Assassination of president Lincoln
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F. L. BATES, Author.
THE ESCAPE AND SUICIDE
OF
John Wilkes Booth
OR THE FIRST TRUE ACCOUNT OF
LINCOLN'S ASSASSINATION
CONTAINING
A COMPLETE CONFESSION BY BOOTH
MANY YEARS AFTER THE CRIME
Giving in Full Detail the PLANS, PLOT AND INTRIGUE
OF THE CONSPIRATORS, and the TREACHERY
OF ANDREW JOHNSON, then Vice-Presi-
dent of the United States
WRITTEN FOR THE CORRECTION OF HISTORY
BY
FINIS L. BATES
BATES PUBLISHING CO
AVe- MEMPHIS, TENN.
COPYRIGHTED 1907 AND ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED BY
FINIS LANGDON BATES,
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.
DEDICATION
To the Armies and Navies of the late Civil War,
fought between the States of North America, from
1861 to 1865, this book is dedicated,
THE AUTHOR.
PREFACE
In the preparation of this book I have neither
spared time or money, since I became satisfied that
John Wilkes Booth was not killed, as has been sup-
posed, at the Garrett home in Virginia, on the 26th
day of April, 1865, and present this volume of col-
lated facts, which I submit for the correction of his-
tory, respecting the assassination of President Abra-
ham Lincoln, and the death or escape of John Wilkes
Booth.
Personally, I know nothing of President Lincoln,
and knew nothing of John Wilkes Booth until my
meeting with John St. Helen, at my home in Texas,
in the year 1872.
The picture which John St. Helen left with me
for the future identification of himself in his true
name and personality, was first identified by Gen.
D. D. Dana, of Lubec, Maine, as John Wilkes Booth,
January 17, 1898.
The second time by Junius Brutus Booth, the
third, of Boston, Mass., (he being the oldest living
nephew of John Wilkes Booth), on the 21st day of
February, 1903, at Memphis, Tenn.
The third time by the late Joe Jefferson (the
world's famous Rip Van Winkle), at Memphis,
PREFACE.
Tennessee, on the 14th day of April, 1903, just thir-
ty-eight years to a day from the date of the assassina-
tion of President Lincoln. I here make mention of
this identification because of its importance. Among
the personal acquaintances of John Wilkes Booth
none would know him better than Mr. Jefferson, who
was most closely associated with him for several
years, both playing together on the same stage. I
know of no man whose knowledge of Booth is more
to be trusted, or whose words of identification will
carry more weight to the world at large. [While
there are many other important personages equally
to be relied upon, that have identified his pictures
there is none other so well known to the general
public, having identified the picture taken of John
St. Helen, in 1877, as being that of John Wilkes
Booth — thus establishing the faet of actual physical
proof that John Wilkes Booth was living in 1872,
when I met him under the name of John St. Helen,
as also when he had his picture taken and left with
me in the late winter ©r early spring of 1878, twelve
years after the assassination of President Lincoln.
\ It is well in this connection to call attention to
other physical proofs of the identification of John
tWilkes Booth by referring to the deformed right
thumb, just where it joined the hand, and the mis-
matched brows, his right brow being arched and
unlike the left. The deformity of the right
PJEtEFACE.
thumb was caused by its having been crushed in
the cogs of the machinery used for the hoisting of a
stage curtain. The arched brow was caused by
Booth being accidentally cut by McCullum with a
saBre while they were at practice as the characters
of Ei chard and Kichmond, the point of McCullum Js
sword cutting a gash through the right brow, which
had to be stitched up, and in healing became
arched. And especially attention is called to the
identity of these marks in his pictures more
particularly the one at the age of 64, taken of him
while he was dead and lying in the mergue. During
life Booth carried a small cane between the thumb
and forefinger of the right hand to conceal that
defect; observe this cane in his hand, in the
picture of him at the age of 27. These physical
marks on Booth's body settle without argument his
identity. However, in all instances of investigation
I have sought the highest sources of information and
give the conclusive facts supported by physical
monument and authentic record.
Wherefore, it is by this authority I state the veri-
fied truth with impartiality for the betterment of
history, to the enlightment of the present and future
generations of mankind, respecting the assassination
of one of America's most universally beloved Presi-
dents and the fate of his assassin.
FINIS L. BATES.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE
Chapter I. Lincoln-Booth 1
Chapter II. John St. Helen 5
Chapter III. John St. Helen Lectures Roland Read 18
Chapter IV. St. Helen's Illness 27
Chapter V. St. Helen's Identity Revealed 33
Chapter VI. The Assassination 40
Chapter VII. The Man Killed at the Garrett Home 60
Chapter VIII. The Separation 83
Chapter IX. The Pursuit of Booth 92
Chapter X. The East Potomac Bridge 121
Chapter XI. The Hand of Secretary Stanton 132
/ Chapter XII. Gen. Dana Identifies Booth 168
Chapter XIII. A Baltimorean Still 191
Chapter XIV. Informing the War Department that Booth
Lives 205
Chapter XV. Gen. Albert Pike Identified Booth 222
Chapter XVI. Press Comments on the Suicide of David E.
