The Otto Eisenschiml Theory

The Otto Eisenschiml Theory

                Otto Eisenschiml was an Austrian born chemist that immigrated to the US in 1903, where he began his quest in solving the Lincoln Assassination. Otto was the type of man that was fascinated with history, especially with American history. Otto questioned the relevant facts about the Lincoln assassination, and for that he dug deeper looking for more answers. In his book, “Why was Lincoln Murdered?”, he suggests an alternative theory to why Lincoln was killed. So why the speculation of bigger hoax? Otto suggests that the main player in the Lincoln assassination was Edwin Stanton, the Secretary of War.

    Edwin Stanton has a long history with Lincoln, as they both were lawyers growing up. Stanton, was one of the less favorites of Lincoln’s cabinet, but he had strong intentions of changing the shape of the Union after Lincoln’s death. Eisenschiml offered proof of Stanton’s involvement by stating, “Stanton had a motive: he was worried that Lincoln’s moderate proposals for southern reconstruction would let the former Confederate states off too easily for the carnage they initiated” (Eisenschiml), Stanton wanted to do more than let the South off easy, and at the time of a nation in grief, they were wanting to put the blame on the South. Ironically though Stanton, was a very powerful man, so could he have helped Booth escaped and lead the Union Army on man hunt for the wrong person? Eisenschiml suggested that Stanton had exaggeration of power, to close off the bridges in Washington the night of the assassination along with the power to control the telegraphs. In Eisenschiml’s book he states, “Stanton closed all bridges from the city, except one – the Navy Yard Bridge – which Booth took as his escape route.  Stanton also allegedly ordered that Union soldiers should kill Booth rather than arrest him. And, finally, investigators noted 15 pages torn from Booth’s diary, deliberately ripped out by Stanton”, (Eisenschiml), to prove that Stanton had control over the night in attempt to get rid of all the evidence that would be against him in the court of law. Stanton knew what he was doing and knew how to cover up his mess, since he was a lawyer before becoming a part of Lincoln’s cabinet.

                Another claim that Otto, was concerned with was the Ulysses S. Grant was also in on the plot to kill Lincoln. President Lincoln invited Grant to the theater the night he was killed, as a chance to speak with him about the ending of the Civil War and to see the new ideas of the Union. Ulysses, cancelled the plans the day of, since his wife was ill, and wrote Lincoln that he could not be in attendance with him. Now is this solely by chance his wife was sick or was this a planned day not to go? This is what Otto wanted to further investigate. Grant may have been in on the plot and knew what was happening, but how could a noble man go against the man that gave him his fame and glory? Through all the acquisitions that were made, Otto still believes that Grant had involvement in the plot to kill Lincoln.

                So the real question is do you believe in a theory that was written 66 years later after the death of Lincoln? Or do you believe the primary documents that were accounted for during the time period? I will leave this up for discussion.

Feel free to Comment below your response!

-Tim Mitchell

Sources: https://www.fords.org/blog/post/misinformation-and-conspiracy-theories-about-the-lincoln-assassination/ , http://spartacus-educational.com/USAeisenschiml.htm , https://archive.org/details/whywaslincolnmur00eise