Was there an assassin on Grant's train?

[Gene C]

(07-19-2015 07:25 PM)John Fazio Wrote:  With respect, think the issue of commentary on the luncheon is a tempest in a teapot. What should someone have said and who would have thought it important? E.g.: "I am a waiter at Willard's and during the noon hour of April 14 I saw four strange looking fellows dining there. I also saw Mrs. Grant with Mrs. Rawlins and some kids, who were also dining there. The four weirdos might have been eavesdropping on Mrs. Grant and her party. I think one of the wierdos was John Wilkes Booth, the actor, because I have seen him on stage." Response of government agent investigating the case: "Yeah. So what? Why do you think that's important? The President is dead, we know Booth did it and we know he is on the lam, so why should the luncheon at Willard's yesterday be of any interest to us?

Bottom line: What happened in Willard's dining room on the 14th was unlikely to engender comment by anyone who was there except Julia, and even if it did, I doubt that anyone cared about it, because it had no relevance to anything anymore and for that reason went unrecorded.

John

John, I have been thinking about your comment for several days. I think you may be oversimplifiying the situation. Evidently that waiter was paying more attention than anyone thought at first.

How many of you knew the conversation Booth was having with his fellow conspirators (that drew Julia Grant's attention) would be recorded by this waiter in a diary and found 100 years later and became the lyrics of a hit song in the 1960's? As far as I can tell it's verbatim, except for one word at the .16 second mark, changed for artistic license.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omovUmbbAgo