John Wilkes Booth: Beyond the Grave

The story is a familiar one: John Wilkes Booth assassinates Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865, at Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C. The murderer escapes, but is soon discovered and fatally shot by authorities. Drawing on newly available papers and diaries in private collections, Jameson (Lost Mines and Buried Treasures of Tennessee), a descendant of Booth, challenges that well-known narrative, arguing instead that the assassin escaped capture and lived out his life traveling through Europe and India before returning to the United States. Following the incident at Ford’s Theater, Booth fled and was helped along the way by various friends and associates, including Dr. Samuel Mudd, who patched Booth’s injured leg. From here, Jameson’s version of history takes a different tack: the author opines that members of the government—some of whom were involved in a plot to kidnap Lincoln—lied about Booth’s demise and engineered a cover-up in order to save themselves: a Confederate soldier—not Booth—was the man killed at the Garrett farm. Further evidence of Booth’s survival comes in the form of letters to Kate Scott, Booth’s mistress, ostensibly penned by her suitor and postmarked in England and India. This provocative examination of Booth’s story is certain to generate impassioned debate among historians and Lincoln lovers. 6 maps. Agent: Sandra Bond, Bond Literary Agency. (July)