The herald., 1896-01-24
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WILKES BOOTHS DOUBLE.
Remarkable Photograph on the Wall

of Old Monumental Church.
In the old Monumental church. at
Richmond. Va, which is one of the
most remarkable houses of worship i'm
America. there is a romantic object in
the shape of a photograph of Wilkes
Booths double. 1t hangs in q dark
corner of the old-fashioned vestry room
and represents man in the prime Of
life standing beside table, his long
clerical garments giving him increased
height and dignity. The long, straight
hair is brushed straight back from the
high. broad forehead, and the face-in
every lineament-is said to be the ims
age of Wilkes Booth as he would have
appeared at that time. The resemblance
is certainly remarkable-the deep.
black eyes, the shape of the chin, mouth.
cheeks, forehead, eyebrows and nose
and moreover there is a subtle simi,
larity of expression to members Of the
Booth family that defies description.
This man was the Rev. John G. Arm.
strong, pastor of the church from 1879
to 1884. But even to this day strange
rumors Of the final end of Wilkes
Booth are to be heard in places where
his friends and intimates lived and
talked long after the assassination Of
President Lincoln had passed into his
tory. There are tales of a mysterious
grave, of body that tailed in some
of its marks with those of Wilkes
Booth and differed materially in 9TH
ers, and an intangible fabric of suppo-
sition built upon series of gossiped
incidents. However valueless these
may be historically, they show an un-
dercurrent that found an outbreak in
the romance of Mr. Armstrong, Of the
Monumental church.
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 preachers manner
might be called dramatic. His move
ments and gestures had the repose and
breadth that most actors require in fol-
lowing 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
Lincoln's box. Aside from this fact.
Mr.. Armstrong; manner, voice, and
temperament led to the conviction that
were he not a priest he would have
been a 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
constant in Richmond than the posi-.
bility that Mr.. Armstrong and Wilkes
Booth were one and the same man.
Mr.. Armstrong strenuously denied the
identity, but such details could not si-
lence the rumors. There seemed, more-
over, to be shadow over his antece.
dents. He came to Richmond a COM
parative stranger and claimed that he
was a priest ordained in Ireland. An
investigation 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 habits, and this again called forth
the charge that he was not what he
seemed to be. He finally resigned the
rectorship of Monumental church and
went to city in the extreme south.
Shortly after he left the ministry, he
sank out Of sight and died in obscuri.
ty. But even to the end the doubt as
to his identity hung like shadow over
his life, and when on his deathbed, his
last words were a denial-a pathetic,
heart broken denial that he was Wilkes
Booth.
The picture hanging in the vestry
room of Monumental church is said to
be the only one in existence of this
strange man. The shadows that sur
round it screen the counterfeit features
from even the glance of a casual visit.
or. But whoever climbs up and gazes
into those eyes sees human document
so pregnant of possibilities that its
very romance robs the place of it's re-
ality. Near by the altar lies enshroud.
ed in its solemn hush. The church.
even in its silence, seems alive with
whispers, as each sound, however slight,
is echoed around its haunted DOME
Philadelphi Times.