Description:

Abraham Lincoln
Philadelphia, PA, February 14, 1902
[Lincoln Assassination] ALS Regarding Ownership of the Pistol That Killed Lincoln
ALS

A handwritten letter signed by George Norton Galloway regarding his ownership of the Derringer pistol used by John Wilkes Booth to assassinate President Lincoln. 2pp, measuring 4.5" x 7", Philadelphia, dated February 14, 1902. The letter is signed by "G.N. Galloway" and addressed to "Brother Norcross", forwarding an article he wrote regarding his ownership of the Derringer pistol. The letter is accompanied by a clipping of the article, mounted to a thick cardstock. The letter has flattened mail folds with moderate toning and soiling at the edges. A few spots of soiling throughout. Clipping is toned throughout with areas of dampstaining. Chipping and paper loss at the edges. Overall very good.

The letter reads in part:
"I enclose you in this a clipping from a recent number of the 'Bulletin' giving an account of the Booth pistol in my possession. Thinking it might interest you I send it. I was up to Dumonts and he gave me your address. I was there last night and the house was packed to the doors. I think we are the only town in the country that can do this season-in and season-out. I trust you are prospering in your business. I shall be pleased to hear from you when you can make it convenient…"

The letter is accompanied with a newspaper article by Galloway with an image of the pistol entitled the "Pistol That Shot Lincoln", published by The Bulletin. In the article, Galloway provides an extensive amount of research and interviews that authenticates his pistol as the one used to kill Lincoln. It's a very historically important letter, giving insight to the Lincoln assassination.

Highlights from the newspaper clipping:
"In a Philadelphia paper of November 25 appeared an article relating to a controversy over the authenticity of the pistol with which John Wilkes Booth shot President Lincoln…and also who really has possession of the true weapon. The facts of the case are these: Booth had at the time two pistols - a pair of the 'Deringer' pattern - and these pistols were nearly always carried in pairs in those days, when it was the thing to have one in either side pocket of the coat, and shoot an antagonist through the pocket without scarcely a movement of the hand…The pistol which Mr. Plowman has cannot possibly be one of Booth's pair of pistols…how foolish it would have been for the principal actor in the great tragedy to have taken a pistol with his name on and to have dropped it! The pistol picked up in the theatre after the shooting of Mr. Lincoln and which was offered in evidence before the commission during the trial was of a different calibre from the one with which the President was shot, and the person who picked it up was allowed to go away with it…The real pistol with which J. Wilkes Booth committed the atrocious crime is now, and has been in possession of the writer for many years…This is the pistol given by Booth to the ferryman who carried him across the stream at Port Tobacco, Va., and was obtained by the writer during a professional tour some thirty years ago…Neither the Plowman pistol, with its engraved butt, nor the one picked up in the theatre can possibly be the pistol used by Booth, but the one given to the ferryman by Booth and being of the same caliber as the bullet extracted from the President's would, is the genuine weapon."

Due to their small size and easy availability, Deringer pistols sometimes had the dubious reputation of being a favored tool of assassins. The Derringer that was used to kill Lincoln was a .44 caliber, but Booth used a .41 caliber ball (which may account for some of the confusion surrounding the authenticity of the weapon). Deringers were built to accept bullets of varying caliber, as wadding in the load could be used to make up for the difference. Booth's Deringer was also unusual because the rifling twisted counterclockwise (left-handed twist), rather than the typical clockwise twist.

George Norton Galloway (circa 1841-1904) was an American soldier who fought in the American Civil War with the 95th Pennsylvania Infantry. He received the Medal of Honor from President Grover Cleveland on October 24, 1895 for his actions at Alsop's Farm in Virginia in May 1864.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 4.5" x 7"
  • Medium: ALS

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