Judicial Murder of Mrs. Surratt

[wpbinzel]

(10-15-2017 03:52 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  

(10-15-2017 02:05 PM)wpbinzel Wrote:  He even said that he had heard that Stanton was indirectly responsible for Booth's crime, because the secretary had allegedly stopped Lincoln from comuting the death sentence of one of the assassin's friends.

Bill, I do not know if this is a reference to John Yates Beall, but it sounds like it might be. Long ago, and I cannot recall the book, I believe I read that Beall and Booth were not really friends and that it was Seward as well as Stanton who influenced Lincoln's decision not to commute the sentence. I stand corrected if anyone has the right information on this. I know the story of Booth going to the White House, meeting Lincoln and pleading for Beall's life, is spurious. (As I recall, this totally bogus story has Seward as the main influence on Lincoln's decision regarding Beall, and thus Booth targeted Seward, as well as Lincoln, on April 14th.)

I agree with you, Roger. I assume that it is a reference to Beall. However, I do not think the Booth-Beall story is credible (from either the relationship perspective or Booth pleading for Beall's life), nor do I think it had anything to do with Booth's motivation. I have read McElwee's account (and think that I have the text somewhere in my files, but cannot immediately put my hands on it). If I can find it, I will post it.