"In hot pursuit of John Wilkes Booth"

[L Verge]

(02-16-2015 11:09 AM)Dave Taylor Wrote:  Yesterday the Pittsburgh Gazette published three articles about the the escape of John Wilkes Booth. Though the author didn't go to every place on the route, she gives a good overview of it.

Here's the main article with the narrative of the route she took.

Here's a nice interactive of her route.

And here's the third article giving people advice on how to experience the escape route.

I, for one, had no idea that the the tub in the traveler's bedroom at Surratt House was a prop in the movie “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”.

OMG - I know which guide this writer had!!! Our hip tub is not a prop from any movie that I know of - it was found in an antique shop in Pennsylvania with chrysanthemums planted in it. The guide tells people that it has always reminded him of the tub used in Butch Cassidy.

Now let me read those articles and see what else is going to give me gray hairs. This reporter was on tour at the Surratt House for well over an hour.

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(02-16-2015 11:30 AM)L Verge Wrote:  

(02-16-2015 11:09 AM)Dave Taylor Wrote:  Yesterday the Pittsburgh Gazette published three articles about the the escape of John Wilkes Booth. Though the author didn't go to every place on the route, she gives a good overview of it.

Here's the main article with the narrative of the route she took.

Here's a nice interactive of her route.

And here's the third article giving people advice on how to experience the escape route.

I, for one, had no idea that the the tub in the traveler's bedroom at Surratt House was a prop in the movie “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”.

OMG - I know which guide this writer had!!! Our hip tub is not a prop from any movie that I know of - it was found in an antique shop in Pennsylvania with chrysanthemums planted in it. The guide tells people that it has always reminded him of the tub used in Butch Cassidy.

Now let me read those articles and see what else is going to give me gray hairs. This reporter was on tour at the Surratt House for well over an hour.

Actually, the writer has done a very good job. I only caught a few things: Surratt House does own a number of original Surratt pieces -- the center table in the parlor, the fancy lady's desk in the same room, and several parlor chairs that came through descendants. In our visitors' center, we have more personal effects such as Mary's watch, a family photo album, personal belongings of her children, etc.

In mentioning St. Mary's Catholic Church, where Mudd met Booth and where he and Frankie are buried, readers need to know that it is in Bryantown, not Hughesville as stated. She also states that the location of where Booth and Herold set off for Virginia is not known. It most certainly is.

I couldn't help thinking, when reading and seeing the photos in the Mudd portion of the article, that the Mudd ghost must certainly be roaming the house and grounds now that Eddie Roberts (who has been a great help to the Dr. Mudd Society) is giving tours in Union garb. He is pictured in this article holding the composite photo of Dr. and Mrs. Mudd. For all the grief that Union soldiers caused the family while occupying the farm as well as arresting, trying, and convicting Dr. Sam, I would think that anyone in Union attire would bring out the ghosts of Sam and Frankie!