Saturday, January 16, 2021

how Lincoln was done in by Stanton, Jay Cooke et alia, in detail

 See also: https://balance10.blogspot.com/2019/04/secrets-of-lincoln-assassination.html


 The 18 missing Booth diary pages were locked in a box in the attic. 

The Stanton family heirs had never opened the box; in fact, they had 

no key.  Appraiser Lynch analyzed them, apparently with a decrption person, from 1974.  In the end Lynch sold to the movie company a transcript of the supposed diary, made 

from his tape-recorded descriptions. The 

price was somewhere between $5,000 and 

$10,000.

 The pages give a fascinating account, presumably 

written by Booth, of his intrigues with Lincoln intimates shortly before the assassination. Some of the most prominent politicians of the period, including Stanton, are implicated.  Booth using a common code wrote:


 "At a party given by Eva's parents, I met Senator John 

Conness (California Senator). Conness says Eddie (Booth) and 

he are friends from days in California in '55 and '56. 

In a private conversation he informed me that he could 

render some service to the South. He suggests that I call on him tomorrow as we might 

have some common interests. 

I saw him this morning and he produced documents which 

proved that he was not an enemy spy. He gave me the name of a wholesale druggist who could be trusted and said the druggist would supply from 5,000 to 25,000 

ounces of quinine. I purchased a six-week list in advance of all the passwords 

which changed daily on the post roads for the sum of $3,000. 

He said that he would supply the new passwords every six 

weeks as they changed for as long as I wished, providing each 

time $3,000 would be forthcoming. 

He said he was not a patriot for either North or South, but 

rather a nan with a small pocket and a large need.” 


"In Philadelphia today I met with Jay Cooke [Lincoln's Civil 

War financier].  Cooke brought his brother Henry [Washington banker] — greeted 

me warmly and said he thought most highly of Judah Benjamin 

[Confederate Secretary of State] and acknowledged that anyone 

who that wily fox, Benjamin, would send would be the best man 

available.  We had lunch, then went to a room where the people present were. Number of speculators in both cotton and gold. Present were Thurlow Weed [Lincoln's campaign manager and loyal supporter], a person by the name of [Samuel] Noble [New York cotton 

broker] , a man by the name of [Zachariah] Chandler [Michigan 

Senator] , a Mr. [Issac] Bell [cotton merchant] — who said he was 

a friend of John Conness. 


Each and every one asserted that he had had dealings with the 

Confederate, states and they would continue, too, wherever possible. 

Cooke said that they would continue to have dealings with the 

Confederacy, but not out of fear of betrayal, but because in peace 

and in war, a businessman must do business whatever the stakes. 

Cooke gave me two letters--one to Beverly Tucker [Confederate diplomatic agent] 

and the other to Jacob Thompson [Confederate 

secret service chief]--both in cipher.” 

"At the St. Lawrence Hotel in Montreal— 

A half hour went by and Thompson arrived. I presented  

KSSVS2 2LST-given by Cooke--The * ^3 SJT2U 

ine4.^ And after dinner ' Thompson gave me $50,000 in bank notes with 

instructions to take $15,000 to Senator Conness and to leave in 

a sealed envelope $20,000 in notes at the home of Senator rBnnLm^i 

Wade. Ohio Senator]. The balance of the money ?o be used to SbSin 

recruits for our plan. The plan goes forward! * ln 


"Washington again at "the National -- 

{John] Surratt and I are to go south to reconnoiter the ground 

which we will cover. We have four routes and at least a hundred 

supporters along the way—most patriots, some who need money, but 

all loyal to the South. 

 We are ready at last. We waited all day — six of us in the 

freezing rain and he did not come. 

Answering a knock on my door this morning, I found Lafayette 

Baker [Chief of the National Detective Police, a division of 

Stanton's War Department] on my doorstep. I thought the end had 

come. But instead, he handed me letters from Jefferson Davis 

[President of the Confederate States of America], from Judah 

Benjamin, and from Clement Clay [Confederate States diplomat].. 

I gave him the money and sent a message to Richmond [Capitol of 

the Confederate States of America]. I don't trust him. I wait 

for answer. I receive reply, my orders—Trust him! I do not!”

