John Wilkes Booth's Swagger Stick
On April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth shot and killed President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. When described on the day of the assassination, witnesses said "he held the reins of his gallant steed gathered firmly in his left hand, while in his right he carried a gold-mounted whip, seemingly more for ornament than use." The item alleged is the actor's ornate swagger stick. The 28-inch cane features a black wooden replacement shaft with a gold-plated handle in the shape of a horse's hind leg. It's engraved "Neal Bryant to J. W. Booth." and was said to have been one of his prized possessions, having appeared in eleven different photographs of the assassin. A historic artifact, the item is currently up for auction.
