2009-04
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/31/2009
The story of John Wilkes Booth's dastardly deed is well known and Booth's escape route into Virginia has been well documented by Lincoln historians. One of the last stops Booth, and his accomplice David Herold, made in their flight was at the home of Dr. Richard Henry Stuart. Twice during the war, Stuart had been arrested and questioned because he was the cousin of Robert E. Lee. Now on the night of April 23, Booth and Herold arrived while Stuart and his family entertained family and recently returned soldier friends and now he was in no mood to be arrested again. Booth did not know this and hoped Dr. Stuart would redress his broken leg, this being the first time since Dr. Mudd's initial treatment. Stuart would not treat the injured actor nor allow the two fugitives to stay the night, but he did feed the men and while eating Booth regaled the family gathering with stories of the assassination. With Major Robert Hunter (who is mentioned in the letter) Booth personally recalled the role he played in helping capture John Brown at Harpers Ferry in 1859. After a brief fifteen minutes, Stuart hurried the men away. Later that night Booth realized his mistake in unwittingly implicating Stuart in the president's murder and sent the doctor a note that contained $2.50 for the dinner…he signed the note "Stranger". Within days, Dr. Stuart was arrested and taken to Old Capitol Prison where he gave testimony against David Herold. Stuart's daughter, Ada S. Randolph was perplexed by her father's arrest and here writes a, 6 pp.8vo., letter, in ink, on Sunday, May 21, 1865, in small part here: "…these opportunities are very seldom for there is no mail nearer than Richmond…Papa is still detained in prison. He has been there now two weeks & no tidings of his expected release. We rarely see papers & indeed as the trial proceeds with closed doors they would give no information. Their government seems determined to make us feel subjugated in all its horrors. Oh it is so hard, so bitter to feel that all this crushing anguish has been for nothing!…has God forsaken us…now the cold stillness is oppressive-the blank future -terrible…they say Papa is detained as a witness in the case of Herold. I can't imagine what he is to witness for he only saw the men a few minutes. They got their suppers as some eight of ten others had that day & without anything being said to lead anyone to suppose they were not common passersby. Papa was not even in the house the few minutes they were eating however the mere fact of his seeing them was enough for his imprisonment. We are expecting him any day…poor President Davis-I trust there is some mistake about his being taken. I dread to think what they may do to him. Amid all our sufferings it is a comfort to feel that they can not do more to us than God permits & his face seems turned from us…we hope Papa may come down in her [riverboat] tomorrow if so & nothing unforeseen occurs. I trust we can leave early in June…enclose your letters to Mr. Charles A Pye-Port Tobacco, [Virginia]…". A politically astute woman, Ada was aware that the authorities promised to put to death those helping Booth in his escape and therefore never mentioned Booth by name in this letter. And interestingly, Gen. David Hunter, who headed the Lincoln commission, was the cousin of Ada's brother-in-law Maj. Robert Hunter. Her infant child, who is mentioned in the letter, was the child of Col. William W. Randolph, 2nd Virginia Infantry, was killed during the battle of the Wilderness making Ada a widow at the time this letter was written. The original stamped transmittal cover, addressed to her in laws in West Virginia, is included. Accompanied by research material. Fine.
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