The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-06-11
SAW ]. ". BOOTH
IN HIS COFFIN
Heard Edwin Booth Identity
His Brother.
TOLD BY FRANK 0. ROSE
Prominent Stage Director Tells OF Recol-
lecilons Of President llncoln's
Slayer.
TOLD BY FRANK 0. ROSE

New York. June l1.-Frank Oakes Rose,
ono OF the few men now living who knew
John Wilkes Booth. the assassin OF Presi-
dent Lincoln. has taken issue with Basil
zioxley, who declares that the body bur
led at Greenmount cemetery. Baltimore
was not that OF the murderer. Mr.. Rose
- well known stage manager.
He Is a director OF the Actors society
OF America and among his friends is con-
sidered conservative. He is positive that
there was no mistake.
At the time Booths body was brought
90 Baltimore and turned over TO the
Booth family. Mr.. Rose was a member
OF JOHN 4. Ford's stock company at the
Holiday street theatre.
He was going 10 rehearsal on the morn
Ing OF the day In question when he was
accosted by w. T.. Burton, fellow actor,
What followed Mr.. Rose told reporter
yesterday.
IN UNDERTAKER's SHOP.
Burton grasped me by the arm and
whispered TO me 10 follow him." he said.
'He ran across the street opposite the
stnge door OF the theatre and climbed
fence around an undertaker's shop
went after him and also climbed the
fence. AS ! dropped down in the inside
Of the incosure, l saw about 25 persons,
IA, men. grouped about the shop door
Among the persons / recognized Ed
win Booth and Junius Brutus Booth.
John T. Ford. Thomas A. Hall, stage
manager OF the theatre in which was
playing and several others. There were
also two men / took to be officers in
the regular army.
mo one seemed to notice us and we
mixed up among the crowd. After
time. in which little was said above a
whisper. some one opened the undertak-
pie pie began TO quietly file inside
Burton and i knew that the body. OF
John Booth-they called him by his first
instead Of his middle name in those days
was within, and we managed TO get In
side the door. The curtains had been
drawn. the shutters closed and the only
light was. furnished by two gas jets.
one at each end of long bare room.
EDWIN BOOTHS TEST.
I'm the centre of the room, on two
sawhorses. was coffin. II had an old;
grayish appearance. as though IT had
been long in. damp or mouldy place.
There was, however, no mould on the
wood. 1t was closed tight. and l could
been removed for considerable time.
Edwin Booth moved up TO the head
of the coffin with Mr.. Ford and the un-
dertaker. Julius Brutus Booth stood |
little to one side. and did not take any |
part in the Identification. When the |
shufflng OF feet had ceased Edwin Booth |
q II this is the body of my brother
John / can identify II by gold-plugged |
tooth on the right side of the jaw next
the eye TOOTH.
."The undertaken and his assistant then
removed the crews In the lid and raised
the cover. Inside was the bodS of man
who had been long time dead. The
undertaken, Mr. Ford, and Edwin Booth
then looked at the skull and found the
tooth. II was pointed out to US all.
I'm looking at the body we saw that
shirt and that on one foot was riding
boot and on the other a slipper Under
the head was rolled a faded army blan-
Booth, but Burton knew him better
than /. He had been about with him
and had often been skating
with him in the winter.
suddenly Burton spoke UP and said
that he recognized the boot and that a
hole made for the screw OF a skate would
be found In the heel. The boot was ex-
amned and the hole was found.
COLOR OF THE HAIR.
considerable has been said regarding
the color OF the hair; II has been claim
color Booths. IL would have been
impossible for any one to have told the
exact color. The locks were damp and
matted and there was no distinct color
TO IL at all. II might have been one OF a
dozen hues. While we were looking az II
the undertaken cut most of IL off and IL
fell into a paper held by Mr. Ford. The
latter retained several locks and had
them made into an ornament resembling
n bunch OF flowers. This was still In the
Ford family few years ago.
There was absolutely no doubt in the
minds OF any OF us that complete
had been made and | am as
sure now as l was then that IL was the
body of John Wilkes Booth that we look
ed upon. Theer can be no question or
g."
Some time later Mr.. Rose got an en-
to play Horatio In Edwin
Booths company. On the second or third
night OF the engagement he was standing
In the wings with Booth. and turning TO
the tragedian. asked him IL he remem-
bered him.
.'why. no." replied Booth. 'T don't
that / do. Where did we
meet7"
"very indlscreetly. ! told him., said
Mr.. Rose, I'm relating tho incident.
Booths face changed instantly. Then
he said:
!" 'Ah. yes. indeed. that was very SAD.
Rose He paused moment and then
do you know l believe am
as we'll acquainted with you now as
ever was with my brother John. He
was 80 peculiar never seemed 10 know
him. Y"