New Eyewitness Account?

[Anita]

(12-17-2024 08:43 AM)Steve Wrote:  For reference, here's the Clara Harris interview Roger just mentioned. Images of part of the interview were posted to the Forum in another thread. It comes from the 29 Dec. 1877 edition of the Philadelphia Weekly Times:




Personally, the weight of evidence leads me to think it's way more likely Keene was in the box than she wasn't, despite what Clara Harris remembered 12 1/2 years later. Memory is fallible. Also despite the media image of Laura Keene holding the President's head in her lap, that probably couldn't have lasted longer than a minute or two while they were trying to get the President to swallow liquids. Laura could be remembering other times when the President's head was on the floor. The strongest evidence for Keene being in the box would be here her interview by the New York Herald in the 17 April 1865 edition, (the image is a few posts above). And the apparent letter of William Kent to his mother written on 15 April 1865 which can be seen on this thread:

https://rogerjnorton.com/LincolnDiscussi...l#pid86647

Dr. Leale doesn't mention Keene in his original April 1865 account of the President's treatment. But he does mention the brandy and water arriving just before Drs. Taft and King arrive:

https://quod.lib.umich.edu/j/jala/262986...w=fulltext

As soon as I removed my finger a slight oozing of blood followed and his breathing became more regular and less stertorous. The brandy and water now arrived and a small quantity was placed in his mouth, which passed into his stomach where it was retained.

Dr. C. F. Taft and Dr. A. F. A. King now arrived and after a moments consultation we agreed to have him removed to the nearest house, which we immediately did, the above named with others assisting.

However, the above evidence isn't completely airtight. I think it's good for what we know right now but a good lawyer might argue the points against:

1. In the rush to get a scoop the Herald published a fake interview with Clara Harris just the day before Keene's interview was published so Keene's interview could be fake as well:

https://rogerjnorton.com/LincolnDiscussi...l#pid88872

2. William Kent could be lying about being in the box altogether when Lincoln was being treated, just to keep out of trouble for the real reason he was later in the box when he found Booth's gun.

Was Mary Lincoln ever asked if Laura Keene was in the box and cradled Lincoln's head in her lap? Did Mary ever tell Robert Lincoln or anyone that Keene was or wasn't in the box? Knowing Mary's feelings about any woman getting close to Lincoln, Mary would be the one holding his head. A possible reason is that she didn't want to interfere with the doctors gathered around and working on Lincoln. This would support Clara's account that Laura Keene was never in the box.