The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-08
THE WILKES BOOTH aMYTH."
LIKE the Monmouth and Marshal Ney
Myths. II VIII Not Down.
From the Boston Transcript.

From the Boston Transcript
The story which comes from the West
that j. Wilkes Booth, the assassin OF Presi-
dent Lincoln, died so lately as January last.
self-slain, in little town in Oklahoma, is
interesting only as showing that historical
myth. familiar to all readers Of the history
Of older nations. Is making it's appearance
in this new land Otherwise IL might he
dismissed as simply the advance story OF
"the silly season"
II ever a man was killed in the manner
described by history that man was j. Wilkes
Booth. Not only was his identity proved
by the incidents OF the pursuit by the papers
taken from his body at the time OF his death.
but the Government took every precaution
against any possibility Of mistake. When
Booths body was brought to Washington ID
was identified by many who had known
him well. among them his physician. who
found the scar of a peculiar surgical opera
ton he had performed in the removal OF a
tumor. Again. when some years later the
body was disnterred and given to the Booth
family for final nterment. Edwin Booth
took measures which placed its identity
beyond all possible question j. Wilkes
Booths body was deposited in the family
lot In Green Mount Cemetery, Baltimore,
more than thirty-four years ago, and its
interment there has been officially certified.
Yet such is the force of myth and the popr-
lar love lot lne mysterious unhT tnpTe
persons in Washington itself who seriously
maintain that Booth body was sunk 10 the
Potomac by order Of the Government, and
that President johnson, when he armed
Edwin Booth with authority to make the
transfer to the Baltimore cemetery. was either
the victim OF an imposition himself or know
ingly participated in a deception.
Myths OF this nature almost naturally spring
up out of the graves of men who have played
oryt, iv,o ctr u b,gt1r n,
Thus although the Duke of Monmouth was
publicly executed in the presence Of Thousands,
though among those who accompa MED him
to the scafforld We're some who had been IN
happier days his intimate friends. there was
large element, with whom he had been an
idol, who insisted that another than Monmouth
was ecapitated 1t was gravely maintained
by these deniers of all proba bility that a
follower Of Monmouth who greatly resembled
hin had DIED in his place place ,s that ,.
a plot by which Monmouth escaped the axe
and became the Man in the Iron Mask
which mask. by the way. was not iron Louis
NV. kindly consenting to take upon himself
year; afterward historians took the trouble
Mask VAS he could not H have been s Mo Gn
mouth. So strong was the popular belief
that Monmouth escaped the axe that at least
be Monmouth, and for a time ran a 1'' course
Of successful imposture
The belief that Marshal Ney was not shot
In the Luxembourg Garden, but escaped
either by cahlsion with those appointed 10
be his exeenti9ners or by the devotion Of one
strength enough to survive to this day Only
Of tie stheory that Marshal H Ney sseSaped
Yet il any historical fact has been established
beyond peraddventure. 1t is that Marshal Ney
bsss bs IN 1 sTsn Of h he
one that the arins party, used only
devoted to him and resembling him kindly
consented" to take his place, before the
;SSidess appointed to fire on the brave Of
is fam in
er s s1Esa a snd Die. @ Shot ass
his having his leg broken in order to COM
There Is this great difference. however,
between the Monmouth myth: the Ney, myth
and the Booth myth-that Monmouth and
and who in their last moments wer. regarded
" ssd Nc a4 s snd au Be- h2h
Of the most detestable character. and was TO
all Americans hunted murderer shot by the
moSsh sSd % Sss IA il the $s1eie asyst iS
which they inspired IL found the Origin OF the
myth that some Englshman died to save
Monmouth ard some Frenchman to. save
Ney. Booth had no such followers before
he made his leap into infamy: ve-y few. he'd
knowledge Of his guilty intentions, and his
sole associate in his fight deserted him when
they we're brought to bay.
Still: such is the popular love Of the mira,cu-
future may be compelled TO demonstrate T.
the contemporary public. by examination o'
dates and documents. that 1t really WIS
wilkes Booth who was shot in the burning
barn by Sergeant Corbett.