Was Stanton a murder target?

[loetar44]

John,

Some remarks in response:
1) O’Laughlen told later to Henderson that Booth wasn’t in NOT SO. HENDERSON TESTIFIED THAT O'LAUGHLEN TOLD HIM HE DID SEE BOOTH. Hmmm, see Decapitating the Union, p. 133 line 5.
And: Henderson testified on May 15: "I am acquainted with the prisoner, Mr. O'Laughlin (sic). I saw him in this city on Thursday and Friday, the 13th and 14th of April. I DO NOT KNOW whether he visited J. Wilkes Booth on either of those days, but he told me on Friday that he WAS TO SEE him that morning." (not HE SAW]
2) Clara E. Laughlin's “The Death of Lincoln: The Story of Booth's Plot, His Deed, and the Penalty.” NOT A GOOD BOOK. NO NOTES, NO SOURCES, NO INDEX. Yes, you are right O’Laughlin’s book is not the best source we have (however, it is a source!), but Art Loux is saying exactly the same in Day by Day, p. 194.
3) Why do you ignore Walter Burton's statements?
4) WITH BOOTH ON FRIDAY MORNING MAKES SENSE IN VIEW OF HIS MEETING WITH HIM ON SATURDAY EVENING. Typo? I think you ment here THURSDAY evening.
5) I DON'T THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT. WE KNOW WHERE BOOTH WAS AN HOUR LATER (AT THE THEATER). John, I think it’s very important we do know were Booth was. See below.

We don’t know anything about Booth’s whereabouts between noon Thursday April 13 and “fully 11 am” Friday April 14. If we know for certain that he was in the National, than O’Laughlen certainly could have met him there. But the point is: was he there? If O’Laughlen was not in the hotel, he did NOT meet Booth there Thursday night and Friday morning.

“It is likely Booth walked about the city on Thursday night to see the Grand Illumination. He may have spent time with Lucy Hale. There may have been an overnight visit to Ellen Starr” (Loux, p. 194). We have evidence that Booth was not in his room (Burton) and that his bed was unoccupied. Night-clerk Burton did not see Booth enter the hotel that night (he knew Booth very well, Booth always stops for a chat with Burton before he goes to bed.)

Lucy Hale and her sister Elizabeth had a room in the National. Was Booth in the National in Lucy's room? If so, why we don’t know that?

Ellen Starr is discussed here: http://rogerjnorton.com/LincolnDiscussio...-618.html”

There is sufficient evidence that Booth was NOT in the National during 20 to 23 hours. What is your evidence he was there? Assumption is no evidence. Making assumptions simply means believing things are a certain way with little or no evidence that shows you are correct (Lemony Snicket, The Austere Academy).