Which door did Booth enter?

[Laurie Verge]

I agree, Roger, that this is another one of those pesky little sidelights to the story. When I first read the Frank Ford letter (and I think it was in Dr. Reck's book), I wondered why they would, in essence, damage the door simply to give a guard a peephole. If the guard, or in this case, Charles Forbes, sat at the assigned post, he would know of anyone who might enter the box to harm anyone. There was only one way in -- unless you want to use that lasso story again and have an assassin come swinging into the box from stage left!

I also question, however, why Booth would keep those wood shavings in his handkerchief for twelve days. Someone once suggested as kindling, but that wasn't enough to start a fire. Didn't he need to use his handkerchief at some point on his escape, and the shavings would fall out? Maybe he just wanted a souvenir of his deed?