Lincoln's non pardon

[JMadonna]

Ran across this tidbit by Historian William C. Davis

Within a week after Lincoln’s assassination Captain Thomas Hines told a friend that Booth killed Lincoln because Lincoln allowed the execution of John Bealle.

Of the many reasons postulated by the press immediately after the assassination, the execution of Bealle was not one of them. Davis postulated that Hines must have learned this information directly from Booth himself when both men were in Canada shortly after Bealle’s death. If Booth told this to Hines, Davis reasoned, he must have also told it to his superior.

The first mention of the Booth & Bealle connection came during the trial of the Lincoln conspirators when Dr. James B. Merritt testified that at a meeting with Sanders and other rebels in Montreal in February;

“Sanders said that Booth was heart and soul in this project of assassination, and felt as much as any person could feel, for the reason that he was a cousin to Beall, who was hung in New York.”

Merritt's testimony was later discredited but if Hines was in attendance at this meeting then he not only confirmed the Davis thesis but also puts Merritt's testimony in a new light.

[L Verge]

While searching for something else today, I ran across this - which I may have known, but forgotten. Several historians have tried to make a link between John Yates Beall and John Wilkes Booth (related to each other, school chums, etc.). There is a link, perhaps, but not a direct one between the two.

The direct link is between Beall and Edwin Gray Lee, who were friends from childhood. Most of us know the story of Beall being captured and executed as a "privateer" for his actions against Union vessels. We also know that Edwin Gray Lee was part of the Secret Line activity into Canada near the end of the war (and John Surratt's superior officer).

The source that I found online has Beall coming out of Canada in order to work on the release of Confederate prisoners in New York. It also states that Lee's secreting gold into Canada (likely with the aid of Surratt) was part of the same plot, in cahoots with Jacob Thompson. Remember that Surratt was supposedly sketching the prison camp in Elmira, New York.

Beall's execution on February 24, 1865, caused a big furor with many people, including influential Northerners and some Senators seeking a pardon from Lincoln. All this happening less than two months before Lincoln' assassination. Maybe Beall's execution was a large factor in the President's death, but Booth wasn't the mastermind.

[BettyO]

Good factor, Laurie. Beall was also working with agents, Robert M. Martin and Robert Cobb Kennedy. Kennedy was affiliated with the plan to burn New York and hanged for it in March of 1865.

[L Verge]

Another little piece of irony related to this is that Edwin Lee's ancestral home, Bedford, was burned under orders of Gen. David Hunter in the summer of 1864, as Sheridan pursued his destruction of the Shenandoah Valley. Hunter received a very poignant letter from Lee's mother as to why the deed was done. Within a year of Bedford's burning, Hunter would head the military tribunal that tried the Lincoln conspirators.

And speaking of the Valley, there is some thought that Beall was hanged in retribution for Mosby's heist of a Union pay train that netted thousands of dollars that were never retrieved. Would this influence Mosby to assign his troops to assist in the Lincoln assassination?

BTW: One of those who sought a pardon for John Yates Beall was future President James Garfield - who would also be assassinated.

And one last tidbit - Beall's method of hanging was totally different from others that had occurred. Does anyone know how it differed?

[BettyO]

Didn't they use a weight to pull the body upwards? Kennedy was also hanged by this same method.

[RJNorton]

I once read an account that had JWB gaining entrance to the White House, actually meeting with Lincoln (putting his arms around Lincoln's legs), and begging for Beall's life. I have never been able to corroborate that story, and I know I asked about this before. Does anyone know its origin?

[BettyO]

Roger -

That is another one of those fictitious "Penny Dreadful" stories written by a hack writer, i.e. Dion Haco; Ned Buntline, R. H. Crozier, Thomas Chalmers Harbaugh, etc. No truth to it at all as far as I know....

[RJNorton]

Thanks, Betty. I have tried to find it in books such as Lincoln Day By Day but never with any success.

Here's the way the story goes:

When Beall was captured Booth sought Washington McLean, of Ohio, then in Washington, John P. Hale, United States Senator from New Hampshire, and John W. Forney, to aid in Beall 's release. Forney was induced to implore the President to exercise clemency. Hale, McLean and Booth, were driven at midnight to the White House, the President was aroused and there was not a dry eye in the room as Booth knelt at the feet of Lincoln, clasped his knees and begged him to spare Beall 's life. All present joined in the request. At last Lincoln with tears streaming down his face took Booth by the hands and promised Beall's pardon. The next morning, Seward said when informed by Lincoln what he had done, that public sentiment in the North demanded that Beall should be hung and he threatened to resign should the President interfere. Seward carried his point and Beall was hanged.

http://archive.org/stream/presidentlinco...k_djvu.txt

[BettyO]

I have that pamphlet - thanks, Roger!

[JMadonna]

The following is an excerpt from my next book. It seems germane to the subject.

One man who seemed to be cognizant was Captain Thomas Hines. Within a week after Lincoln’s assassination he told a friend that Booth killed Lincoln because Lincoln allowed the execution of John Beall.

Of the many reasons postulated by the press immediately after the assassination, the execution of Beall was not one of them. Historian William C. Davis postulated that Hines must have learned this information directly from Booth himself when both men were in Canada shortly after Beall’s death. If Booth told this to Hines, Davis reasoned, he must have also told it to his superior.

