Who told Samuel Cox Jr. that Booth was the stranger all along?

• A. Dr. Mudd
• B. Samuel Cox Jr. himself
• C. Lincoln
• D. Stanton

Answer: (A)

The question hinges on who had direct, firsthand contact with Booth and could identify him to others afterward. Dr. Mudd treated Booth after the assassination and knew exactly who Booth was. That close, real-world connection is why he could tell Samuel Cox Jr. that the man who had appeared as the stranger was Booth all along. Lincoln was gone and couldn’t speak, Stanton was involved in the broader investigation, and Cox Jr. wouldn’t have had that knowledge without someone who had actually seen Booth. So the person best positioned to reveal Booth’s true identity to the boy is Dr. Mudd.