Which door did Booth enter?

[Peter Taltavul]

(11-19-2012 05:07 PM)wsanto Wrote:  

Quote:So even after all of this time is there disagreement among historians about the peephole in the door? Who carved it? Which door? If the door to box 8 why not box 7 if that was the normal Presidential box?

It seems to me that the Ford's might lie about the hole in the door and the notch in the wall in order to minimize their own complacency in allowing Booth free reign of their theater while he prepared for the assassination. It is my understanding that wood shavings were found in Booth's pocket or in a hankerchief at his hotel with the circumstantial connection that they were the shavings from creating the peep-hole.
The peephole was in the door to box 7 but Kauffman makes the case that Booth entered through the door to Box 8 which may have been ajar or open as per Rathbone's statement. This puts Booth to the right of Lincoln chair instead of behind him. Kauffman claims that Booth shot from this point but that Lincoln's was leaning forward looking left toward the audience and the bullet entered behind his left ear.
Imagine Lincoln, he knows the play and he wants to see the audience's reaction to the funniest line in the play. He leans forward and looks left after Hawk delivers his zinger while Booth shoots from the right of his chair. Makes sense to me.

I was watching a video today on the Assassination and it was stated that the President's right eye was swollen because of the bullets path. Having dealt with the media before I am aware that errors are made. The bullets trajectory is the best indication as to what direction the weapon was fired from. If Booth entered from Box 8 and made his way to the President who was leaning forward and looking down at the audience on the left and fired behind the left ear one would expect a lot of damage to the inside of the skull on the left side of the head. Of course Booth could have walked to the President and stepped to his left side and fired and the bullet would have had more impact on the right side inside of the skull. I subscribe to Mr. Kauffman's thoughts on the matter.