In 1864 Robert Lincoln, President Abraham Lincoln's son was saved from certain injury and likely death when he fell from a train platform. He was rescued at the last minute by the famous actor Edwin Booth. Lincoln told the the event in 1909.
"The incident occurred while a group of passengers were late at night purchasing their sleeping car places from the conductor who stood on the station platform at the entrance of the car. The platform was about the height of the car floor, and there was of course a narrow space between the platform and the car body. There was some crowding, and I happened to be pressed by it against the car body while waiting my turn. In this situation the train began to move, and by the motion I was twisted off my feet, and had dropped somewhat, with feet downward, into the open space, and was personally helpless, when my coat collar was vigorously seized and I was quickly pulled up and out to a secure footing on the platform. Upon turning to thank my rescuer I saw it was Edwin Booth, whose face was of course well known to me, and I expressed my gratitude to him, and in doing so, called him by name."
The following year Booth's brother John Wilkes Booth would shoot and kill Robert Lincoln's father. Edwin Booth felt some comfort in the fact that he had saved the son of the president who would fall at his brother's hand.
-Professor Walter
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