 In the ensuing pandemonium inside Ford 's Theatre , Booth fled by a stage door to the alley , where his getaway horse was held for him by Joseph " Peanuts " Burroughs . The owner of the horse had warned Booth that the horse was high spirited and would break halter if left unattended . Booth left the horse with Edmund Spangler and Spangler arranged for Burroughs to hold the horse . 