George * 243
Chapter XVII. These are Pictures of John Wilkes Booth.. 274
Chapter XVIII. Reading the Palm of John Wilkes Booth.. 292
Chapter XIX. Joseph Jefferson Identifies John Wilkes
Booth 299
Chapter XX. Junius Brutus Booth Identifies His Uncle,
John Wilkes Booth 304
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
F. L. Bates Frontispiece
John Wilkes Booth (age 27) 0-1
Abraham Lincoln 0-1
Booth's Bed Confession 32-33
Complete Confession to Mr. Bates 32-33
Andrew Johnson 42-43
Jefferson Davis 42-43
Ford's Theater 46-47
Fleeing on Horseback 40-47
Booth Hid in the Wagon Box Fleeing 50-51
Dr. Stewart's Summer Home 56-57
The Home of Mr. Jones 56-57
Booth Disguised as Teamster 56-57
Booth and his Horse Tired Out 56-57
Gen. D. D. Dana 92-93
The Surratt Tavern 92-93
Gen. C. C. Augur 120-121
Mrs. Surratt 120-121
David E. Herold 162-163
Bryantown 162-163
Gen. Lew Wallace 172-173
Edwin Booth 172-173
Home of Dr. Mudd 188-189
Riding Boot of Booth 188-189
Clara Morris, Actress 1§6-197
Joseph Jefferson, the Actor 196-197
John Wilkes Booth (age 38) 202-203
Junius Brutus Booth, the First 202-203
Gen. Albert Pike 222-223
Booth as a House-painter 222-223
John Wilkes Booth (age 64) 276-277
The Mummified Hand of John Wilkes Booth .276-277
JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
Aged 27, Taken Just Before the Assassination of Lincoln,
and Cane Which Was Carried to Conceal Deformed Thumb.
PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Holding the Proclamation of Emancipation, and the Log Cabin
Near Salem, Kentucky, Where He Was Born.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES,
AND
JOHN WILKES BOOTH, THE ACTOR.
THE ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN
BY JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
CHAPTER I.
LINCOLN— BOOTH
President Abraham Lincoln was born near Salem,
Kentucky, United States of America, in a log cabin,
on the 12th day of February, 1809, of humble par-
entage, and was president of the Northern Federal
States of America, after the secession of the South-
ern States, beginning March 4th, 1861, whereby was
brought about a temporary dissolution of the Union
of the United States of America, when the political
issues of the rights of States to withdraw and secede
from the Union of States and the constitutional right
LINCOLN— BOOTH.
slavery of the black race, as had been promulgated
since, before and beginning with the independence
of, and federation of the American Colonies; after-
ward transformed into sovereign State governments.
"When, for the settlement of these issues appeal
was had to the bloody arbitrament of battle, in the
Civil War fought between the Federal States on the
one side, with Abraham Lincoln as President and
commander-in-chief of the Federal Army and Navy,
with his site of government at Washington, D. C,
and Jefferson Davis, President of the Southern
seceded States, called the Confederate States of
America, and commander-in-chief of the Army and
Navy of the Southern Confederate States, with his
site of government at the city of Richmond, and
capital of the State of Virginia, situated approxi-
mately one hundred miles to the south from Wash-
ington City.
Mr. Lincoln was inaugurated President 'of the
Federal States, at Washington, D. C, March 4th,
1861, and remained President until he received his
mortal wound at the hands of his assassin, John
Wilkes Booth, while seated with a party of friends
in a private box attending Ford's Theater, in Wash-
ington, D. C, on the evening of the 14th day of
April, 1865, and died from his wound on the early^
morning of April the 15th, 1865.
LINCOLN— BOOTH.
Mr. Lincoln was a lawyer pre-eminent in his pro-
fession, and had never associated himself with any
church organization, and, in fact, was a deist, as
also a firm believer in dreams, and to him they were
presentiments forecasting coming events.
John Wilkes Booth was born near the city of Bal-
timore, on a farm, in the State of Maryland, in the
year 1838, and was at the time of the assassination
of President Lincoln about 27 years of age, and
famous as an actor. He came from a family distin-
guished as actors and politicians in England as early
as the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, being
descended from Barton Booth, the most popular
actor with the English royalty known to history, and
pronounced of all actors the greatest Macbeth the
world has ever produced.
Henry Booth, Earl of "Warrington, was his great-
great-uncle, and John Wilkes, the Democratic re-
former, in that he caused the extension of the fran-
chise or right of ballot, to the common people of
England, and who was at one time Lord Mayor of
London, was his great-great-grandfather on his great-
grandmother's side. While John Wilkes of England
was distinguished for his great mental ability, he
was equally distinguished for being the ugliest man
in all England, while his wife was the most beau-
tiful woman England had produced to her day.
