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[STS Lincolnite]

(09-21-2014 03:40 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  

(09-21-2014 12:49 PM)STS Lincolnite Wrote:  Roger, along with you I find Mathews a real enigma and it really is so difficult this far after the fact to know what anyone would do when facing the stress of the assassination.

Scott, I agree. I cannot recall if I read this in Tom's book or elsewhere. I read it somewhere, though. After leaving Ford's and going to his room and burning the letter, Mathews decided to venture out again for a drink. Entering a bar he told the folks he was there to see if John Wilkes Booth was present. In other words, Mathews asked for Booth at a bar even after having knowledge of what happened at Ford's plus reading Booth's letter. Surely he would know Booth was not still in town drinking. The crowd at the bar got angry and threatened to kill Mathews. Mathews somehow saved himself by denying knowledge of anything and running away. IMO, strange.

Roger, that visit to the saloon was indeed in Tom's book. I believe it was from testimony in the John Surratt trial. The incident happened on Saturday (morning I think) and not Friday night though. Harry Hawk was there as well and Mathews grabbed Hawk to talk to him and that is when the other patrons decided anyone asking about Booth might be a conspirator and Mathews almost lost his life right then and there.

When I first read that account, my first thought was that Mathews went looking for Booth so Booth could tell him he had not killed the President. I don't think Mathews could come to terms with the fact that his friend Booth had committed the terrible crime even though so many people knew he had done it. Later in life, Mathews continued to be sympathetic to Booth and defend him (not the crime, but Booth himself as a person).