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Before he would become “infamous”…
September 17, 2011 by TimHughes · 1 Comment
Although the front page of “The New York Times” of Nov. 23, 1864 contains various reports on the Civil War as would be expected, the most intriguing item in this newspaper is an inconspicuous advertisement for a theatrical performance at the Winter Garden theater on page 7.
A one night performance was set for November 25 to benefit the Shakespeare Statue Fund. The performance featured the three Booth brothers, well known in the theatrical community: Junius, Edwin, and John Wilkes. This was the only time that the Booth brothers would appear on stage together.
Of course little did anyone know that less than five months later John Wilkes Booth would become one the more infamous names in American history with his assassination of Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C.
It is always fascinating to find mentions of notables in American history before they would become famous—or infamous.
What could happen to a rumor…
December 9, 2010 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
“The Daily Journal” newspaper of August 20, 1861 from Wilmington, North Carolina, a Confederate publication, printed an interesting series of dispatches of a fictitious assassination attempt upon President Lincoln (see below). They provide an interesting perspective on how a dramatic event could be much less so once more trustworthy news reports found their way to the press.
The reliability of news reports was a big problem in the 18th & 19th centuries during the pre-telegraph, pre-wire service days when word of mouth was often the source of what made it into the newspaper. This somewhat comical piece illustrates a quandary likely dealt with by most newspaper publishers of the day.
Lincoln’s assassination in a Washington, D.C., newspaper…
October 26, 2009 by TimHughes · 7 Comments
One of the (positive) frustrations we have always dealt with as a rare newspaper dealer is not being able to share some of the best material which comes our way. Not surprisingly very rare and very historic items have a waiting list of customers waiting for it to come into inventory and such newspapers are typically sold before they have the opportunity to be listed in a catalog. But here is where our blog is of value, allowing us an opportunity to share some nice material even though no longer available for purchase.
Holding true to the belief that newspapers from cities where historic events took place are the best to have, our recent sale of the “Daily Morning Chronicle” of April 15, 1865 from Washington, D.C. fits this description very well. Although purchased by a member with a *“want list” for such material, the issue is too fascinating not to share with others, hence this link to the listing and photos.
Enjoy one of the best newspapers to have on Lincoln’s assassination.
* Note: Although we manage a want list for key material, with thousands of such wants, the system is not perfect (i.e., we occasionally miss an item on someone’s want list and it ends up being purchased through a member or public offering). We simply promise to do the best we can. If you have key content of interest, feel free to be in touch.