Was Stanton a murder target?

[John Fazio]

John,

Yes, it was p.113 line 5. Typo. Thank you.

I'm not a native English speaker, but according to me "AND TOLD ME HE HAD BEEN TO SEE BOOTH" does not explicitly mean that he actually had seen Booth. Am I mistaken?

Kees:

No it doesn't, but it is pretty good evidence that he did see him, especially because it is an admission against interest. The interest would become more meaningful for him with respect to the second meeting with Booth, which he denied had taken place (to Henderson). By that time, if not before, there could not have been any doubt in O'Laughlen's mind as to what Booth planned to do, and perhaps what he himself planned to do, and so it was in his interest--indeed his great interest--to put as much distance between him and Booth as he could. It all fits quite well if you begin with Booth's trip to Baltimore on Thursday to bring O'Laughlen to Washington.

John

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John,

Yes, it was p.113 line 5. Typo. Thank you.

I'm not a native English speaker, but according to me "AND TOLD ME HE HAD BEEN TO SEE BOOTH" does not explicitly mean that he actually had seen Booth. Am I mistaken?

Kees:

No it doesn't, but it is pretty good evidence that he did see him, especially because it is an admission against interest. The interest would become more meaningful for him with respect to the second meeting with Booth, which he denied had taken place (to Henderson). By that time, if not before, there could not have been any doubt in O'Laughlen's mind as to what Booth planned to do, and perhaps what he himself planned to do, and so it was in his interest--indeed his great interest--to put as much distance between him and Booth as he could. It all fits quite well if you begin with Booth's trip to Baltimore on Thursday to bring O'Laughlen to Washington.

John

P.S. You are the best non-native English speaker I have ever known.