The Reason Lincoln Had to Die

[IFWesley]

(07-18-2013 06:08 PM)Thomas Thorne Wrote:  Stanton and Booth knowing he would not do, arranged for a pistol to be planted there in advance as only the presence of a firearm-I am not making this up-would convince people of Confederate complicity. [...] but the author's assertion they did not realize until the next day that Frederick Seward suffered severe injuries on 4/14/65 is laughable.

Hi Thomas. Thank you for reading the sample chapter. I couldn't help but notice that you may have only skimmed the chapter, because your comment misrepresents its contents. The chapter does not state that Booth was involved in planting the pistol at the Seward residence. Booth was not knowingly working for Stanton.

The chapter includes references for its contents. Booth and Powell, on the very day of the attack, were given instructions and the items required. The book provides five sources to substantiate this. Booth planned neither of the attacks. None of the eyewitnesses of Seward's assassination attempt (Sgt. Robinson, Augustus Seward, William Bell) reported seeing a pistol, and Bell referred to Powell as "the man with the knife" when talking to Augustus. Bell testified that it was investigators who told him Powell had a gun, and this gun did *not* match the description of the object Bell said was used to attack Frederick.

Furthermore, it was Augustus Seward's testimony that stated that the family didn't realize how severely injured Frederick was until the next day.

Thank you again for your brief attention to the book, but I invite you to look again and with a less critical bias. If you follow the logic and the sources I believe you will find much that is new and worth consideration.

Ian Wesley, editor

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Hello, BettyO. I'm the editor of the book and the author of the article you just linked. You have stated the exact opposite of what the article states. The book(s) you identified as "references" for my book are described as not even being consulted, yet the article's purpose is to state how those books differ (greatly) from mine.

(07-18-2013 06:27 PM)BettyO Wrote:  Caveat emptor indeed !!!

Go to the web site and read what his "References" are - i.e. Dark Union ; Balsinger's The Lincoln Conspiracy and Why Was Lincoln Murdered?

Read this under "Related Articles"...... http://www.reasonlincoln.com/articles/yo...efore.html

[And your excerpt from Fanny's account]

Fanny: "Why is Fred slumped over in the hallway?"

Robinson: "He was too tired to go to his room. Just leave him until tomorrow morning....don't bother him!"

Fanny: "Why is he bleeding?"

Robinson: "He stubbed his toe in the dark and tripped. Must have hit his head. It's only a little flesh wound."

Did you intentionally misconstrue those sources as our references? I am glad you included a link to my article, so that those who read it will know what I actually said. However, your comment implies what they should expect to find, and I suspect most readers will take you at your word.

Also, your comment included an excerpt from Fanny's memoir, which indicates that she was not a witness to Powell's attack at all. It was 10:15 PM. Eyewitness testimonies given only a month after the attack state that the upstairs hallway was lit, but bedrooms were not. Powell argued with Frederick in full view of William Bell for more than five minutes before attacking. Powell then struck Frederick, knocking him into his sister's bedroom, then fought with two more men in the hallway and her father's bedroom. Her diary reveals that she thought Frederick was rendered incapacitated by the fall into her bedroom and not the crushing blow to his forehead by Powell that left his brain exposed, and therefore she didn't actually witness the attack.

Look again at your quotation, and please re-read the sample chapter (or at least the testimony of William Bell concerning Powell/Payne). Only Bell witnessed Powell striking Frederick (Robinson was in Seward's room, Fanny in hers). That night Robinson and Fanny didn't know what Bell saw, nor what happened to Frederick. Bell, however, had a most lucid and vivid recollection. Bell's account was both timely and corroborated by others, including Augustus. Fanny's account conflicts with Bell's, and by all indications (even her own statement "in the dark") she remained in her unlit bedroom until after Powell fled the house.

I do not know if you appreciate my feedback, but I do hope you are more careful in the future about making representations of people's work. It makes it harder for people seeking information if links to documents are prefaced with incorrect descriptions. I understand your bias as you first approached the article, because I too thought, "yet another 'not the Confederacy' Lincoln book," when first approached for this project. I, however, labored for months checking facts and sincerely believe this book illuminates much that biases have caused many to overlook.

Respectfully,

Ian F. Wesley