on the move and kept my force acting in like manner with a view to meet your approbation and discharge the duties expected of me. I have carefully and studiously refrained from communicating with the Press until so authorized by the Hon. the Secretary of War and as a consequence the newspapers have teemed with the names of many who were connected with the pursuit. None have been made of me and my men which I believe will meet with your approval."

O'Beirne then "takes the liberty...of inviting attention to the material advantages arising from a course of conduct" by his men and lists their names.

I was just making light of the claims made in this biography.

Although I wonder where Appleton came up with such a tale. It must have been someone's claim. If not O'Beirne, who else?

It just goes along with my theory that a lot of these folks were trying to pad their legacy. Saying "I was there", "I did this"; I think it was pretty typical for the time or, at least, that particular moment in time.