My Journey on Lincoln's Assassination

[AussieMick]

Hi Mike. I am more than wiling to accept that Stanton was cunning. He was a politician so theres no argument as I am concerned. Was he evil though? By which I mean willing to conspire to murder. Murder a person that he'd worked with on a daily basis and a person that had shown loyalty and friendship? (Enough to be invited to Robert Lincoln's wedding) ? Was Stanton that evil?

Books on Republican conspiracies ? Wow? I would never have imagined ! You mean there are books on that subject? (No ... I wont be adding them to my Xmas book list) ... next you'll be telling me there are books about the Kennedy assassination.


You write "Three, surely you have read in history that on occasion two enemies will agree to conspire against a common enemy whom they hate/fear worse than each other. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." In such arrangements, each side often makes the other aware of damning information that they have on them and that they will release it if they are double-crossed."

Well, yep. That sure helps to prove your case... not. (C'mon, Mike you can do better than that)

You write "Stanton would have wanted Booth dead?! REALLY?! "
I was making the case that IF Stanton were involved then he would have wanted Booth dead ... sorry, I thought that was a reasonable and logical statement. You seem to think that because the wires Stanton (a cunning and evil man according to you) sent out after the murder did not mention Booth ... this shows he didnt want Booth killed. I'd argue this shows Stanton was following the same protocol that police organisations follow right now when seeking a known killer. He'd be well aware that Booth could have changed his appearance and probably would not be using his own name .

you write "Five, if Stanton came to an agreement with Booth's side, one logical condition would have been that Booth be allowed to escape, and there is very good evidence that Booth did in fact escape."

Oh yes! Of course ... I'd forgotten about the camaraderie, loyalty and trust amongst murderers and conspirators.

You write "who says Boyd agreed to be Booth's substitute?"
Well, sorry, I thought that was the scenario that you were putting forward. (Are you saying Boyd just happened to materialise with Herold in the barn? Or Boyd chose to keep him company on his trip thru the countryside? Or was he blackmailed into the conspiracy perhaps? but that would involve 'agreement' of a sort
... Ok, Mike, I give up. You tell me why Boyd or whoever was in the barn with Herold.

You write, "who were the "unreliable fruitcakes"? Who would they be, in your opinion?"
well, let me see ... Booth, Herold, Atzeroldt, Powell. They all spring to mind. Then there's the planners of the kidnap attempt. I'd suggest that there were very few were thinking sanely at that time before Lincoln's death.