injured his leg, after shooting President Lincoln, at Ford’s Theater in Washington, DC, Booth jumped from the upper balcony onto the stage, where the play "Our American Cousin" was being performed. When he jumped, he injured his leg, after fleeing the theater, Booth evaded police, but he needed help in taking care of his injured leg, that’s when he came upon the home of Dr. Samuel A. Mudd. Dr. Mudd set John Wilkes Booth’s broken leg. Eventually, while searching for Booth, the police discovered that Booth had made his way to Dr. Mudd’s home. Once the police arrived at the doctors home, Booth had been long gone. But, Dr. Mudd was arrested for aiding Booth and was convicted of conspiracy in the assasination of President Lincoln, and with haboring John Wilkes Booth and his accomplice David Herold. Dr. Mudd was sentenced to life in prison; four years later Dr. Mudd was pardoned by President Andrew Johnson, due to Dr. Mudd’s efforts in treating fellow prisoners who were infected with yellow fever.
The quote "My name is mud" or "His name is mud" was thought to have been in reference to Dr. Samuel Mudd, but it has been determined that the quotation was in existence 10 years prior to the assasination of President Abraham Lincoln. Yet, to this day, the quote is notably linked to Dr. Samuel Mudd.
There are still questions as to the guilt or innocence of Dr. Samuel A. Mudd.
Dr. Samuel A. Mudd
http://members.aol.com/RVSNorton/Lincoln29.html
"After he shot Lincoln, Booth broke his left leg in his leap to the stage at Ford’s Theatre. Needing a doctor’s assistance, he and David Herold arrived at Dr. Mudd’s (about 30 miles from Washington) at approximately 4:00 A.M. on April 15, 1865. Dr. Mudd set, splinted, and bandaged the broken leg. Although he had met Booth on at least three prior occasions, Dr. Mudd said he did not recognize his patient. He said the two used the names "Tyson" and "Henston." Booth and Herold stayed at the Mudd residence until the next afternoon (roughly a 12 hour stay). Dr. Mudd asked his handyman, John Best, to make a pair of rough crutches for Booth. Dr. Mudd was paid $25 for his services. Booth and Herold left in the direction of Zekiah Swamp.
Within days Dr. Mudd was under arrest by the United States Government. He was charged with conspiracy and with harboring Booth and Herold during their escape. He went on trial along with Lewis Powell (Paine), George Atzerodt, Mary Surratt, David Herold, Ned Spangler, Samuel Arnold, and Michael O’Laughlen. In court witnesses described Dr. Mudd as the most attentive of the accused. He was dressed in a black suit with a clean white shirt. Testimony against the doctor at the trial included his harsh treatment of some of his slaves. He shot one male slave (who survived). New information regarding Dr. Mudd surfaced in 1977. A previously unknown statement by conspirator George Atzerodt indicated that John Wilkes Booth had sent liquor and provisions to Dr. Mudd’s home two weeks prior to the assassination. Like the other defendants, Dr. Mudd was found guilty. His sentence: life imprisonment. He missed the death penalty by one vote."
"Dr. Samuel A. Mudd was the physician who set the leg of Lincoln’s assassin John Wilkes Booth... and whose shame created the expression for ignominy, "His name is Mudd."
http://www.geocities.com/eedd88/facts.html?20075
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http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/424000.html
Your name is mud
You are unpopular.
John Wilkes Booth broke his leg while escaping after shooting Abraham Lincoln in 1865. He was given medical help by Dr Samuel Mudd, who didn’t then know about the assassination. Mudd was convicted of being Booth’s conspirator, although he is widely believed to have been innocent. Actually, whether Mudd was innocent or not is of little consequence in regard to the origin of this phrase. It was in general circulation before Lincoln was assassinated. This comes from John Badcock’s (aka ’J. Bee’) Slang - A dictionary of the turf etc., 1823:
"Mud - a stupid twaddling fellow. ‘And his name is mud!’ ejaculated upon the conclusion of a silly oration, or of a leader in the Courier."
The phrase appears to be one of the many that, when a news story arises, match the gist of the story and later become associated with it.
