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

[RJNorton]

Apparently Weichmann was curious about it, and at least one of the women. Also, Eliza Holohan apparently didn't think he acted much like a preacher. I just wonder what the few others thought. I don't know, and that's why I asked the question. Were any others "suspicious?" I do not know what, if anything, was in their minds. Maybe some of them didn't see him under two different names. All I know is that only Weichmann apparently alerted Gleason of suspicious activities at the boardinghouse, but I wonder about Weichmann. At times, I think he really wanted to be "part of the group" but was rejected.

[Gene C]

When you tell to many stories, it becomes harder to remember what you said, and who you said it to.

[RJNorton]

Gene, I might add that the "Hall" alias was also new to me. I don't believe I ever heard of that one before Betty posted that image yesterday.

[Linda Anderson]

Maddie -

The photo of young Powell as a 15 year old in Alias is a CDV which was made from an ambrotype.


CDV's (short for the French Carte de Visite) were very, very popular -

This is a good site which explains the process for these albumen photographs. http://www.photographymuseum.com/histsw.htm

Here is a CDV of Lewis Powell which was made by Gardner and sold in his studio -

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Thanks for uploading, Betty! - How weird that they made this CDV of Powell for selling!

Did Gardner take pictures of all the assassins and how good did they sell? Bestsellers? Does anyone know? Was it like collecting baseball or soccer cards? I read those CDVs were not that expensive. How popular was it to own them?

I don't think any of the assassins did know why they were photographed/daguerreotyped (?). I assume, especially Powell would have become even more angry and desperate if he had known that Gardner sold his picture.

It's interesting that Gardner chose this picture, Powells grim facial expression. It really transfers his image of being the cold blooded berserk.

This is from Witness to an Era: The Life and Photographs of Alexander Gardner by D. Mark Katz.

"Like almost everyone, Gardner was apparently fascinated with Lewis Paine [Powell]. Not only did Gardner take at least ten photographs of him on possibly two occasions, but he also took the trouble of copyrighting six of these ten on May 17, 1865. Of all the photographs of the conspirators and their execution, these were the only ones he copyrighted."

Here is a link to a 2012 article on Gardner's photos of Powell.

http://jmcolberg.com/weblog/extended/arc...r_gardner/

[LincolnMan]

Although Lew would have had a model for what a preacher acts and talks like since his dad was one-and he aspired to be one himself earlier in life. I bet he knew his Bible!

[BettyO]

Yes he did - it was said that he held Sunday School classes and could speak with "ease and force" as a youngster. He taught his first Sunday School class at age 15 and his parents were so proud of him that they bought him a silver pocket watch.

So proud was he that his parents took him into town afterwards and had this photo taken.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[LincolnMan]

Nice picture. Any idea where the watch wound up at? No pun intended with the use of the word "wound."

[BettyO]

Nice picture. Any idea where the watch wound up at? No pun intended with the use of the word "wound."

Don't know WHERE the watch went, Bill. It is not in the family, that much I know. It could be that he went away to war with it and it was lost or stolen -- he did NOT have a watch on him when he was captured in April '65.

[Thomas Thorne]

Most tragic-Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris. His "failure" to save Lincoln unhinged him and drove him to kill Clara, the mother of his children. The 2009 Washington Post article by Thomas Ruane accessible via the Wiki Rathbone bio says that Clara saved the lives of their children.

At least none of the other persons affected by the assassination had to go thru that.

Tom

[RJNorton]

Tom, one of the most interesting topics in Thomas Mallon's book is the mention of Rathbone's "divided" feelings. Mallon implies Rathbone was very upset with Lincoln over the loss of all the lives in the Civil War. Keep in mind that Mallon's book is historical fiction, but he has Henry telling Clara (the night he killed her):

-------------------------------------------

I did not do everything I could, and I was not negligent either. I saw him open the door, Clara. I saw him stand there for a good five seconds. I never got up from my chair. I let him do what he did!"

"I let it happen. I wanted it to happen."

"Yes, Clara, I wanted it to happen. I wanted to avenge all the soldiers he'd sent to die. I wanted to hurt all the old men who'd made the war."

"I regretted it the moment the gun went off and then I leapt to stop Booth."

---------------------------------------------

I do not know how much of what Mallon says is true regarding Rathbone's mindset; but if any of this is true, the man indeed was horrendously tormented for the duration of his life.

[LincolnMan]

Roger: do we know what Rathbone's actual testimony was? I personally don't think he would have not acted (if he saw Booth beforehand). As a soldier, I think he would have reacted immediately-almost by reflex-to protect the Commander-In-Chief. I think his guilt was inappropriately assumed because it happened in his presence. What do you think?

[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.

[HerbS]

Bill and Roger,I knew soldiers that were delighted when their commanders were killed by the enemy or"friendly fire"in Viet-Nam.So,quite possibly,Rathbone could have felt that way!

[LincolnMan]

Herb: I agree. As former soldiers-you and I both know that is so. But, I don't think you or I would have hesitated to protect the Commander-In-Chief if we were within a few feet of him. We would not have pondered what to do-we would have protected him as best we could instantly. Am I wrong?

[HerbS]

Bill,You are correct! We would have done our duty! But,I think Rathbone and his testimony is that of a Bi-Polar-Wack-Job!You are the Dr.he may have been-undiagnosed or not all back then.