A uncommon reward poster for the seize of John Wilkes Sales space, who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln April 14, 1865, has offered for $166,375 at Nate D. Sanders Auctions, April 27.
The poster, printed on April 20, 1865, advertises a complete of $100,000 in rewards for the seize of Sales space and his accomplices. Sales space fatally shot Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, DC.

Nate D. Sanders Auctions
“This poster viscerally brings you again to the times after [Lincoln] was killed – the shock of the homicide, and the anxiousness of the murderer nonetheless on the market on the unfastened,” stated auction owner Nate Sanders. “It was an extremely tense few days and this poster is without doubt one of the few mementos which have survived from it.”
The poster advertises $50,000 for the seize of Sales space, to be paid out by the “Struggle Division.” A further $25,000 every was supplied for the apprehension of John Surratt and David Herold (misspelled as “Harold”), described as two of Sales space’s accomplices.
The piece is from the primary printing of the poster and is the rarest of three completely different poster designs launched by the Struggle Division, in response to the public sale home. The poster has been handed down for many years throughout the identical Philadelphia household, in response to the public sale home. That is the primary time the artifact has been offered or auctioned.
“Let the stain of harmless blood be faraway from the land by the arrest and punishment of the murderers,” the poster says. “All good residents are exhorted to assist public justice on this event. Each man ought to contemplate his personal conscience charged with this solemn responsibility, and relaxation neither evening nor day till it’s achieved.”

Library of Congress
Booth, an actor, is described as “Five Feet 7 or 8 inches high” with a “slender build” and “a heavy black moustache.” Surrat is described as “a slim man” with “hair reasonably skinny and darkish” and “eyes reasonably mild.” Herold is described as “a little bit chunky man” with a “skinny moustache.”
Sales space was killed simply six days after the printing of the poster. He was discovered hiding in a barn in northern Virginia and was shot by a Union soldier. Herold, who was hiding with Sales space, surrendered and was sentenced to loss of life by hanging. Surrat fled to Canada, then Europe and Egypt. His eventual extradition resulted in a mistrial, and he was launched.
You Might Additionally Like:
Legendary 1920 Presidential Campaign Button Sells for Record $185,850