November 2018

At our dinner meeting held on November 27th, Dr. Thomas A. Bogar gave an excellent presentation about his book, Backstage at the Lincoln Assassination, the Untold Story of the Actors and Stagehands at Ford's Theatre. Dr. Bogar said it a story that no one knows about, about an event that everyone knows about.

Dr. Bogar told us about the largely anonymous actors, managers, and stagehands at Ford's Theatre on the night of April 14, 1865 and what befell them afterwards. Most of the 46 individuals were completely innocent, but were caught up in a terrifying round of arrests, interrogations, and life-threatening consequences.

Some of the people that Dr. Bogar introduced us to were John T. Ford, who owned Ford's Theatre, and his brothers Harry and James; the famous actress Laura Kenne; actor Harry Hawk; actor John Mathews; actress Helen Muzzy; stagehand Ned Spangler, who was sent to prison at Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas; and the slow-witted "Peanut John", who held the reins for John Wilkes Booth's getaway horse.

November Speaker - Dr. Thomas A. Bogar

Our Monthly Book Auction, courtesy of Arnold Schofield and Don Bates

Our Fearless Leader, Chip Buckner

Slide from Dr. Bogar's Talk