Shooting Lincoln

[richard petersen]

In today's WSJ on page c10 there is a review of this book written by Nicholas J.C. Pistor.
The book is about the rivalry of photographers Gardner and Brady. At the end of the review it states "during Mary Surratt's trial, prosecutors revealed she had kept a photograph of JWB hidden at her boarding house. The revelation all but convicted her"
Did the above comment take place and have consequences at the trial?
The review was written by Harold Holzer who authored "Lincoln and the power of the press.

[RJNorton]

(11-18-2017 10:13 AM)richard petersen Wrote:  In today's WSJ on page c10 there is a review of this book written by Nicholas J.C. Pistor.
The book is about the rivalry of photographers Gardner and Brady. At the end of the review it states "during Mary Surratt's trial, prosecutors revealed she had kept a photograph of JWB hidden at her boarding house. The revelation all but convicted her"
Did the above comment take place and have consequences at the trial?
The review was written by Harold Holzer who authored "Lincoln and the power of the press.

Richard, my memory is that it was Anna Surratt, not Mary Surratt, who had hidden the Booth photo. Anna had a carte-de-visite entitled Morning, Noon, and Night, and on the back of the carte-de-visite, she had hidden a photograph of JWB. Perhaps I am underestimating the importance of this photo, but I always thought the testimonies of John Lloyd and Louis Weichmann were more important reasons for Mary's guilty verdict.

[Susan Higginbotham]

It was Anna:

Q. [Exhibiting to the witness the picture of “Morning, Noon and Night,” already in evidence.] Do you recognize that picture as ever having belonged to you?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. Was it your picture?

A. Yes, sir: it was mine, given to me by that man Weichmann.

Q. Was any other picture ever attached to it?

A. I put one of J. Wilkes Booth behind it.

Q. What was your object in doing that?

A. I went one day with Miss Honora Fitzpatrick to a daguerrean gallery to get her picture (she had had it taken previously), and we saw some of Mr. Booth’s there; and having met him before, and being acquainted with him, we got two of the pictures and took them home. When my brother saw them, he told me to tear them up and throw them in the fire; and that, if I did not, he would take them from me; and I hid them.

Q. Did you own any photographs or lithographs of the leaders of the Rebellion—Davis, Stephens, and others?

A. Yes, sir. Davis, Stephens, Beauregard, Stonewall Jackson, and perhaps a few others.

Q. Where did you get these?

A. My father gave them to me before his death; and I prized them on his account, if on nobody else’s.

Q. Did you own any photographs in the house at that time, of Union generals?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. Who were they?

A. General McClellan, General Grant, and General Joe Hooker.


***

I agree with Roger that it's unlikely that the testimony about the photo played an important role in Mary's conviction.

[L Verge]

I have to agree with Roger and Susan also. Harold Holzer way over-stated the effect of the CDV being hidden at the boardinghouse.

[Steve]

I agree with Roger, Susan, and Laurie too. (Or four now, I guess.)

[Gene C]

I agree with Roger, Susan, Laurie and Steve

[Susan Higginbotham]

We're a very agreeable bunch.

[wpbinzel]

Well, I read on the Internet that Emperior Alexander II had Anna Surratt's Morning, Noon and Night hacked and that the photo of Booth was planted as fake news.