Post by Die Fledermaus on Apr 13, 2008 23:43:38 GMT -4
Pres. Abraham Lincoln Assassinated.
He was shot on April 14th, and died early the next day.
The sad story we all know well. But here is a story that is not well known. . .
President and Mrs Lincoln shared their box at Ford's Theater with Major Henry Rathbone and his fiance, Clara Harris. By odd circumstance, they were step-brother and step-sister. During the attack by John Wilkes Booth he was seriously wounded in the arm and head. Subsequently, Harris and Rathbone married and had children.
Perhaps because of his involvement with Lincoln and the assassination, or perhaps because the the injury, he suffered from mental depression and instability. Nonetheless, he accepted a position as consul to Germany and moved there.
His mental condition worsened, and on December 23, 1883 he murdered Clara, menaced the children, tried to commit suicide, and basically went insane. He spent the next 27 years of his life in a hospital for the criminally insane where he died. He was buried next to Clara.
There is worse. In 1952 German officials at Hanover saw there was no activity or contact from relations and decided to exhume the remains from the city cemetery and "dispose" of the bones; I assume that means cremation, but this is unclear. Henry and Clara's remains no longer exist.
- - - - - - -
One other thing. . .
The star of the comedy at the theater that night was Laura Keene, who is buried a few miles from me in Brooklyn's landmark Green-Wood Cemetery.
He was shot on April 14th, and died early the next day.
The sad story we all know well. But here is a story that is not well known. . .
President and Mrs Lincoln shared their box at Ford's Theater with Major Henry Rathbone and his fiance, Clara Harris. By odd circumstance, they were step-brother and step-sister. During the attack by John Wilkes Booth he was seriously wounded in the arm and head. Subsequently, Harris and Rathbone married and had children.
Perhaps because of his involvement with Lincoln and the assassination, or perhaps because the the injury, he suffered from mental depression and instability. Nonetheless, he accepted a position as consul to Germany and moved there.
His mental condition worsened, and on December 23, 1883 he murdered Clara, menaced the children, tried to commit suicide, and basically went insane. He spent the next 27 years of his life in a hospital for the criminally insane where he died. He was buried next to Clara.
There is worse. In 1952 German officials at Hanover saw there was no activity or contact from relations and decided to exhume the remains from the city cemetery and "dispose" of the bones; I assume that means cremation, but this is unclear. Henry and Clara's remains no longer exist.
- - - - - - -
One other thing. . .
The star of the comedy at the theater that night was Laura Keene, who is buried a few miles from me in Brooklyn's landmark Green-Wood Cemetery.
