Thomas F. Harney

[L Verge]

(11-16-2014 12:37 PM)BettyO Wrote:  

Quote:...attitudes like this really irritate me.

I totally agree. These were indeed human beings - yes, they made mistakes; awful, horrid mistakes - but unless you've researched indepth, please don't just assume they were all ill bred, ill educated idiots. They were not.

Quote:Powell incarnadined the Seward home and came within an inch of murdering William and Frederick. The real Lewis Payne said he had the reputation of having killed a great many men. Doster said he seemed dull, "his mind...of the lowest order...and his moral faculties equally low."

"The REAL Lewis Payne?!" Were there TWO men, Mr. Fazio? (Please...no more Vaughn Shelton theories!) There was only one Powell (alias Paine/Payne) and I don't find any reference anywhere to the fact that he "killed a great many men." As to being dull; put a bag over anyone's head in the heat of a Washington summer and see how long he retains his senses.....

Not to mention the fact that a good POW (and Lewis was a prisoner-of-war at that point) keeps his mouth shut and reveals nothing. That's being smart - not dumb! And a good defense lawyer should be using such silence to the defendant's advantage. Isn't "whatever trick works" kosher in the legal profession?