New Eyewitness Account?

[RJNorton]

Many thanks to Steve for sending these articles relating to Willie and Tad's tutor, Alexander Williamson. I think my favorite claim of Williamson's is where he says he was holding Lincoln's ankle at the time of death on Saturday morning. As far as I know, there is no evidence Williamson was in the room at the Petersen House when Lincoln passed.

The articles consist of:

- A brief interview of Williamson about Willie and Tad's opinions of Hannibal Hamlin from page 13 of the 27 Sept. 1891 edition of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

- One long interview from page 17 of the 20 July 1890 edition of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

- A copy of a 05 July 1866 letter from Mary Todd Lincoln to Williamson complaining about the racist mistreatment of orphans of colored soldiers; which Williamson forwarded to a newspaper in his hometown Edinburgh, Scotland, The Caledonian Mercury, which was printed on page 3 of the paper's 01 Sept. 1866 edition.

- One short account, given by Williamson, of the assassination night from page 8 of the 06 Jan. 1901 St. Louis Post-Dispatch

- Two versions of his obituary that quote an unknown account of the assassination night that he gave
From the 5 June 1903 Washington Evening Star and 09 June 1903 Topeka Daily Herald (KS)