The Portland daily press., 1895-12-28
WILKES BOOTHS DOUBLE.
The Curious and Tragic Story of Rev,
John G. Armstrong.
(Richmond Letter in Philadelphia
Times

From a romantic point of view the most
interesting object Of all about the old
monumental church at Richmond, Va,
is the photograph of Wilkes Booths
double. 1t hangs in dark corner of the
| old fashioned vestry room and represents
a man in the prime of life, standing be-
side table, his long clerical garments
giving him increased height and dignity.
The long straight hair is brushed
straight b aok from the high, broad for
head, and the face-in it's every lineament
lis said to be the image of Wilkes Booth
as he would have appeared at that time.
The resemblance is certainly most re-
markable-the deep, black eyes, the shape
of chin, mouth, cheeks, forehead, eye
a subtle similarity of expression to MEM
bers of the Booth family that defies de-
scription.
This man was Few. John 6. Arm
trong, pastor of the church from 1878 to
1884. But even to this day strange ru-
are to be heard in places where b is
| friends and intimates lived and talked
| long after the assassination of President
| Lincoln had passed into history. There
are tales of mysterious grave, of a body
that tailed in some of it's marks with
those of Wilkes Booth and differed ma
terially in others, and an intangible fab
| ric of superstition built about a series of
gossiped Incidents. However yalueless
these may be historically, they show an
under current that found an outbreak in
the romance of Mr.. Armstrong Of Monu-
/ mental church.
i The likeness OF Mr.. Armstrong to
Wilkes Booth was so startling that some
people who had seen both men found it
hard to believe that they were not the
same. The preacher IS manner might be
called dramatic. His movements and
gestures had the repose and breadth that
most actors acquire in following their
art and living and working constantly
before an audience. He was. moreover,
slightly lame, as Wilkes Booth would
probably have been in consequence of the
injury to his leg sustained in jumping
from President Linooln's box. Aside
from this faot Mr.. Armstrong; manner,
voice and temperament led to the convic-
ton that were he not priest he would
have been great actor. 1t is said that
/ his daughter did subsequently go upon
the stage and met with great success
No subject,of discussion was more con-
slant in Richmond than the possibility
that MIR. Armstrong and Wilkes Booth
we're one and the same man. Mr.. Arm
strong strenuously denied the identity,
but such denials would not silence the
rumors. There seemed moreover, to be
a shadow over his antecedents. He came
to Richmond a comparative stranger, aud
claimed that he was priest ordained in
Ireland An inyesti CATION was quietly
started to clear up the facts as to his
past but did not give entire satisfaction.
In the midst Of the constantly reiterated
declarations and denials the clergyman
was accused of Irregularities in his habit!
and this again called forth the charge
that he was not all he seemed to be. Ht
finally resig ned the rectorship OF Monu
mental church and went to city in tn,
extreme South. Shortly after he left thu
ministry, he sank out of sight and died il
obscurity. But even to the end the doubt
as to his identity hung like shadow
over his life, and when on his deathbei
his last words were denial-a pathetic
heartbroken denial-that he was Wilke
Booth.