Peter Taltavull

The Star Saloon was located in the three-story structure immediately to the right of Ford's Theatre.

Peter Taltavull (1825 – April 8, 1881) played a minor role in the events surrounding the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. John Wilkes Booth stopped at Taltavull's Star Saloon just before going to Ford's Theatre next door and assassinating President Abraham Lincoln.

Biography

Taltavull owned the Star Saloon located in Washington, D.C., next door to Ford's Theatre. Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth, stopped at Taltavull's saloon just before entering the theater and shooting the President. The Star Saloon was briefly considered as a place to bring the wounded Lincoln before the decision was made to take him to William Petersen's boarding house.

On May 15, 1865, Taltavull testified for the prosecution during the conspiracy trial, and stated that he had been acquainted with the defendant, David Herold, as far back as Herold's boyhood. Taltavull also testified that he had served Booth a drink of whiskey and water shortly before the assassination.

For over twenty-five years Taltavull had been a French horn player with the Marine Band.

Taltavull died on April 8, 1881 and is buried at Congressional Cemetery.

See also

• Abraham Lincoln assassination

References

• Kauffman, Michael W. American Brutus: John Wilkes Booth and the Lincoln Conspiracies. Random House, 2004. ISBN 0-375-50785-X
• Kunhardt, Dorothy Meserve, and Kunhardt Jr., Phillip B. Twenty Days. Castle Books, 1965. ISBN 1-55521-975-6

External links

• Congressional Cemetery
• Taltavull's testimony (and that of others).