The first mention of the Booth–Beall connection came during the trial of the Lincoln conspirators when Dr. James B. Merritt testified that at a meeting with Sanders and other rebels in Montreal in February;

“Sanders said that Booth was heart and soul in this project of assassination, and felt as much as any person could feel, for the reason that he was a cousin to Beall, who was hung in New York.”

If Hines was in attendance at this meeting then he not only confirmed the Davis thesis but the testimony of Dr. Merritt as well.

[L Verge]

I would postulate along the same lines, Jerry, but I would guess that, at that point, Booth had been identified as the shooter, so all good Confederates were more than willing to let the blame lie with him and keep it off of anyone else.

What if Gen. Edwin Lee was telling both men that Booth was going to take care of Mr. Lincoln in revenge for his (Lee's) friend's hanging? So far as I know, no historian has found a blood relationship (or otherwise) between Booth and Beall. Of course, it's anyone's guess without a set of facts, but it makes for interesting speculation.

And yes, Betty, you are right about Beall's method of hanging. He was propelled upwards, and then a set of counter-weights brought him slamming downwards. I assume you save money on lumber with this type of execution?

[JMadonna]

(02-03-2014 11:42 AM)L Verge Wrote:  What if Gen. Edwin Lee was telling both men that Booth was going to take care of Mr. Lincoln in revenge for his (Lee's) friend's hanging?

Interesting point but I can't find any meeting between Sanders and Lee. Considering Sanders talents one would think he'd be employed to help free Beall but I can find no evidence of that.

[L Verge]

There is a genealogy page related to the Beall family that has an extensive article entitled "President Lincoln and the Case of John Yates Beall." It tells you everything you need to know about the trial of Beall and the many attempts to get Lincoln to spare his life -- made by some very important people of the time.

The article was written in 1911, by a New Yorker named Isaac Markens. I am only posting here Mr. Markens comments on the validity of Booth shooting Lincoln in revenge for Beall's execution (Roger, this contains the parts that you cited):

"From the execution of Beall and the assassination of Lincoln has sprung a weird and lurid story for years industriously circulated and eagerly devoured - that Booth's deed was inspired by the President's broken promise of a pardon made to Booth. These are in brief the alleged facts: Beall and Booth were bosom friends, were before the war much together -- as Damon and Pythias -- and they had attended the same school. During the war Booth was with Beall on his Lake Erie expedition. When Beall was captured Booth sought Washington McLean, of Ohio, then in Washington, John P. Hale, United States Senator from New Hampshire, and John W. Forney, to aid in Beall's release. Forney was induced to implore the President to exercise clemency. Hale, McLean and Booth, were driven at midnight to the White House, the president was aroused and there was not a dry eye in the room as Booth knelt at the feet of Lincoln, clasped his knees and begged him to spare Beall's life. All present joined in the request. At last Lincoln with tears streaming down his face took Booth by the hands and promised Beall's pardon. The next morning, Seward said when informed by Lincoln what he had done, that the public sentiment in the North demanded that Beall should be hung and he threatened to resign should the President interfere. Seward carried his point and Beall was hanged. The effect on Booth was terrible. He brooded over schemes of vengeance and the assassination followed.

"Such is the substance of this remarkable theory of Booth's motive which for years formed currency in numerous newspapers and periodicals. The Virginia Historical Society regarded the story as of sufficient importance for incorporation in its official publications. Its genesis is uncertain but there is reason for believing that it was conceived in the brain of Mark M. Pomeroy, the notorious editor of "Pomeroy's Democrat," a sensational weekly published shortly after the war. John W. Forney in 1876 publicly branded the story so far as it relates to his knowing or meeting Booth during his lifetime, as an utter fabrication and he incidentally mentions the name of "Mr. Pomeroy" as the author of the story as originally printed not long before. Forney adds that if Lincoln made such a promise to Booth as alleged he would have fulfilled it at all hazards and that Seward would have been the last man in the world to ask him to break his word.

"It is a matter of common knowledge that Booth's designs on Lincoln antedated Beall's operations by quite a remote period. Extensive research fails to disclose the slightest evidence of any acquaintance or intercourse of Beall and Booth prior to or during the war. Finally, the question of Booth's motive in killing Lincoln so far as it involves Beall is disposed of by Booth's own record in his so-called diary of his movements after the assassination wherein is found under the date of April 21 the entry: 'know no private wrong. I struck for my country and that alone.' This diary is in the possession of the War Department."

[JMadonna]

(02-03-2014 11:42 AM)L Verge Wrote:  What if Gen. Edwin Lee was telling both men that Booth was going to take care of Mr. Lincoln in revenge for his (Lee's) friend's hanging?

Interesting point but I can't find any meeting between Sanders and Lee. Considering Sanders talents one would think he'd be employed to help free Beall but I can find no evidence of that.

[HerbS]

Yesterday,I found out that it was Stanton and Seward who went to Lincoln to reverse his decission on Bealle.Bealle was no"choir boy".It was explained to Lincoln,that not only did they attack ships on Lake Erie,but they blew up railroad tracks and private houses from Dunkirk to Buffalo.--R.Y.Bealle-memoirs-Cornell and UNC libraries.He was a "terrorist" personified!