Your personal choice of "most tragic" character in the assassination story

[RJNorton]

Bill, yes we have Rathbone's testimony, and it does not coincide with Thomas Mallon's book. Rathbone says his back was to the door that Booth entered, and the very first instance of him being aware of Booth's presence was the gunshot itself.

I may be wrong on this, but I think Mr. Mallon was a speaker at one of the Surratt Conferences in recent years.(?) If I am right, maybe Laurie or someone present might know if Mr. Mallon said anything about this in his speech at the conference. I do not know where Mr. Mallon's interpretation of Rathbone's psyche comes from.

Bill, your thought that Rathbone's sense of guilt was inappropriately assumed makes perfect sense to me.