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Jim Garrett · 10-26-2014, 06:32 PM

Another interesting side note is about Dr. Mary Walker at the hanging. Her medical kit is in the Nat'l. Museum of Health & Medicine. Somewhat similar to Dr. Mudd's kit at Ford's Theatre.

STS Lincolnite · 11-01-2014, 08:09 AM

(10-26-2014 03:52 PM)BettyO Wrote: What always strikes me about these photos is the fact that the people looking directly at the camera are in many ways, looking at US down through the centuries....little did they dream that 150 years later, we would be looking at them though computer screens and other electronic media. In essence, these unnamed, every-day individuals thus live forever.....

Just think what people 150 years from now will be seeing/thinking of us, what with social media, etc.! Sort of a scary prospect...

L Verge · 11-01-2014, 09:20 AM

(10-26-2014 06:32 PM)Jim Garrett Wrote: Another interesting side note is about Dr. Mary Walker at the hanging. Her medical kit is in the Nat'l. Museum of Health & Medicine. Somewhat similar to Dr. Mudd's kit at Ford's Theatre.

Wish we could find Dr. Walker in the execution photos. She was supposedly there, but even the keen eyes of Barry Cauchon and John Elliott have not been able to find her in any of the enlargements they have done.

RJNorton · 11-01-2014, 02:26 PM

(11-01-2014 09:20 AM)L Verge Wrote: Wish we could find Dr. Walker in the execution photos. She was supposedly there, but even the keen eyes of Barry Cauchon and John Elliott have not been able to find her in any of the enlargements they have done.

Offhand I can think of only one book I have that indicates she was there - Twenty Days. Maybe there are more, but that's all I can think of right now.

Twenty Days says she did not need a ticket as she was "classed with the military present." The book goes on to say "she shocked everyone on the hanging day by riding her horse to the penitentiary astride, like a man."

Twenty Days is not footnoted. Are there other sources that say she was present?

BettyO · 11-01-2014, 04:20 PM

Hello, Roger! Just got in - let me look through my newspaper reports - I have at least 2 reports of Dr. Walker being at the execution -

BettyO · 11-01-2014, 05:50 PM

Here is the Washington Constitutional Union for July 7, 1865 which mentions Dr. Walker -

I have another one to find - but it does seem that she was there -

RJNorton · 11-01-2014, 05:54 PM

Thanks, Betty! Much appreciated! The part about cake and lemonade is in Twenty Days also.

Anita · 11-01-2014, 08:13 PM

(11-01-2014 05:50 PM)BettyO Wrote: Here is the Washington Constitutional Union for July 7, 1865 which mentions Dr. Walker -

I have another one to find - but it does seem that she was there -

Great info but how sad they had to report "...and she rode her horse as a man does."

HerbS · 11-23-2014, 08:19 AM

Thanks-Roger,BettyO,and Anita.I will now use that info.I was correct with my speculation.I now have historical proof!

Susan Higginbotham · 07-07-2015, 12:07 PM

I did an anniversary post on my much-neglected blog today:

http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/blog/po...-6-7-1865/

BettyO · 07-07-2015, 12:49 PM

Great post, Susan! Thanks for posting!

I, too posted on my Twitter page (it's the only social media I do) -

https://twitter.com/historn

Susan Higginbotham · 07-07-2015, 01:03 PM

Thanks, Betty!

RJNorton · 07-07-2015, 02:37 PM

Susan and Betty, many thanks for posting and sharing your links/writings with the forum. Great job!

P.S. I did not previously know John Ford wrote a letter to President Johnson on Mary's behalf. Does the letter (or text of it) still exist?

L Verge · 07-07-2015, 03:51 PM

Interesting and appropriate way to spend the day at Surratt House. The Ford's Theatre Society received a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to conduct two, week-long institutes for teachers this summer. The first one started yesterday; the second will be the week of July 27.

On this second day, the focus was on Lincoln's assassination. 45 people arrived at Surratt House at 10:15 in the morning, having gotten background information from Dr. Terry Alford as they followed the Booth trail out of D.C. to our museum. Once here, they were divided into two tour groups and spent the next hour and half touring the historic house, visitors' center, and research center before having lunch.

After lunch, we all watched The Conspirator movie and then Terry and I fielded questions about the assassination, the escape, and specifically about the story of Mary Surratt. Only a few of the teachers had seen the movie before, but quite a few points were brought out that would make great lesson plans -- including a mock trial, discussion of the phrase "In times of war, the laws fall silent," ex parte Milligan (which has loopholes), etc.

This group came from all across the country with only one being from the D.C. area. Christine, I was even able to put in a plug for all your Aiken research that led to our erecting a tombstone for him several years ago. Good way to win friends and influence teachers...

Anita · 07-07-2015, 04:15 PM

I also wasn't aware that John Ford wrote a letter on behalf of Mary Surratt. I have done a bit of searching and can't find any reference to it.

Here's a question. I know Andrew Johnson was President and thus Commander-in-Chief and this was a military trial, but given that the conspirators plotted to also kill him and he believed Mary Surratt "the keeper of the nest that hatched the egg", shouldn't he have recused himself from deciding the question of a stay of execution?