John Wilkes Booth: Was Lincoln's Assassin Apprehended? WHAT IF I TOLD YOU that after murdering President Abraham Lincoln, the most famous assassin in American history lived for 40 more years? We all know the story: In 1865, on a Friday night at Ford's Theatre, John Wilkes Booth killed our 16th president with a single bullet to the back of his head. Instantly becoming America's most wanted man, Booth jumped from the presidential balcony and fled on horseback across Maryland and Virginia. But some speculate that the history books--which tell us that Booth was shot 12 days later at Garrett's farm near Port Royal, Virginia--are flat-out wrong . Some believe Booth didn't die that night. They claim he was actually acting on behalf of the Confederate Secret Service, who then aided him in his escape. They argue the man killed at Garrett's barn was actually a look-alike, a patsy used to throw off Union soldiers. What's even more amazing: This is just one of three plausible theories of Booth's escape. If there's even the slightest possibility John Wilkes Booth was able to escape the law and live as a fugitive for another 40 years, I want to know what happened. It's time to decode John Wilkes Booth. Excerpted from History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time by Brad Meltzer, Keith Ferrell All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
