John Wilkes Booth and Lucy Hale
One hundred and four years ago, Abraham Lincoln was murdered at Ford’s Theater. The day Lincoln died, Vice President Andrew Johnson became the new President and he, along with many others, wrongly believed John Wilkes Booth was part of a large group of pro slavery Wigs, continuing to fight in the Civil War.
President Johnson thereupon declared to the Secretary of State, Stanton, “Find Booth, kill him, bury him.” At all three, Stanton was successful.
With a $100,000 bounty, dead or alive, John Wilkes Booth was at large, hiding in the swamps of Virginia, writing in his journal, and waiting for the Confederacy to raise him to glory. At the same time, dozens of people in Washington, including everyone who had known the famous actor, were being either jailed or questioned.
You’ve heard the story so many times; it reads like a fairy tale. Wilks was located. The barn he was hiding was surrounded by the Union Seventh Regiment and set on fire on all sides. Running from the flames, his leg broken, Booth was shot immediately. He lay paralyzed, mumbling and crying for the soldiers to kill him. He asked that his mother be contacted and told that what he did, he did for his country.
His mother would soon be the first women ever to be hung for treason by the United States Government. It was over and done within a week in Washington D.C. Federal Court, using jury-rigged Abolunitists. If this was 1865, think about it: you would be in shock. You'd find yourself suddenly sobbing, unable to talk about the assassination. A moment later, remembering that the long bloody Civil War was over, there might be a jolt of elation, followed by the crashing realization that Lincoln who carried you through 800 thousand deaths, was himself slaughtered. You, too, likely would have reacted as President Andrew Johnson did.
It was a week before Booth was tracked to the Garrett Farm. Booth made an unusual request. He asked that his hands be lifted up so he could see them. This was done. He stared at his hands for a moment and mumbled, "Useless, useless." Then he died.
There are several omissions in the story. The day Lincoln died needs one added character, Lucy Hale. Lucy was engaged to Booth, although her father, John P. Hale a New Hampshire Senator, denied it. Lucy and John had been seen spooning in the public rooms of the National Hotel in D.C. the day the President was shot. The toast of Washington, Lucy had gotten Booth his ticket to Lincoln's second inauguration.You can see him standing there, well within shooting distance in a photograph of the event.
Another omission: when Booth died outside that burning barn, Lucy’s photograph was in his pocket.
To be continued...
KARL WALLACE
To read more Karl Wallace stories go to: karl wallaaceblog.blogspot.com
One hundred and four years ago, Abraham Lincoln was murdered at Ford’s Theater. The day Lincoln died, Vice President Andrew Johnson became the new President and he, along with many others, wrongly believed John Wilkes Booth was part of a large group of pro slavery Wigs, continuing to fight in the Civil War.
President Johnson thereupon declared to the Secretary of State, Stanton, “Find Booth, kill him, bury him.” At all three, Stanton was successful.
With a $100,000 bounty, dead or alive, John Wilkes Booth was at large, hiding in the swamps of Virginia, writing in his journal, and waiting for the Confederacy to raise him to glory. At the same time, dozens of people in Washington, including everyone who had known the famous actor, were being either jailed or questioned.
You’ve heard the story so many times; it reads like a fairy tale. Wilks was located. The barn he was hiding was surrounded by the Union Seventh Regiment and set on fire on all sides. Running from the flames, his leg broken, Booth was shot immediately. He lay paralyzed, mumbling and crying for the soldiers to kill him. He asked that his mother be contacted and told that what he did, he did for his country.
His mother would soon be the first women ever to be hung for treason by the United States Government. It was over and done within a week in Washington D.C. Federal Court, using jury-rigged Abolunitists. If this was 1865, think about it: you would be in shock. You'd find yourself suddenly sobbing, unable to talk about the assassination. A moment later, remembering that the long bloody Civil War was over, there might be a jolt of elation, followed by the crashing realization that Lincoln who carried you through 800 thousand deaths, was himself slaughtered. You, too, likely would have reacted as President Andrew Johnson did.
It was a week before Booth was tracked to the Garrett Farm. Booth made an unusual request. He asked that his hands be lifted up so he could see them. This was done. He stared at his hands for a moment and mumbled, "Useless, useless." Then he died.
There are several omissions in the story. The day Lincoln died needs one added character, Lucy Hale. Lucy was engaged to Booth, although her father, John P. Hale a New Hampshire Senator, denied it. Lucy and John had been seen spooning in the public rooms of the National Hotel in D.C. the day the President was shot. The toast of Washington, Lucy had gotten Booth his ticket to Lincoln's second inauguration.You can see him standing there, well within shooting distance in a photograph of the event.
Another omission: when Booth died outside that burning barn, Lucy’s photograph was in his pocket.
To be continued...
KARL WALLACE
To read more Karl Wallace stories go to: karl wallaaceblog.blogspot.com
