Assassination Trivia

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(12-20-2012 05:01 PM)J. Beckert Wrote:  I think it was Tom Pendel who put it on for an artist that was to paint Lincoln's portrait. He supposedly resembled Lincoln physically.

And the artist was Matthew Henry Wilson.

   

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(12-21-2012 06:08 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  Mary Lincoln gave the coat to Alphonso Donn so I'll guess him. I think part of the reason the coat is not in the greatest shape today is because Donn cut off some fragments and gave them to friends.

He sure did!

In 1940, Mr. Donn's nephew, who was 76 at the time, noted that "the lapel was cut in places where my uncle cut small pieces to give to friends."

He also referred to Pendel.

"A man named T. H. Pendel, who worked at the White House, came to my uncle's house very often, and sometimes he brought a friend to see Lincoln's suit. It was in a chest in my room. My uncle told them to go on up and he didn't go with them."