Is there a list of the best Lincoln Assassination Consp. books for our library?

[Craig Hipkins]

I think that most of us can safely agree that Booth died on Garrett's porch on the morning of April 26, 1865. Obviously, since we are still discussing the assassination nearly 150 years after the fact there are still some loose ends that need to be tied together. One of these is Stanton's role, if any, in the assassination. Admittedly, the evidence (if any) is not available that would convict him with complicity in a court of law. Missing diary pages and other suspicious evidence cast a shadow on him but proves absolutely nothing.

The Kennedy Assassination on the other hand is a completely different story. There is no way that Oswald scored two hits at a moving target at that distance (265 feet.) unless he was extremely lucky. I base this on my own personal experience as a Marine Corps rifleman. Oswald was an average shooter at best. The Marine Corps has three rifle proficiency badges. The lowest rank is Marksman which a rifleman must score between a 190-210. The middle rank is Sharpshooter, 210-220. and the top rank badge is Rifle Expert (220-250.) Oswald's scores are well known. He barely qualified with a score of 191 in one test, while he managed to score a 212 on another. This test is used using stationary targets at various distances of 200, 300, and 500 yards.
Also, the last shot which killed President Kennedy clearly came from the front. One of the Secret service agents who was closest to the assassination initially claimed that one of the shots came from the front. It was only later that he changed his story.

Craig

[SSlater]

(05-27-2013 12:15 PM)Gene C Wrote:  

(05-27-2013 08:38 AM)william l. richter Wrote:  After writing 4 volumes in three titles based on the Come Retribution thesis, I must confess that I agree with your unnamed esteemed historian. One needs but to study the Radical Republicans and Stanton's own lack of character to get a gut reaction that he was behind it. One day I looked at all my work and said loud to myself, "this is all BS, Stanton did it." I have believed that since 1960 despite all the evidence that point other ways.

I disagree Bill. While Stanton may have had his minor faults, I think he admired Lincoln to much (in spite of disagreeing with him) to take the drastic step of conspiring to kill Lincoln. If he was going to want anyone out of the way, it would have been McClellan. Of coarse most of what I know about Stanton is from Benjamin Thomas

Me again Bill. IMO Stanton was satisfied in the position he held. In reality, he ran the government to his satisfaction. Why get rid of Lincoln? Stanton was not in line to succeed Lincoln, maybe someone would get the presidency, that he could not control. Rather than admire Lincoln, I think he tolerated Lincoln. We have cases where he absolutely defied Lincoln and was never punished. he countermanded direct orders, He disobeyed direct orders (He did not "let the elephant run".) He even took over the government when Lincoln was disabled. He ran the Army, he "owned" the Generals. If we know these faults, you know there had to be more, that we don't know about. Stanton did not kill Lincoln. (I will hedge my bet. If Stanton did kill Lincoln, he expected to "appoint" the successor - who he controlled>)

[Bill Richter]

I have been in SW Colorado for a vacation, so I have not taken part in any of the debates of the last week. But he's b-a-a-ck!

I think your "Me again" just made my case, Sarah--I mean John! I accept take your hedged bet--he hoped to impeach Johnson leaving Ben Wade in charge until Stanton could run in the 1868 election.

[RJNorton]

Welcome back, Bill! Hope you weren't anywhere near the terrible fires in Colorado.

[Bill Richter]

Nah, I went to the opposite side of the state.