Talk:Boston Corbett

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Contents 1 Disobeying Orders? 2 I have a real problem with this statement 3 External link not working 4 Agony?

[edit] Disobeying Orders?

The John Wilkes Booth article claims that he was "not [firing] against orders as some claim, as no orders were given." That contradicts this article. I don't now which is truly the case, but I just thought I should note this. User:Anonymous 00:51, 8 September 2007 (PST)

[edit] I have a real problem with this statement

"The number of references to Corbett pulling a gun on his friends, or waving a gun before a crowd, suggests that Corbett became something of a legend, casting some doubt on the veracity of such stories."

That's extremely circular reasoning. The only reason the author of this article gives to doubt the stories of Corbett being gun-happy is because he was a legend, and the only reason why he was a legend, according to this author, is because of the stories that he was gun-happy. You don't have to have a PhD in logic to realize that doesn't make sense. I'm going to delete that statement unless somebody can cite references to the claim. (Other than that, though, I found it to be an excellent article.) ______________

What the hell is a hatter? And why does it require mercury? 09:22, 14 Apr 2005 by User:196.3.48.10

a Hatter is one who makes hats.

Traditionally, hatters used mercuric compounds in the felting of the beaver and other furs to make the fabric hats are made from. Thus the english phrase "mad as a hatter" and the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland.

Specifically, mercuric nitrate was used to wash the pelts which caused the fur to seperate better, and to felt better. This process was called "carroting" because mercuric nitrate was orange. Mercury poisoning attacks the nervous system, causing drooling, hair loss, uncontrollable muscle twitching, a lurching gait, and difficulties in talking and thinking clearly. Mercury was not completly eliminated from hatmaking until 1943 in the U.S. Rick Boatright 18:12, 14 Apr 2005 (UTC)

[edit] External link not working

http://members.aol.com/RVSNorton/Lincoln32.html (link is broken.)

[edit] Agony?

To anonymous editor 24.205.251.41, Booth died in agony and there is no POV involved in that remark (slight or otherwise). I'll leave it the way you edited it, and forget about it. Glad you didn't feel the need to tell us he died peacefully. Dr. Dan 04:17, 2 August 2006 (UTC)

Hello Dr. Dan, I just felt that "agony" was unnecessary because it could be interperted as the writer hoping that he died in agony (at least that how I interpreted it). Unless he said he was in agony as he died, how could the writer know how he felt? While I'm sure he did die a painful death, his emotional state at the time of death does not seem relevant to the article. Thank you for pointing out my edit so we could discuss this further. --24.205.251.41 05:10, 2 August 2006 (UTC)

Thanks for your response (one does not typically get them from anonymous users). I prefer to leave the matter alone. In the more detailed and scholarly works concerning Booth's death, that I have read, they point to a prolonged and agonizing death that took several hours. Since I wasn't there, and he didn't tell me so, I'm even more satisfied that I chose to let it go. As a pacifist, and conscientious objector, I would not wish anyone an agonizing death. That was not my intention when I wrote it, and far be it from me, to be some kind of judge of men deemed bad or evil by society at large. Best wishes, Dr. Dan 04:54, 3 August 2006 (UTC)