American Historical Ephemera & Photography, Featuring Property from the James Milgram, M.D., Collection of Broadsides, Ephemeral Americana & Historical Documents

7 7/8 x 9 15/16 in. (200 x 253 mm) printed broadside (some brown staining at corners, mostly to verso); matted and framed to 10 5/8 x 12 5/8 in. (affixed to mat on verso). Stamped "I.W.M." to verso. Signed in type by L.C. Baker, Colonel and Agent War Department.

A COPY OF THE "COMMON COUNCIL" REWARD BROADSIDE, THE EARLIEST AND RAREST OF THE LINCOLN ASSASSINATION REWARD BROADSIDES.

Issued in the immediate aftermath of Lincoln's assassination by Colonel Lafayette C. Baker (1826-1868). Baker was contacted by Secretary of War Edwin Stanton on 15 April by telegram to immediately take control of the hunt for the assassins. Baker, who had been in New York, arrived in Washington the next morning and after a meeting with Stanton, issued this extraordinary handbill detailing the reward: "The Common Council of Washington, D.C., have offered a reward of $20,000 for the arrest and conviction of these Assassins, in addition to which I will pay $10,000." The extra $10,000 was offered on Baker's own account, as authorized by the War Department. The handbill also gives highly detailed descriptions of John Wilkes Booth and Lewis Payne, who had attempted to assassinate Secretary of State William H. Seward, though not identified by name.

Very shortly after the issuance of this handbill, the United States government authorized the reward to be increased to $100,000 for the capture of Booth and additional conspirators John Surratt, Jr. and David Herold. The prize grew even further when states and private individuals and companies increased the sum.

After hiding in the forests of Maryland, Booth and Herold found brief refuge in Virginia at a farm of a family unaware of the assassination. They were found by Lieutenant Edward P. Doherty and a detachment of 26 soldiers on 26 April 1865. While Herold surrendered, Booth refused. The troops set the barn he was in on fire, and was shot by Sergeant Boston Corbett who claimed he saw Booth drawing his weapon. Corbett and the other soldiers each received $1,653.85 of the promised reward. The rest was contested with Baker, Doherty, and two other officers receiving larger portions. For a detailed analysis of the rewards, see Robert G. Wick's "Battle for the War Department Rewards for the Capture of John Wilkes Booth." Journal of the Abraham Lincoln Association. Vol. 32, No. 2. September 2011, pp. 1-15 ( http://hdl.handle.net/2027/spo.2629860.0032.203). 

A letter to the verso of the frame in which the consignor recounts visiting the Library of Congress, consulting with Dr. Powell of the manuscript division and Dr. Roger J. Trienens of the rare book division, and comparing it to the Library of Congress copy. All three were "precisely the same except this example is not damaged." 

RARE: one of five record copies, including, the Library of Congress (202077817); a copy owned by descendants of Doherty (sale, Swann Galleries, 6 October 1988, lot 124); a copy owned by descendants of L.C. Baker (sale, Sotheby's, 12 December 1991, lot 127, $16,000); and a copy sold at Sotheby's, 4 December 1997, lot 89.