Changes

John Surratt would survive to the age of 72, giving the occasional lecture about the assassination.  The one question that he did not give a satisfactory answer to was why he abandoned his mother to the gallows.

John Surratt would survive to the age of 72, giving the occasional lecture about the assassination.  The one question that he did not give a satisfactory answer to was why he abandoned his mother to the gallows.

Edman Spangler, Michael O'Laughlin, Samuel Arnold, and Dr. Mudd existed as best they could at [[Fort Jefferson]] in the Dry Tortugas.  A [[malaria]]l epidemic in 1867 would claim O'Laughlin, the prison doctor, and a few others; filling in was Dr. Mudd, who worked feverishly to stem the epidemic.  Mudd and the remaining conspirators would be pardoned by President Johnson in one of his last official acts before leaving office, and Mudd would find himself taking care of Spangler, who was dying of tuberculosis, at his Maryland home.  Dr. Richard D. Mudd of [[Saginaw, Michigan]] would take up the case of complete exoneration for his grandfather until his own death in 2002 at the age of 102.  

Edman Spangler, Michael O'Laughlin, Samuel Arnold, and Dr. Mudd existed as best they could at [[Fort Jefferson]] in the Dry Tortugas.  A [[malaria]]l epidemic in 1867 would claim O'Laughlin, the prison doctor, and a few others; filling in was Dr. Mudd, who worked feverishly to stem the epidemic.  Mudd and the remaining conspirators were pardoned by President Johnson in one of his last official acts before leaving office, and Mudd found himself taking care of Spangler, who was dying of tuberculosis, at his Maryland home.  Dr. Richard D. Mudd of [[Saginaw, Michigan]] would take up the case of complete exoneration for his grandfather until his own death in 2002 at the age of 102.  

Major Rathbone married Clara Harris in 1867.  His failure to protect the president haunted him for the remander of his life; it eventually drove him mad, causing him to kill Clara in 1894.  He spent the remaining years of his life at an insane asylum.

Major Rathbone married Clara Harris in 1867.  His failure to protect the president haunted him for the remander of his life; it eventually drove him mad, causing him to kill Clara in 1894.  He spent the remaining years of his life at an insane asylum.

Secretary William H. Seward would survive the attempt on his life by seven years; his wife and daughter Fanny would not, the shock of the attack would claim both in less than a year.  "Seward's Folly" would be his future claim to fame, as his purchase of [[Alaska]] was called.

Secretary William H. Seward would survive the attempt on his life by seven years; his wife and daughter Fanny would not, the shock of the attack would claim both in less than a year.  "Seward's Folly" would be his future claim to fame, as his purchase of [[Alaska]] was called.

Edwin Booth would temporarily retire from the stage within days of his brother's act.  For the rest of his life, he carried a letter in his pocket from Colonel Adam Badeau, an officer on the staff of General Grant, thanking him for saving the life of Robert Todd Lincoln, the president's son, while at a train platform in [[New Jersey]].  Returning to the stage after a year’s absence would result in America gaining the greatest Shakespearian actor of the 19th century, but his younger brother’s act of murder would forever be an open wound; only the presence of that letter would keep Booth from committing suicide. [http://www.historynet.com/magazines/civil_war_times/3033971.html]

Edwin Booth would temporarily retire from the stage within days of his brother's act.  For the rest of his life, he carried a letter in his pocket from Colonel Adam Badeau, an officer on the staff of General Grant, thanking him for saving the life of Robert Todd Lincoln while at a train platform in [[New Jersey]].  Returning to the stage after a year’s absence would result in America gaining the greatest Shakespearian actor of the 19th century, but his younger brother’s act of murder would forever be an open wound; only the presence of Badeau's letter would keep Booth from committing suicide. [http://www.historynet.com/magazines/civil_war_times/3033971.html]

 

Robert Todd Lincoln would survive into adulthood, becoming the president of the [[Pullman Car Company]], a wealthy [[Vermont]]er, and carry a passion for [[golf]].  Sadly, he would also be a witness to the assassinations of presidents [[James A. Garfield]] and [[William McKinley]].

Robert Todd Lincoln would survive into adulthood, becoming the president of the [[Pullman Car Company]], a wealthy [[Vermont]]er, and carry a passion for [[golf]].  Sadly, he would also be a witness to the assassinations of presidents [[James A. Garfield]] and [[William McKinley]].