W. Martin Jones's Eyewitness Account of Assassination For Sale

[STS Lincolnite]

Roger, I had the same thought and found nothing in Good's book. I then did a little more digging on Mr. Jones. Below is a portion of his obit that I found in an online book (it was published shortly after his death in May 1906). From what I have read it seems that, considering his employment and public service postings, he would have been a pretty credible witness.

"W. MARTIN JONES.
William Martin Jones was born in Manlius, New York, on
July 24, 1841. His father, Thomas P. Jones, was a native of
South Wales, and came of an old and highly respected family.
His mother, Lodoiska Butler, was born at Crown Point, New
York. She was a woman of strong personality and marked
ability. While Mr. Jones was very young, his parents moved to
Knowlesville, New York, where he spent his early youth.
Having been graduated from the Albion Academy, it was his
intention to attend Yale College, but at about the time he was
ready to enter this institution, the Civil War broke out, and,
becoming acquainted with Edwin D. Morgan, the war
governor of New York, he acted for two years as his private
secretary while Mr. Morgan was United States senator. In
1864 he filled the position for some time of private secretary
to William H. Seward, then Secretary of State, and to his
son, Frederick W. Seward. His efficiency in this position led
to his promotion to the position of chief clerk of the Consular
Bureau in the State Department.“ This position told heavily
on his health, as it was often necessary for him to remain at his
desk long after midnight writing dispatches containing instruc
tions to United States consuls who were stationed all over the
world, guarding the interests of the republic at a time when
many nations would have been only too glad to see its destruc
tion.
On the evening of Good Friday, 1865, he was present in
Ford’s theatre, sitting within twenty feet of President Lincoln,
when the latter was assassinated."

If anyone is interested, I can send the entire obit to Roger for him to post/link to. This man lead quite an interesting life. I also found a reference to an "Abraham Lincoln Address" that he delivered in Phoenix, NY on 30 May 1904. Would be interesting to check the local newspapers from that time to see what the topic of this address was and if the text survives.