Open-ended questions

[BettyO]

(07-11-2012 06:44 PM)Lindsey Wrote:  Wow Herb, that is quite impressive! I'm sure you learned a lot!

Another question we'll never know the answer to but is worth pondering:

1. What was Booth planning? He and Powell were "casing" Seward's house and he sent Davey down into southern MD to most likely alert the secret line---why? What for?
2. Was it for assassination and the opportunity for Ford's was just too good to pass up?

Ah ha.....my ol' pal Powell and his flirtations at the Seward house... according to various reports, Lew Powell was in the habit of dropping by the Seward House a few days previous to the assassination in an apparent attempt to flirt with Seward's "pretty parlor maid". According to what has been uncovered, Powell made two or three trips to inquire about Mr. Seward's health. The last morning (the day before the assassination), Powell talked to Robinson at the breakfast room window and inquired about the health of the Secretary. Sergeant Robinson assumed he was just a friendly local neighborhood kid and brushed him off....

Was Powell "casing" the joint so to speak? Did the maid unwittingly give her erstwhile admirer specifics as to where Mr. Seward's room was and in what condition he was? We'll probably never know. Thus to me, it seems that yes, assassination was more than likely on the minds of JWB and company at this time. Something was afoot and it wasn't a continuation of the kidnap plot.