New Eyewitness Account?

[RJNorton]

Many thanks to Steve for sending these articles. Steve writes, "The first article comes from page 16 of the 16 May 1897 edition of the Indiana State Journal. In it a man named Samuel Tilford describes being at Ford's Theatre during the assassination with two friends, John Duncan and Morris Defrees. The second article comes from page 5 of the 18 Nov. 1906 edition of the Indianapolis Star and in it Tilford adds to his story. Instead of just rushing to box, he's now one of the people who helped carry the President to Petersen House. The way the article is worded seems to imply that Tilford believed Duncan and Defrees were no longer alive. The third article comes from page 8 of the 16 Sept. 1907 edition of the Muncie Star -- it's another interview with Tilford with Duncan now known to be alive. Here Tilford backtracks from his claim of helping carry the President across the street. The fourth article is an interview with Duncan and Defrees (who turned out also to be alive) from page 15 of the 07 Feb. 1909 edition of the Muncie Star.

(I've divided the 1909 article into two so it will be more legible when posted to the Forum.