John Surratt's Superior's Opinion?

[L Verge]

(12-10-2016 06:07 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  John and Laurie - it's definitely a "Mrs. Howell" (not "Mr. Howell") in James O. Hall's article. I assumed it was a female because the person was looking for a male escort, and Mr. Hall's article is about the saga of Sarah Slater. Who else could Mrs. Howell be other than Sarah Slater? Maybe I am missing something...

For those folks new to a discussion of Sarah Slater - long ago Dave Taylor (thank you, Dave) posted a link to the photo in John W. Headley's book - here.

Are we safe to assume that her escort was Gus Howell? Again, it's too early in the war for Sarah, so another female operative?

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(12-10-2016 09:44 AM)Gene C Wrote:  As secretive as she was with her last name and the challenge she has presented to our quality researchers on the forum, I find it unlikely that she would appear before the KY legislature only two years after the war. And I don't recall any evidence she was from Kentucky.

Note the footnote on the bottom of the page
"The prisoners never met this lady before or after her visits to the jail. One of the survivors secured her photograph at the jail, but after forty years her name is forgotten."

How likely does that sound to you.

It sounds very likely to me, but I need to be back at work (hopefully after the new year) to check on this. If I recall, the reception in Kentucky was due to the St. Albans Raid - an appreciation event for those involved in securing the release of the Confederates who had participated. Olivia Floyd of Port Tobacco was also invited and attended. She had helped to relay the papers that were needed to prove the raiders operated under military orders. I hope I'm not confused and combining two events into one.