Why was Booth admitted into the presidential box?

[John Fazio]

(04-25-2015 08:04 AM)HerbS Wrote:  John,I too have a law degree,and I agree with your theories on the assasination of Lincoln.I have found that people lie for"self-preservation",and they are good at it!The sad thing is that they tend to believe thier own lies!

Herb:

Thanks. You and I are almost always on the same page. As for lying and believing, same page again. Let me add that the lying comes first, recognized as a lie but felt to be necessary to meet a felt need; the believing comes later, the brain's way of erasing the guilt that comes from lying. Elephants rule. (Jonathan Haidt)

John

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(04-24-2015 10:34 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  

(04-24-2015 07:14 AM)John Fazio Wrote:  Roger:

The statement you quote above is affirmed by similar statements made by Crook in the same source (Through Five Administrations)and in his other work (Memories).It is also affirmed by Tom Pendel, George McElfresh, A. C. Richards, Charles Forbes and Mary Todd Lincoln. It is also accepted as fact by Roscoe, Eisenschiml, Bryan, Clark and Brooks, among others, including me. See pages 152-158 of the book.

Thanks, John. I just read the pages you cited. In previous threads I have argued that Parker was indeed there to protect the President and not simply to escort him to and from the box. I am aware several prominent historians do not view it this way, but I personally agree with your assessment. Maybe I missed it in those pages, but do you feel the door to box #8 was left open? I think Mike Kauffman and others have stated that Booth entered the State Box through an open door #8 and not a closed door #7. The reason I ask about this is that from Parker's standpoint I think it would make sense to leave the door to box #8 open. Not only could he at least hear the play better, but I would think it would get very hot and stuffy in the passageway if the entry door was closed as well as the doors to both box #7 and #8. (For me it would be claustrophobic to have all 3 doors closed.) I would think Parker would get some air if the door to box #8 were left open. Of course we don't know how long he remained in the seat Buckingham said was placed there; probably not long, as you logically indicate.

Roger:

In my view the Box 8 door was slightly ajar. The evidence does not support a conclusion that it was wide open, nor that it was closed. It is likely that Booth himself left it slightly ajar when he made his dry run, thereby making things easier for himself when he made his decisive strike. See pages 197, 198 of the book.

John

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(04-24-2015 10:34 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  

(04-24-2015 07:14 AM)John Fazio Wrote:  Roger:

The statement you quote above is affirmed by similar statements made by Crook in the same source (Through Five Administrations)and in his other work (Memories).It is also affirmed by Tom Pendel, George McElfresh, A. C. Richards, Charles Forbes and Mary Todd Lincoln. It is also accepted as fact by Roscoe, Eisenschiml, Bryan, Clark and Brooks, among others, including me. See pages 152-158 of the book.

Roger:

Please see my response on p. 7. There is so much traffic on this thread that it is getting confusing.

John


Thanks, John. I just read the pages you cited. In previous threads I have argued that Parker was indeed there to protect the President and not simply to escort him to and from the box. I am aware several prominent historians do not view it this way, but I personally agree with your assessment. Maybe I missed it in those pages, but do you feel the door to box #8 was left open? I think Mike Kauffman and others have stated that Booth entered the State Box through an open door #8 and not a closed door #7. The reason I ask about this is that from Parker's standpoint I think it would make sense to leave the door to box #8 open. Not only could he at least hear the play better, but I would think it would get very hot and stuffy in the passageway if the entry door was closed as well as the doors to both box #7 and #8. (For me it would be claustrophobic to have all 3 doors closed.) I would think Parker would get some air if the door to box #8 were left open. Of course we don't know how long he remained in the seat Buckingham said was placed there; probably not long, as you logically indicate.