Edwin Stanton and the Death of Lincoln

Edwin Stanton

       I've recently began re-reading a book called The Lincoln Conspiracy by David Balsiger and Charles E. Sellier, Jr which was written in 1977. I've read reviews of this book and find that this book was put down by most historians at the time. True, the book is basically a conspiracy theory and we all know that historians despise conspiracy theories because that would make them appear they don't know the true history. The book may not be correct, but it opens up a lot of questions I've often had about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

       The book implicates Secretary of War Edwin Stanton in the plot to rid the government of Lincoln. Stanton had a lot to gain from Lincoln's death. The man didn't actually come across as being perfectly sane. In 1833, Stanton's landlady's daughter died of cholera, Stanton refused to believe the girl was dead and had her exhumed to be certain. He had a mania concerning death. He feared death, but couldn't put the thought out of his mind. In 1841, when his young daughter died, he became so grieved, he had her coffin dug up and placed in his bedroom where he kept it for two years. In 1844, his wife died and though depressed he was almost over the loss when his brother committed suicide. He had to be restrained at the funeral. 

       None of this means Stanton was in on a plot to have Lincoln assassinated. Yet, there are certain questions that should be answered before we totally dismiss this idea. The first thing that seems strange is John Wilkes Booth's diary which was complete when it came into the hands of Stanton. The diary now has 13 missing pages. According to Balsiger and Sellier, they have examined these pages that are now in the possession of Stanton's descendants and find numerous entry's that incriminate Stanton in the murder. 
       Stanton also rushed the trial of the conspirator's at the Washington Arsenal and just as quickly had them executed as if he were in fear they may know something that could be used to implicate them. Of course all this is mere conjecture. John Wilkes Booth did leave a message with Vice-President Andrew Johnson, the man who stood to replace Lincoln on the night of the assassination. It read, "Don't wish to disturb you are you at home? J. Wilkes Booth." Mary Lincoln later told a friend, "that miserable inebriate Johnson, had cognizance of my husband's death - Why, was that card of Booth's, found in his box, some acquaintance certainly existed - I have been deeply impressed, with the harrowing thought, that he, had an understanding with the conspirators & they knew their man... As sure, as you & I live, Johnson, had some hand, in all this." Balsiger and Sellier both state that Booth owed Johnson a favor for helping him earlier in the war. 
       We know that Stanton was a hard man. He wanted the South punished for the rebellion and was troubled that Lincoln wanted to "let them up easy." The 1937 book Why Was Lincoln Murdered by Otto Eisenschiml puts Stanton as the ringleader of the plot to kill Lincoln. Lincoln had asked Stanton's personal secretary Thomas Eckert to accompany him to the play because of threats against his life. Stanton claimed to have important work for Eckert and couldn't spare him. As soon as Lincoln left his office, Stanton sent Eckert home. 
       There is more incriminating evidence against Stanton. The one bridge that he failed to notify to stop anyone from leaving just happened to be the one Booth and Herold used to escape. The telegraph system immediately went dead upon Lincoln being shot. 
       Most modern historians believe that Stanton is innocent and further efforts to involve him should be stopped. I haven't really got an opinion on Stanton either way, but do find some of his actions a bit strange. 

The Mad Hatter: The story of Boston Corbett

Boston Corbett

       Thomas P. Corbett was born in London, England around 1832 and emigrated with his family to New York City. He later became a hat maker in York, New York. He soon married, but lost his wife in childbirth. After her death, he packed up and moved to Boston, Massachusetts where he continued his trade as a hatter. It was there that he joined the Episcopal Church and changed his name to Boston in honor of the city where he converted to Christianity. 

       He soon began to imitate Jesus and grew his hair long in an attempt to look like his Savior. In 1858, Corbett was walking down a city street when he was tempted to sleep with a prostitute. He immediately castrated himself with a pair of scissors. He ate a meal and attended a prayer meeting, blood dripping from his crotch before almost collapsing and being carried for medical attention. 

       He joined a militia regiment at the beginning of the Civil War, but eventually moved to the 16th New York Cavalry Regiment. He was captured in 1864 by John Mosby, the 'Gray Ghost of the Confederacy' and sent to Andersonville Prison Camp in Georgia. He would be exchanged within five months and return to his company as a sergeant. 

       Corbett was with the 16th New York Cavalry when they apprehended John Wilkes Booth at the Garrett Farm. He was one of the members that surrounded the barn. David Herold, Booth's accomplice surrendered, but Booth refused. The barn was set on fire to flush the assassin from his hiding place. The unit had orders that Booth must be brought back to Washington alive and no one was given permission to fire. 

       A gunshot rang out and John Wilkes Booth was hit in the neck. When the detectives walked around the barn and asked who fired the fatal shot, everyone denied they had fired their weapon. Finally, Boston Corbett admitted to having shot Booth. The detectives were very sloppy in their work and failed to check and see if Corbett's weapon had been fired at all. Today, some historians doubt the shot was fired by Corbett. Later in life, when asked why he had shot Booth, Corbett claimed the Lord had directed him to do so.

       

Another view of Sergeant Corbett

       Boston Corbett was arrested for disobeying orders, but Secretary of War Edwin Stanton would free the man. He would be given his share of the reward money for capturing Lincoln's killer. He then served as a witness against Henry Wirz, the commandant of Andersonville Prison Camp which resulted in that officers sentence to be hanged. Some believe Stanton released Corbett as an exchange for damning testimony against Wirz. 

       Following the war, Corbett returned to Boston and continued his living as a hatter again. He soon moved to Connecticut and later New Jersey. His life was slowly beginning to unravel. He attended a soldiers reunion in Ohio in 1875 where he threatened several men with a firearm. He eventually moved on to Kansas where he was arrested and sent to the Topeka Asylum for the Insane. 

       Corbett didn't stay in the asylum very long. He soon escaped and claimed he was heading to Mexico, but he traveled to Minnesota where he built a cabin in the woods near the town of Hinckley. There was a severe drought there in 1894 and a fire soon swept through the area. It is believed that almost 800 people died in the Hinckley fire. Corbett is believed to be one of those who perished. His body was never found. 

Hinckley, Minnesota following the fire

       It has been suggested that the use of Mercury in the hat making trade lead to the mental problems that plagued Corbett throughout his life. He is supposedly the first person to be coined the nickname, "Mad Hatter." 

The original Mad Hatter