From: mabjo@pacbell.net   
      
   Martha Bridegam wrote:   
      
   > Bobby Farouk wrote:   
   >   
   > > "Moyehoist"  wrote in message   
   > > news:20040613113613.11550.00001192@mb-m04.aol.com...   
   > > > >You've taken that quote out of context. It's in context, and   
   > > >   
   > > > What's out of context - he said what I quoted-no more and no less.   
   > > >   
   > > > And others confirm reports he was shot by communists.  Do you deny that   
   he   
   > > was   
   > > > not being hunted by Stalin?  Do you deny that Orwell knew this?   
   > > >   
   > > > >Kopp reported the distance was about   
   > > > >175 yards, which he reported was close enough to have a cauterizing   
   > > effect. I   
   > > > >expect Georges Kopp had seen more war injuries than any of us have, and   
   > > was   
   > > > >in a   
   > > > >better position to know.   
   > > >   
   > > > I have butchered hundreds of deer shot with all sorts of weapons at   
   > > various   
   > > > ranges.   
   > > > I have pelts at arnms length of deer shot at 120 yards - sorry - no   
   > > > corterization and nothing you say or do can ever chaange the laws of   
   > > physics.   
   > > > r   
   > > >   
   > >   
   > > I spoke to a couple law enforcement acquaintances who confirm the extreme   
   > > unlikelihood of a hot bullet from 175 yards (or even 25).  But they also   
   > > said the wound described by eye witness Harry Milton is inconsistent with a   
   > > shot from close up.  Actually, they were baffled by the wound from any   
   > > range.  I do not present this as fact, but as the response I received from   
   > > people who have professional experience with human gunshot wounds.   
   > >   
   > > Why then did Georges Kopp say it had cauterized?  I'm guessing that, seeing   
   > > it later, he was simply mistaken.  He was an engineer, not a doctor or a   
   > > forensics expert.  Again, I'm guessing.   
   > >   
   > > Based on Orwell's and Milton's accounts, it seems the shot came from the   
   > > Fascist side of the line.  Orwell's head was above the parapet with the   
   > > dawning appearing behind him, making him a pretty good target.   
   > >   
   > > Assassination on the front does not appear to have been the mode of   
   > > operation for the Communists in Spain (from my reading, anyway).  People   
   > > were generally arrested, thrown in jail and then, well, good luck to them.   
   > >   
   > > I have no evidence that Orwell was a hunted man prior to his injury.  He   
   was   
   > > shot May 20 and the suppression of POUM did not begin in earnest until   
   June.   
   > > He convalesced in a sanatorium for nearly two weeks in early June, so he   
   was   
   > > there for the taking if they wanted him.  POUM head Andres Nin was arrested   
   > > June 15 and the next day POUM was outlawed.  The police came for Orwell at   
   > > his hotel June 18.  He was fortunate to be out of Barcelona.  Georges Kopp   
   > > was arrested the 20th.   
   >   
   > Thanks for looking at this seriously -- both the forensics and the politics.   
   >   
   > One other thing about the politics side: there's Orwell's report that he was   
   > surprised, on his return to Barcelona, to discover he was in trouble as a   
   POUM   
   > member. In other words he didn't know while at the front, or even while   
   > hospitalized, that he would be in such danger on his return. Which in turn   
   > suggests that politically he felt he was among friends while at the front.   
   >   
   > Again, if anyone can get at a copy of the *Orwell Remembered* book with the   
   > Milton and Branthwaite accounts that would be a help.   
   >   
   > /M   
      
   Hmmm, actually, looking it up, I find it wasn't quite right to say that after   
   his   
   wound he was surprised to be in trouble for being with the POUM. After all,   
   there   
   had already been the conflict in Barcelona before he went back to the front,   
   and   
   on actually looking at the text I find he talks about frightening rumors and "a   
   peculiar evil feeling in the air" during the period when he was at the   
   Sanatorium   
   Maurin in the Barcelona suburbs. What I remembered really was his failure to   
   appreciate the extent of the danger until he goes into the hotel and Eileen,   
   greeting him, whispers, "Get out!"   
      
   But then there's this:   
      
   "...I slept a night at Monzon Hospital, where I went to see my medical board.   
   In   
   the next bed to me there was an Assault Guard, wounded over the left eye. He   
   was   
   friendly and gave me cigarettes. I said: 'In Barcelona we should have been   
   shooting one another,' and we laughed over this. It was queer how the general   
   spirit seemed to change when you got anywhere near the front line. All or   
   nearly   
   all of the vicious hatreds of the political parties evaporated. During all the   
   time I was at the front I never once remember any PSUC adherent showing me   
   hostility because I was POUM. That kind of thing belonged in Barcelona or in   
   places even remoter from the war..."   
      
   c/o M   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)