Yserbius – if you can please find documentation of either of those claims, they would be most appreciated. He was famous for being very perceptive. I don’t doubt that he was gifted, and perhaps a genius – I really don’t think they could have kept him unaware of what waa going on all around him…that just doesn’t jive. None of that validates him, even though some will interpret any praise of the rebbe’s abilities as approval of his actions, it ainply isn’t.
He spoke regularly to thousands; he had plenty of opportunities to set the record straight, even if it was a small contingent of followers who thought he was moshiach…that would have been the responsible thing to do.