 

"I went to Conness. He said to trust Baker — that he knew him 

in California in '55 and '56 and that Baker could be trusted because 

of that fact. I cannot. They believe in him. I cannot! 

 I purchased a carbine entirely covered in leather. I darken 

it with lamp black. I took [Lewis] Paine and [John] Surratt with me and we waited 

on the road near the gardens. 

In the late hours of the morning' we heard a horse approaching. 

It was him. It was dark and I waited until he was 25 or 30 yards 

from me. I fired! I saw his hat fall. 

m*ki Pll? a fired twice ' He stayed in the saddle and galloped away. 

Within minutes they pursued us. Within two miles, we eluded them! 

Another failure! 

nm JL- ^ et [ ?°-* r E Y e: f ton] Conger [Baker's aide] at the Herndon House. 

He was in mufti [plain clothes] and warned no new attempts until 

we have a new plan. If I try again without orders they will find me in the Potomac 

along with my friends. No new orders come in the last ten days. I go to New York. I 

make it plain, I believe we have been betrayed and that I think the 

scoundrel responsible is Baker.” 

"I believe that Baker and [Maj. Thomas] Eckert [Stanton aide and 

chief of the War Department Telegraph Office] and the Secretary 

[Stanton] are in control of our activities and this frightens me.” 


"There is great excitement tonight. Rumors say that [Robert E.] 

Lee has surrendered. If it is true, it means the end. 

I believe that these politicians, these vipers and their cronies 

will strip the South bare. it seems that all things we have planned and striven for have come to naught. By the almighty God, I swear that I shall lay the body of this 

tyrant [Lincoln] dead upon the altar of Mars ["Mars" was Lincoln's 

name for Stanton] . And if by this act, I am slain, they too shall 

be cast into Hell for I have given information to a friend who 

will have the nation know who the traitors are." 

………………………………………..

  A diary account left by Rep. George Julian was also acquired by Sunn Classic Pictures:  "Post-Assassination Monday, April 24, 1865 — I was today summoned to the War Secretary's [Edwin Ml Stanton] office. When I got there Major [Thomas] Eckert [Chief of the War Department Telegraph Office] was at the door with a grim look on his usually pleasant face and I sensed at once that something was amiss. 

"He opened the door so I could enter and then I saw Senator 

[Zachariah] Chandler [Michigan Senator] , who was reading from a 

small book. He too had a sour look on his face. The War 

Secretary was pacing up and down while Chandler read with 

mumbles. Stanton said that he had sent for [John] Conness 

[California Senator] , and that he should be there momentarily. 

Conness soon arrived and was ushered in by Major Eckert. 


"I asked what was happening and Stanton said, *We have Booth's 

diary and he has recorded a lot in it.' Conness grabbed it away 

from Chandler and sat down in a chair as he read. He kept 

mumbling 'Oh my God, Oh my God, 1 and then said, I am ruined if 

this ever gets out. ' 


"Stanton asked me if I wanted to read the diary and I told 

him that since I had not met the man and was not mentioned in his 

diary, I was better off not reading it. 

 "Stanton said, 'It concerns you, for we either stick together 

in this thing, or we will all go down the river together.' _ But 

I did not read it nor do I know what was in it, but it excited 

Chandler and Conness as well as Stanton. 

"Chandler said, 'We cannot let it out.' Conness agreed and 

so did Stanton. I all this time supposed that Booth had been 

captured and I asked what Booth had to say. Stanton replied 

that they would have him by the next morning. I did not ask 

how he had come to get his diary when they didn't have him. 


"Stanton placed the book in an envelope and sealed it. Gave 

it to Eckert with the instructions to place it in the safe and 

release it to no one without his order. Eckert took it away and 

I left. It was disgusting to see those men grovel in fear because of 

their immoral activities. I returned to my office and thence to 

my rooms. " 

 https://archive.org/stream/assassinxxxxxxx00linc/assassinxxxxxxx00linc_djvu.txt

.............................................................................

