Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1928-02-17
Rehoboth Beach

IL pAOfNA q ANSS
success, the largest crowd of the
season attending. The HenlOpen's
Special Jass Orchestra fairly out die
themselves in the rendering OF snap
by up to date music. Prominent
guests from Wilmington, Philauel
phia, Dover, SeafOrd, Lewes anC
other nearby towns were much il
evidence. Two additional floors were
opened up for winter use in the
hotel to accommodate the Lars
number of persons staying over the
weekend.
The Henlopen is particularly in
terested in Lncoln's birthday, as the
former proprietor, Walter Burton
when a night clerk at the National
Hotel, in Washington, d. C., was
called on to identify Lincon's assas-
sin, John Wilkes Booth.
The correspondence which passed
between DR.. J. NJ. French and Mr..
Burton concerning this incident
makes very interesting reading, eX-
act copies of which we are here le-
producing:
Milford, Mass, February goth
Mr.. Walter Burton,
1889 l ST., N. w.
Washington, d. c.
Dear Sir:-Yours in reply to my
request for information concerning
Charles Dawson was duly received,
and l thank you for it. 1t now Oc-
ours to me that you may be able TO
give me the information l seek. If
I mistake not, you were yourself
night clerk at the National Hotel at
the time of Lincoln's assassination,
and must have known John Wilkes
Booth. 1 am studying up the whole
subject, and just now ana interested
in the identification of the body of
Booth. Can you tell me whether it
is true that there were the letters
JWB tatooed on the right hand of
Booth. and that these letters were
found upon the hand of the man
shot by Boston Corbett, and identi-
fed as John Wilkes Booth? l mean,
do YOU remember them? Did you see
them at any time? Was the fact that
he was thus tattOOed common
knowledge at the time? Or is 1t
later invention? And in your opinion
without foundation? My object is TO
get at the truth, be it the one way
or the other, and a reply from you
will greatly oblige me. 1t may be
that I am mistaken in your 1dentl-
ty, and that you are not the man
who was night clerk at the Nation
al In that case I would still like to
hnn r6 nf the
tattoo marks. Thanking you in ad-
vance for a reply, am very cordial
ly yours,
(Signed) J. NJ. French, NJ. d.
Milford, Mass. /
Washington, D. c., March 6
J. NJ. French, NJ. D.
Milford, Mass.
Dear Sir:-YOur letter dated rep
ruarv 29th received. Pardon me for
not replying sooner as was out OF
town. 1 am the Walter Burton VINO
was night clerk at the National at
tbe time of Lincoln's assassination
and did know John Wilkes Booth
verv well. I cannot tell you about
+be +attooed on right hand OF Booth'
7 do know that I was sent for to go
to the Navy Yard to 1dentlIy NM
bn+ was in bed at the time ana MI
claimed he could 1dentlly
hin, that was asleep and they TOOK
him and 1 further know thaC ne s'iu
h was ]. Wilkes Booth wlthouC q
1oubt. Booth and myself had Srea'
a,onv nleasant times together ne
t1,,oon one and five o'clock A. M our
mo the winter of 1864 and 60.
Very truly yours,
(Siened) Walter Burton {
r, Echols who is an official OF
he du Point Company, in Whining
on. and family were visitors 10 lhe
4enlopen on Sunday.
Edward C. Eberts, of JeHerson'
md who is a member of the COM
,anv which has recently purchased
he Atlantic Canning Company ana 8
will operate it this season, is regis I
cred at the Henlopen, and IS max I
ng ARRANGEMENTS for extensive re-
,airs to the factory.
Among the arrivals during the c
,ealr. IT A. Davidson, Wilmington;
Y. ]. Ernest, Salisbury, Nd; MI
nd Mrs. E. E. Prescott, Baltlmore'
ohm F. Hart, Philadelphia; K. L. 5
2oberts. Cardiff, Md; Harry Hands 1
nrv baltimore; Bud Rudolph, Mar
erfh. Pa: Mr.. and Mrs. Peter stan !
av BARTON, Philadelphia; Harry
Toweth. Hurlock; w. ]. Sanford 7
Tenn; Mr.. and Mrs. Rlcn- -
rd Reese. Wilmington; VIM. NOR d
ison. Jr., Wilmington; VIM. g. De 9 3
inc, Wilmington; VIM. Seully, PM
delphia; B. M. Green, Dover; MI. y
nd Mrs. w. G. Tatnall, Wilmington; :;
Tiss Peggy Tatnall, Wilmington; II
Tiss Anne Tatnall, Wilmington; MI II
nd Mrs. c. E. Speakman, Smyrna :" =,
IF. and Mrs. Willard Sprague, VIII W W
,ington: W. A. Speakman, Whining =
IN: w. A. Speakman. Wilmington' y,
Ir and Mrs. Philip D. Laird, VIII W
,ington: E. Harwin Smith. VIII ~
lington; J. G. Hayne, Jeoo' F"'' n
ohm T. Dwyer, Philadelphia. f
J. Leon Black, Gerdner Bunting M
nd Burton Bowden, members Oh r
le Sussex County Levy Court, with hi
If. Hill, county engineer, and Hen E
= w. Conant, of this resort, met hi
ere at a joint meeting on TUESDAY til
iternoon to discuss the plans LOT til
lie opening of the new Dewey Beach tn
Dad and the dedication of the new 70
ridge across Silver Lake. The date he
II the dedication was set for April
h.
A unique feature in connection
it'll the onening will be a clam