The Lincoln Conspiracy

Today in the Lincoln Conspiracy: May 26

In early 1865, John Wilkes Booth was often seen around Washington riding a bay horse, notable because it had only one eye.  Conspirator John Surratt also used the one-eyed bay when it was stabled in the city.  On the night of the assassination, Lewis Powell rode the one-eyed horse to the home of William Seward, the Secretary of State.  Powell savagely attacked Seward with a knife, but he survived.

On May 26, 1865, the story of how Booth came to own the one-eyed horse was told to the military tribunal sitting in judgement of the Lincoln conspirators.  Thomas L. Gardiner related that he had been at his uncle's Maryland farm the preceding November when Booth arrived.  He was looking to buy a horse that, he said, would be good for pulling a buggy.  Instead, he bought the damaged saddle horse. 

Home of Dr. Samuel Mudd

Gardiner testified Booth was with another man that day -- Dr. Samuel Mudd, who lived a quarter-mile down the road from the Gardiner farm.