The Enduring Enigma of the First Woman Executed by the U.S. Federal Government

[RJNorton]

Thanks to Laurie and historian Mark Waters for sending this link. Dr. Waters commented, "Didn’t know that Lewis Powell “shot” Seward and didn’t know the Spencer rifles at the Surratt House and Tavern were used to kill Lincoln. Go figure."

http://a.msn.com/01/en-us/AAckMd9?ocid=se

[BettyO]

OMG - Enigma indeed! Never heard that Powell shot anyone - although he sure tried to shoot Fred Seward before he clobbered him.....wonder where that came from?!?

Pretty scary.....

[Jim Garrett]

Unfortunately, this is an example of the non fact checking in journalism. It's difficult to try to read a book written by a journalist, who writes very well but doesn't have the book proofed by a historian. "The Madman and the Assassin" is well written, but the author has a number of errors. On page 9 in the prologue, Scott Martelle writes, "They had spun a lie to the Garretts about being two Rebel brothers trying to make their way home at the end of the war. The family had let the two men sleep in the house the first night but then became increasingly suspicious: they ordered them to the tobacco barn at bedtime on this night." Numerous errors are in the book which makes the reader who is educated in the history of the assassination, question much of his material.