Booths Haphazard Escape
By: samantha datnoff, francesca cohen
Reasons
John Wilkes Booth planned to kill and escape succeeded through a stroke of luck.
Booth had no obstacle standing between him and Lincoln. All he had to do walk through the doors of Lincoln's box. "What he saw— what he did not see— surprised him. The door was unguarded. He expected to see an officer, a solider, or at least a policeman... Sitting near but not blocking the door was Lincoln's servant, Charles Forbes." Later on in the story it was surprising again that Booth was able to "gallop toward the Navy yard Bridge that led out of the city and into Maryland." When Booth approached the bridge which was closed when Booth was trying to cross, " Cobb reluctantly agreed to let Booth pass"
John Wilkes Booths incredible acting skills allowed him to succeed and escape.
During Booths escape he encountered General T. Cobb who stood in his way of passing into Maryland and safety. Cobb recognized Booths sweaty horse and had many suspicions about him. But when Booth approached the bride he "prepared for a "performance" to talk his way across the bridge." Due to his great acting skill, he was able to convince the captain to let his go across the bridge.
Counterclaims
Some might believe that Booth escaped because he meticulously thought out his masterminded plan.
This is incorrect because luckily on the night of Lincoln's assassination almost everyone was celebrating the end of the civil war on Pennsylvania avenue. The book specifically quotes " could he escape Washington, it's streets filled with thousands of soldiers and loyal citizens all there to celebrate the end of the civil war." Showing he took the route less traveled by at the moment.
Booths incredible acting skills and reputation did not help him escape.
Booths incredible acting skills did aloud him to convince Doctor Mudd he was a different individual which led to Mudd unwittingly helping Booth escape.