Evening star., 1926-11-04
LINCOLN MURDER
STABLE TOBE SOLD
Plan to Auction Building
Where Booth Kept Horse
Recalls Tragedy.

Memories associated with the aSSas-
sination of Abraham Lincoln were
recalled today, with announcement
from the War Department that the
small red brick building In the alley
back of the old Ford's Theater. where
John Wilkes Booth stabbed his horse
to escape from the city after Staying
the President, is to be sold at public
auction on the premises this afternoon
at 4 o'clock.
With the passing of this building
from the Government to private hands.
there also loOmed the prospect that
the old structure that was once Ford S
Theater also soon may be put under
The auctioneers hammer
The building where Booth kept his
horse the night of April IA, 1865.
before the performance at which
President Lincoln was guest of the
theater. is being sold under authority
granted Secretary of War Davis by
the Sixty ninth Congress to dispose
of certain obsolete military reserva-
. tions. Like old Fords Theater, it is
now being used as storage place for
musty records of the Adjutant Cen
erals DEPARTMENT. A valuation of
about $500 has been placed upon It,
Presents Gloomy Appearance
Practically unchanged since that
fragic night in 1865 and Stunned by
its owner until the Government took
i over some Years later. this weather
beaten building today presents a
gloomy appearance.
For many years the stable remained
unoccupied. Its association with
Booth and the murder Of Lincoln
seemed to hang over 1t like an omen
cf ill-luck. Even now, though owned
by the Government, 1t shows the
marks of age and neglect. 1t is no
longer suitable as a storage place for
Government records.
RumorS innumerable relating to the
part it played in the conspiracy, have
Leen attached to the old stable. Per
iiaps the person best qualified to speak
If its connection with that incident
is Osborn II. Oldroyd. from whom the
Government recently purchased the
Lincoln collection preserved in the
house in which President Lincoln
died. SIG Tenth street, across from
Ford's Theater.
That Booth actually took his horse
10 the stable the afternoon before
the tragedy appears well established.
according to Mr.. Oldroyd. James l..
MattoX, property man at the theater,
seemed to have been Booths agent,
and the renting of the stable was an
important part in the conspiracy.
MattoX rented the building in Decem-
Der. 1865, four months before the as
SaSsination, from it's owner. Mrs.
Davis. Mr.. Oldroyd says that Booth
always gave Mattox the rent to he
paid to Mrs. Davis. When Booth later
sold his horse and buggy. he still re-
foin no tah Ia
ble to shelter his hired horse that day
Book Tells of Tragedy.
Details of how Booth obtained his
horse on that occasion are related in
Mr.. Oldroyd's book on The Assassi-
nation of President Lincoln James
w. Pumphrey kept livery stable on
G street in the rear of the National
Hotel. About l o'clock on the after
noon Of April IA, Booth went to him
and engaged a saddle:horse, which he
said he wanted until about 4:3O
o'clock.
Booth put the horse in his stable
III the rear of Ford's Theater." Mr..
Oldroyd relates, land afterward was
seen by his friends. To them he seem
ed lively, chatting in a familiar way
and taking social glass with them
in their accustomed haunts. To all
he appeared light hearted, but there
is no doubt that he suffered great
anxiety through that afternoon; but
for all that, he kept a bold front when
meeting his friends. and kept to
himself his awful secret"
a few minutes after 9 o'clock. Booth
went to the stable, his last visit there.
He led the horse to the back door of
the theater. The stable was on the
south side of the alley and about $50