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Comment by cik2e | Hacker News Reader

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> The most interesting thing about Lincoln is that absolutely nothing about his assassination makes any physical sense.

I disagree with your assumptions, and appeal to authority.

There are more details readily available that are known, but some we may never know. Booth barricaded the door upstairs. So the security guards would had hard time getting in upstairs. As soon as Booth landed on the stage he was chased by Major Joseph B. Stewart and footlights. They had to climb onto the stage over the orchestra pit.

The drop from the balcony to the stage is not certain, some records put it at 12', some at 15'. Basically a first floor (2nd in US) window. There are ample stories where people fall from heights with minimal to no injury. The stage is wood scaffolding, that gives on impact. It is elevated, and there is low-headroom space under it. "At first, the crowd interpreted the unfolding drama as part of the production, but a scream from the first lady told them otherwise."[0] There were screams and pandemonium. [1] Smithsonian has even more details, including how someone recalls Booth's spur getting caught while jumping in the flag draped over the front, potentially slowing his fall, but landing on hands and knees.

[0]: https://www.history.com/.amp/topics/american-civil-war/abrah... [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Abraham_Linco... [2]: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/abraham-lincoln-team-... [3]: https://www.ushistory.org/us/34f.asp

But the story is that he WAS injured. So fine, let's say it's minor and he's jacked up on adrenaline and doesn't notice.

And as Booth is being a Marvel action hero (a man in his 40s), everyone is standing around twiddling their thumbs? Including the military detachment outside. The story is not realistic on any level.

... have you ever broken your ankle?

Walking -- running, even -- on a broken ankle is totally normal, for like fifteen minutes or an hour. It's after the swelling sets in that you get all hobbling mclimpy.

Having broken my own ankle I could totally believe that after the initial "ow, fuck, that hurt", Booth could totally have not realized he'd busted his ankle until he tried to get off his horse and his ankle went NOPE.

There weren't really a horde of "Lincoln bodyguards" though. The Secret Service didn't even handle guarding politicians yet (They had just been created, but for their primary task of fighting counterfeiters). It's hard to imagine, but back then it was considered normal for politicians to just live like other people rather than being surrounded by bodyguards. You could even go as a normal citizen to the White House and ask to speak to the President (he might not have time to do so, but you could ask and people did)

You are kidding right? Of course Lincoln had bodyguard. Maybe they weren't called the Secret Service but he had bodyguards. This was a time of war and the president is going about unprotected? Guarding your most important politician is not a modern invention.

No. He had in theory just one unofficial bodyguard, a police officer named John Parker. There is some evidence that Parker was bored by the play and left at intermission to get a drink and didn't come back to the president's box. He wasn't around at the time of the assassination, though, at which point Lincoln was completely unguarded.

We've tightened the security around major US politicians, and especially the President, a ton over the 20th century, especially. It's even increased a bunch since e.g. the 1950s.

Anyone could just walk onto the White House grounds without challenge for a really long time, for example.

You realize there were many many witnesses in that theater. This video of the last surviving eyewitness was making the rounds a few years ago [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RPoymt3Jx4&t=307s].

Also I did not know there were conspiracy theories about the LINCOLN assassination. It's very quaint!

I'm only suggesting that the official story doesn't stand up to any sort of critical analysis. Yes there were many witnesses. I don't know what all of the witness accounts were and how those filtered down into the official story.

What I'm suggesting is that the official account makes no sense. Mary Lincoln Todd waits for Booth to do all of his theatrics, instead of immediately screaming "EVERYONE WITH A GUN SHOOT THAT MAN".

I am not suggesting it anything beyond that. But I am not terminally naïve.

I challenge you to look for good historical analysis of the situation. There isn't that much.

>Mary Lincoln Todd waits for Booth to do all of his theatrics, instead of immediately screaming "EVERYONE WITH A GUN SHOOT THAT MAN".

I think you're using videogame logic to analyze a human situation. People do not react that way.

Agreed! That would be an ideal response, but statistically how often does the ideal situation happen in the real world?

I would say it is equally likely that Booth did some parkour move to drop 15 feet and be minimally breaking his leg? Or, more likely, the adrenaline, and flight mode, after killing someone allowed him to not even feel the pain in the moment?

> immediately screaming "EVERYONE WITH A GUN SHOOT THAT MAN".

They were at a theatre enjoying a show with the President of the US present, why would anyone have a gun on them?

I mean, there was a conspiracy to kill Lincoln, et al. It's well documented, and most of the conspirators were executed for it.

Maybe the knife landed near him and he picked it up right away before he got up.

You're putting a lot of weight on "you can't hold onto something from a 15' drop" to dismiss everything, even though there were hundreds of witnesses, many of whom were interviewed about the events.

Why don't you go ahead and tell us your theory of what happened. I almost guarantee it is more outlandish than "he held onto a knife from a 15' drop"

So he was given more time to limp around and retrieve the knife while not being apprehended or shot at?

I said the knife could have landed right near him and he picked it up immediately.

And he timed the shot to be at a point where everyone laughed during the play,meaning many people just had no idea what was going on.

So, what's your theory of what happened?

Lincoln was the first president to be assassinated. If no one expects it then people are gonna lock up to gunfire and possibly not realize what it is. Look at the Shinzo Abe shooting. There were plenty of guards, just due to the situation in Japan they weren't at all prepared for an assassination or gunfire.

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