The Reason Lincoln Had to Die

[Gene C]

This is a new book. Anyone know anything about it or the author Don Thomas?

This appears to be another "Stanton was behind it all" book with Secretary Stanton hiring a double agent by the name of James Donaldson.

http://www.amazon.com/Reason-Lincoln-Had...+lincoln#_

[L Verge]

I just bought a copy to peruse and send to the Research Center. I loved the description that "our" history has been fiction for 150 years. Can't wait to find out what the great discovery was in 1977.

I know you can just feel the enthusiasm in me as I type this....

[Gene C]

1977 is when David Balsiger and Charles Sellier came out with their classic book and movie "The Lincoln Conspiracy"

I can tell you have the same expectations on this revealing work of history/mystery as I do.

[HerbS]

I Googled the Author-And the rest I leave up to you! I will say at least one thing-He appears to be a very good-British,Fiction-Author!

[Gene C]

Herb, I am not sure it's the same author. Your writer looks more interesting.

Here is a web site regarding this book I saw on the Amazon's book site. (image of the back cover)

http://www.reasonlincoln.com/

sorry, I didn't notice this when I first posted

[HerbS]

Sorry,My mistake!

[Thomas Thorne]

If you want a good laugh, read the introduction and sample chapter provided in the link.

I did not not know that Margaret Coleman was one of the conspirators. We are told that Powell did not carry a pistol into Seward's house and never attempted to use one as either a firearm or a club. Stanton and Booth knowing he would not do, arranged for a pistol to be planted there in advance as only the presence of a firearm-I am not making this up-would convince people of Confederate complicity.

Now I realize the Seward family was traumatized by the attack but the author's assertion they did not realize until the next day that Frederick Seward suffered severe injuries on 4/14/65 is laughable.
Tom

[BettyO]

Caveat emptor indeed !!!


I find most of this hard to digest. Yes, Margaret Coleman DID exist and yes she did work at Seward's house....but as our Seward expert, Linda Anderson uncovered, she was a tad bit old for JWB and Powell to flirt with - granted that Powell was attracted to older women - but at age 50?! I think it'd be hard pressed for 20 somethings to be attracted to a 50 year old in that day and age.....

[L Verge]

I noticed that the author proudly proclaims himself a Virginian. Another attempt to throw the guilt on the Yankee government instead of the Confederacy, perhaps? Give me a break. After receiving the bad news of this book, I also saw that O'Reilly has now published Killing Jesus. Who's next on his kill list (that is making him a ton of money)? Don't tell me; I don't want to know.

[BettyO]

Killing Satan?

[LincolnMan]

Good work everyone. We all appreciate having a "heads-up" on these kinds of books-easier on the pocket too!

[Linda Anderson]

Wow, that is a different take on Powell's attack on Seward.

Thank you for the compliment, Betty, but I am still learning about what happened in the Seward house that night.

I don't know if the author consulted Fanny Seward's diary but she was an eyewitness to Powell's attack on her father, William. She said Payne (or Powell) rushed past her into the room with the gun in one hand and the knife in the other. After the attack, Robinson looked for Powell's pistol before it could do "mischief" and he picked it up in Seward's room. The next morning Fanny said she picked up the "iron [blank in Ms.] which I found lying on the floor at the foot of the second landing." I assume that is part of the gun.

Margaret Coleman is a mystery to me. According to her death certificate, she died at the age of 86 in 1902 which would have made her 49 in 1865. Her gravestone has 1818 as her birthdate. Either way, she deducted over fifteen years off her age in the census!

Azterodt states that he heard Booth say he met a Seward chambermaid (where, I wonder) and that she was pretty. Margaret Coleman may have been the housekeeper at that point and a younger maid the chambermaid. There is a young woman servant and an older woman servant in the photograph taken of the family and servants on the piazza of the DC house. Perhaps Booth was referring to the younger servant. I am trying to track down who she is.

Margaret gave a number of interviews throughout the years which are very interesting because in her version she is injured by Powell and she becomes "Seward's Savior." What is odd is that an article appeared in the October 13, 1876 New York Sun stating that Margaret lost her job in the Treasury because of "Grantism." The article, which was reprinted in the October 17,1876 Augusta Chronicle, says that Margaret, "...was the nurse at the bedside of Secretary Seward when Paine attempted to assassinate him. She, with the soldier attendant, endeavored to protect the Secretary and Paine struck her a violent blow, dislocating her shoulder and fracturing her arm. She has never fully recovered." Robinson refuted that article in a letter sent to the New York Times in which he says that not only did Margaret not lose her job, but that she was not even "about the house" at the time of Powell's assault. I don't know if Robinson was getting irritated at this point with Margaret or there was something else going on. Someone is lying.

To make things more interesting, Margaret Coleman also worked for Jefferson Davis. The Davises wanted her to go south with them and she chose to stay in Washington.

[L Verge]

I received my copy of this book today, and from just a cursory skimming, it appears to be more repeats of the Eisenschiml theory. I was struck by one description (with a modern sketch) of Booth entering the Presidential Box with his dagger belted around his waist ON THE OUTSIDE OF HIS COAT.

[RJNorton]

The book has a different take on Powell yelling "I'm mad! I'm mad."

***********************************************

Now engaged with two men Powell's attack seemed hopeless. At close range in the well-lit hallway Augustus stared into the face of the assassin. Powell hollered to his secret accomplice (who was also close by within the house), "I'm made! I'm made!" Then, breaking away from Augustus and Robinson, Powell charged down the stairs and disappeared out the door.

Margaret Coleman was the chamber maid at Mr. Seward's home, and she was Powell's secret accomplice in Seward's assassination attempt. It was Margaret Coleman who had been hired by Baker and Stanton to pose as an ally to Booth and Powell. She was the one who informed Booth about Mr. Seward's doctor, she told him what medicine Powell should bring, what Powell should say, and also described the layout of the house, including which bedroom was Mr. Seward's on the third floor.

Augustus Seward had misunderstood Powell's Alabama drawl when he heard him call out, as saying, "I'm mad! I'm mad!" while Powell struggled to break free from the army Major. Powell was actually hollering to Margaret Coleman that he had been made"”clearly seen. He had lost his hat and his face had been seen, and he knew he could now be identified.

[brtmchl]

This book sounds hillarious, can't wait to read it. I love a good conspiracy novel.