What eventually became of Dr. Mudd?

What eventually became of Dr. Mudd?

• A. He remained free and continued practice
• B. He was imprisoned in Florida, released, and before he died he told Samuel Cox Jr. that he knew Booth was the stranger all along
• C. He fled to Canada
• D. He was executed

Answer: (B)

Dr. Mudd’s fate illustrates the actual outcome for some who aided or sheltered Booth: he was not executed or allowed to roam free, but temporarily imprisoned, then pardoned and released, with a later anecdotal claim added to the record. After Booth’s assassination, Mudd was arrested and held in Fort Jefferson on the Dry Tortugas in Florida. He eventually received a presidential pardon from Andrew Johnson and was released in 1869, returning to Maryland and resuming medical practice to some extent before his death. An often-cited detail is that, toward the end of his life, he told Samuel Cox Jr. that he knew Booth was the stranger all along. This combination of imprisonment, release, and the later asserted confession is why this option is the best answer.

Dr. Mudd’s fate illustrates the actual outcome for some who aided or sheltered Booth: he was not executed or allowed to roam free, but temporarily imprisoned, then pardoned and released, with a later anecdotal claim added to the record. After Booth’s assassination, Mudd was arrested and held in Fort Jefferson on the Dry Tortugas in Florida. He eventually received a presidential pardon from Andrew Johnson and was released in 1869, returning to Maryland and resuming medical practice to some extent before his death. An often-cited detail is that, toward the end of his life, he told Samuel Cox Jr. that he knew Booth was the stranger all along. This combination of imprisonment, release, and the later asserted confession is why this option is the best answer.