An update on research of interest.

[RJNorton]

(11-20-2016 09:50 PM)SSlater Wrote:  That sounds like Demill and New York were operating independently of Richmond.

Not really - Stelnick's theory was that they were actually working together. Stelnick writes, "He (Thomas Arnold Demill) had sent his son Major William Edward Demill to meet with Judah Benjamin in Virginia to notify him in person that a plan was in place to kidnap Abraham Lincoln...Thomas Arnold Demill had all but done his own small part to save the South. If Benjamin could convince the rest of the Cabinet members to do theirs by hanging on for a few weeks, the Confederate States of America would be back in business again."

I belief Stelnick's most important source for his theory was Philip Henson. After the Lincoln assassination, Grant (allegedly) secretly hired Henson to investigate who was behind it. Henson worked on it for over 20 years, and his papers are now in the hands of a descendant named Grace Henson White. Grant never gave Henson permission to release his (Henson's) findings. But, as far as I know, Grace Henson White has never released the papers publicly; apparently she only let Stelnick use them.

John, if you have doubts on all of this...I fully understand.