George W. Julian's Journal 335 

caucus with Wade, Chandler, Covode, Judge Carter and Wilkin- 

son, correspondent of The Tribune, who is determined to put 

Greeley on the war-path.  In this caucus we agreed upon a new 

cabinet, which we are tomorrow to urge upon Johnson, among 

other things placing Butler in the State Department, Stebbins, of 

New York, in the navy, and Covode Postmaster General.  I like 

the radicalism of the members of this caucus, but have not in a 

long time heard so much profanity.  It became intolerably 

disgusting.  Their hostility towards Lincoln's policy of conciliation 

and contempt for his weakness were undisguised; and the 

universal feeling among radical men here is that his death is a god- 

send.  It really seems so, for among the last acts of his official 

life was an invitation to some of the chief rebel conspirators to 

meet in Richmond and confer with us on the subject of peace. 

The dastardly attack upon Lincoln and Seward, the great leaders 

in the policy of mercy, puts to flight utterly every vestige of  

humanitarian weakness and makes it seem that justice shall be done 

and the righteous ends of the war made sure.  The government 

could not have survived the policy upon which it had entered. 6 

https://archive.org/stream/jstor-27785702/27785702_djvu.txt

.....................................................................................................................

see also https://balance1010.wordpress.com/2014/12/21/ray-neff-about-1960-made-some-great-discoveries/

.........................................................................................................................

Jay Cooke--(1821-1905) Banker, Leading financier of the Civil 

War. Established valuable ties with financiers and government 

officials. But over-inflated security issues in private ventures, 

plus inefficient management drove him into unexpected bankruptcy, 

precipitating the panic of 1873. Recovered losses by speculating 

in mining and real estate out west within seven years. Still died 

with a fortune. 


Thurlow Weed--Influential newspaperman & 

political leader from N.Y. Played behind - 

the scenes role in controlling many political 

careers, policies  Helped make William 

Seward N.Y. Governor, Senator, managed his 

losing campaign for President in l861 but 

helped him become Secretary of State. One 

of Lincoln's most valued advisors. Went to 

Europe to gain support for the North. 


John Conness--Born in Ireland, 1821. Cameto 

U.S. in 1833. Served as California Senator 

from I863-I869. Died in Massachusetts. 


Thomas T. Eckert--Was in charge of military 

telegraph at War Department under Stanton. 

Serving as acting Assistant Sec. of War when 

Lincoln slain. Officially served as such from 

1866-1867. Went on to become president of 

several telegraph companies. Died in 1910. 


Zacharia Chandler--(1813-1679 ) Rep. Senator 

from Michigan 1857-1875. Friend and confidant 

of Stanton, fought hard to defeat Lincoln's 

re nomination in '64. Major supporter of Stan- 

ton in Committee on Conduct of War. Lobbied 

for Stanton's appointment to Supreme Court. 


Rep. George Washington Julian--(1817-1899) Republican Congress- 

man from Indiana (1661-1871). A friend and supporter of Stanton. 

Sat on Committee on Conduct of the War. Made a speech in February, 

1865 that set the scene for a possible impeachment of Lincoln. 

Wrote "Political Recollections ,1814.0-1872" in later years.


Lafayette Baker--Chief of Detectives in 

War Dept's Nat'l Detective Police. (Early 

"Secret "Service") Sent for by Stanton to 

find Booth. Dispatched troops to capture 

Booth after learning clue to his wherea- 

bouts from Major O'Beirne, whose request 

for men brought Baker to the assassin. 

Stole credit from O'Beirne. Loved the 

limelight. A master detective but also 

a scoundrel, ruthless, dishonest, etc; 

Lost his War Department job after Presi- 

dent Johnson caught him spying on him. 

Had grudge against Stanton after that. 

Died under mysterious circumstances, 

possibly poisoned, in i870.


Benjamin Wade—Senator from Ohio. Was major 

antagonist of Lincoln's policies, most notably 

the 1861+ Wade-Davis Bill, which Lincoln vetoed. 

Was chairman of Joint Committee on Conduct of 

the War, which was significant Stanton ally. . 

Was President Pro tern of Senate during Johnson 

Impeachment move. Had Johnson been removed 

from office, Wade would have been successor 

to the Presidency. Died I878.

………………………….....................


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