Friday April 14 1865 page 8

Friday April 14 1865 page 8 by ric Gustafson


John Wilkes Booth quietly guided his horse into the alley behind Ford's Theatre. The night was quiet and he could hear laughter coming from inside. He dismounts and then whistles for the stagehand. Ned Spangler comes out distressed because he doesn't want to miss a stage cue. With him is Joseph Burroughs a young stage hand who goes by the nickname of ' Peanut John'. Booth wants somebody to secure his horse until he comes back. Spangler tells Booth that he will have Peanut John do it. The young man sits down on a stone step holding the reins.
Booth walks into the backstage area of the theatre. It is dark and he can hear the actors doing their jobs and saying their lines. As he removes his gloves, he looks around at the layout of the theatre. Booth knows that a tunnel is under the stage crossing from one side to the other. Booth walks through the tunnel to the other side of the stage. From there, he exits the theatre through another backstage door. This door enters an alley that goes down to Tenth Street. Booth enters Taltavul's Star Saloon for a whiskey. Nearby, Lincoln's bodyguard is sipping from a tankard of ale.
A little later, Booth lowers his glass and walks back to Ford's Theatre.
It is now 10:00 pm.


research help: ' Lincoln's Last Days' by Bill O'Reilly and Dwight Zimmerman


Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric