Throwing more Mudd in the game

[wsanto]

(09-24-2013 12:15 AM)SSlater Wrote:  Laurie. Booth left Mudd's with a CRUTCH, that he had not planned on needing.
Booth's original escape route was planned to run father west - down the Bumpy Oak Road, to Port Tobacco and the Nanjemoy. So, a stop at Mudd's was not planned. Booth went to Mudd's because he knew Mudd. He knew he was a sympathizer, he knew he was a Doctor.Booth needed both of these traits - immediately. (I am assuming that the broken leg occurred in Washington.)
If Mudd was a member of the "Doctor Line", which was owned and operated by Conrad. Conrad ran his own independent show. His plan to abduct Lincoln was squelched by Richmond, so, he stayed clear of Booth's plans and offered no direct support to him early-on. (Ruggles was his "Second-in-Command" and Booth rode Conrad's horse to Garrett's. Implying , to me, that he got involved very late in the escape.) I doubt that the "Secret Line", owned and operated by the Secret Service, was in-on the escape plan. Booth's travels through all of Maryland and on into Virginia, are too ragged, to be part of a well-planned caper. Booth did not hook-up with the Secret Line until he got to Dr. Stuart's.
I am of the school that believes that much of Booth's "planning", was his and his only, and probably was conceived day- by-day.
As for Mudd. I think he was basically a "nice guy". He would have doctored Lincoln, if he had been there that Friday night. I doubt very seriously, that he was a principal in the abduction or the assassination. His "Guilt", as determined by a suspect court, was by association. not by participation. After Booth came to him, he was trapped. He treated the injured man and tried to bail out. He held to his hypocritical oath, and he held to his political leanings - but he was not part of the Assassination.

Mudd was a liar. We know this for a fact. He had previously spent enough time with the handsome and dashing Booth to recognize him the night of the assassination. One look in his eyes would be enough despite any false whiskers he later claimed Booth was wearing. Does anyone even doubt that?

I believe he was told exactly what happened in the early hours that morning and knew the facts when he treated Booth. He then did all he could to abet Booth's escape far beyond treating his broken leg. Most importantly, he did not report the "strangers" at his house for over 24-hr despite his knowledge that soldiers were in Bryantown searching for the assassins of Lincoln early Saturday afternoon.

Laurie's theory is no less plausible because Booth left Mudd's house with a crutch. It is possible Booth planned to stop at Mudd's as part of his escape and, since he now had an injured leg, was treated by Mudd.