Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Gardner, Alexander (1821-1882) [Albumen of Edward Spangler]

High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.

A high-resolution version of this object is available for registered users. LOG IN

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC07738.04 Author/Creator: Gardner, Alexander (1821-1882) Place Written: Washington, D.C. Type: Photograph Date: 27 April 1865 Pagination: 1 albumen ; 31 x 26 cm. Order a Copy

Inscribed on verso: "Edward Spangler. Conspirator." Photograph shows Spangler in wrist irons imprisoned aboard the U.S.S. Saugus. Spangler is wearing a dark heavy coat and is facing slighlty to the right. The photograph is mounted on board.

Edman Spangler was born in York, Pennsylvania on 10th August, 1825. While at Bland School in York he met John Wilkes Booth. During the American Civil War Spangler moved to Washington where he found work as a carpenter and scene shifter at Ford's Theatre.
On 14th April, 1865, Spangler was involved in preparing the State Box for President Abraham Lincoln. During the work a fellow employee testified that Spangler was highly critical of the president. After the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, a member of the audience, Jacob Ritterspaugh, claimed the Spangler hit him in the face in an attempt to stop him chasing after John Wilkes Booth. Spangler also said: "Don't say which way he went." Spangler was arrested by the police and charged with being part of the plot to kill the president.

Gardner, Alexander, 1821-1882
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865
Spangler, Edward, 1825-1875

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources