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05-02-2013, 10:18 AM,
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J. Beckert
Legendary Member
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Posts: 1,935
Threads: 50
Joined: Jul 2012
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RE: The Surratt Courier
I hope I don't step on your question, Laurie, but I want to commend Bill & Rick for their excellent article in this months Courier regarding if Booth could have shot himself. I liked that they approached this from several angles; not only physical, but also taking into account Booth's mental state. I thought that was very important. Now, if I may, my two cents...
Dr. Woodward's report stated the ball traveled downward and backward. He states the ball made it's exit at the left side of the neck. If he is correct, the ball had to enter from the right front quarter of the neck. Roger and I discussed this next fact last week. Barnes' report states this: "...passing out through the body of the sterno-cleido of right side , 3 inches above the clavicle". We have two different interpretations from two men who were present and actually performed the autopsy. While we will never know what actually transpired that morning, these conflicting and vague reports coupled with the physical evidence that it was indeed possible, shed some new light on an old story. I side with the Rebels on this one. Great job, men.
"There are few subjects that ignite more casual, uninformed bigotry and condescension from elites in this nation more than Dixie - Jonah Goldberg"
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05-02-2013, 10:44 AM,
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Rob Wick
Hero Member
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Posts: 3,038
Threads: 196
Joined: Jul 2012
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RE: The Surratt Courier
(05-01-2013, 06:32 PM)L Verge Wrote: After reading Rick's and Bill's article for about the fifth time over the past 3-4 years, there is still one question that pops out at me: Many moons ago, I was told first by James O. Hall and then again by Michael Kauffman that they had found no documentation for the assertion in many books that Stanton had ordered that Booth be taken alive. In fact, I was led to believe that such an order is rarely given because it puts the police in a precarious position where they might be afraid to fire in order to save their life or protect the lives of others when a criminal comes out firing.
So, my question yet again is - Does documentation exist to prove that the government ordered that Booth be taken alive?
I don't have the document in front of me, but I think in his statement aboard the Montauk, Conger said there had been no orders to bring Booth back alive. It would have been better if they could have, but no orders had ever been given. Byron Baker made the claim that Corbett defied orders and was going to be brought back to Washington in irons, which they didn't have in the first place.
Best
Rob
Abraham Lincoln is the only man, dead or alive, with whom I could have spent five years without one hour of boredom.--Ida M. Tarbell
I want the respect of intelligent men, but I will choose for myself the intelligent.
--Carl Sandburg
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