LINCOLN— BOOTH.
John Wilkes Booth gets his name of John [Wilkes
from his great-great-grandfather, and his strikingly-
handsome personality from his great-great-grand-
mother. Thus it is said that John Wilkes Booth
is given to the world from an ancestry known to
England in their day as the Beauty and Beast.
John Wilkes Booth was a partisan in his sympa-
thies for the success of the Southern Confederate
States in the Civil War, bold and outspoken in his
friendship for the South and his well wishes for the
triumph of the Southern cause. In politics a Demo-
crat, and by religion a Catholic, and a son of Junius
Brutus Booth, the first, who was known to all men
of his day as the master of the art of dramatic act-
ing, being himself descended from the Booth fam-
ily of actors in England, pre-eminently great as
tragedians since the beginning of the sixteenth cen-
tury.
CHAPTER II.
JOHN ST. HELEN
I have long hesitated to give to the world the true
story of the plot first to kidnap and finally assassi-
nate President Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth and
others, as related to me in 1872, and at other times
thereafter, by one then known to me as John St.
Helen, but in truth and in fact, as afterward devel-
oped, John Wilkes Booth himself, in person telling
this story more than seven years after the assassina-
tion of President Lincoln, and the supposed killing
of Booth at the Garret home, in Virginia. Far re-
moved from the scene of his crime, he told me the
tale of his dastardly deed at Grandberry, Hood
county, Texas, a then comparative frontier town of
the great Western empire of these American States.
This story I could not accept ^as a fact without
investigation, believing, as the world believed, that
John Wilkes Booth had been killed at the Garret
home in Virginia on or about the 26th day of April,
1865, by one Boston Corbett, connected with the
Federal troops in pursuit of him, after he (Booth)
had been passed through the Federal military lines
JOHN ST. HELEN.
V * .
which formed a complete cordon surrounding the
City of Washington, D. C, on the night of and after
the assassination of President Lincoln. But after
many years of painstaking and exhaustive investiga-
tion, I am now unwillingly, and yet unanswerably,
convinced that it is a fact that Booth was not killed,
but made good his escape by the assistance of some
of the officers of the Federal Army and government
of the United States, located at Washington — trait-
ors to President Lincoln, in whose keeping was his
life— co-operating with Capt. Jett and Lieuts. Bug-
gies and Bainbridge, of the Confederate troops, be-
longing to the command of Col. J. S. Mosby, en-
camped at Bowling Green, Virginia. And the correct-
ness of these statements, as well as to my convictions,
the readers of this story must witness for or against
the conclusion reached, for it is to the American
people that I appeal that they shall hear the unal-
terable facts to the end that they may bear testimony
with me to the civilized world that the death of
America's "martyred President, Lincoln, was not
avenged, as we have been persuaded to believe, and
that it remained the pleasure of the assassin to take
his own life as how and when it best pleased him,
conscious of his great individual crime and the
nation's loss by the death of President Lincoln, the
commission of which crime takes *ank among the
JOHN ST. HELEN.
epochs of time equaled only by the crucifixion of
Christ and the assassination of Caesar; in the con-
templation of which the physical man chills with in-
dignant emotions and the cold blood coursing his
viens makes numb the fingers recording the crime
that laid President Lincoln in the silent halls of
death and made Tad fatherless. But the truth will
be told, if needs be, with tremors and palsied hands,
in the triumph of right and the exposure of the
guilty ones whose crimes blacken history's page and
to associate their names through all coming cen-
turies with Brutus, Marc Antony and Judas Iscariot,
if they are to be condemned in the story that is to be
told.
In the spring of 1872 I was entering the threshold
of manhood, a lawyer yet in my teens, in the active
practice of my profession, having settled at Grand-
berry, the county site of Hood county, in the State
of Texas, near the foothills of the Bosque moun-
tains. Among my first clients in this locality was a
man who had been indicted by the grand jury of the
Federal Court, sitting at Tyler, Smith county, Texas,
for selling tobacco and whiskey at Glenrose Mills,
situated in Hood county, twenty miles to the south-
west of Grandberry, who had failed first to obtain
a license, as required by the Federal statutes, as a
privilege for carrying on such business. The penalty
JOHN ST. HELEN.
for the violation of this law being punishable as a
misdemeanor by a fine and imprisonment, or either
fine or imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.
Hood county at this time was well out on the fron-
tier of the State, and the country to within a few
miles of Grandberry was frequently raided by the
savage Comanche Indians.
Glenrose Mills was located immediately on the
Bosque river, which flows at the base of the Bosque
mountains, while at this point on the river was lo-
cated a mill run by water power from the falls of
the river, and on the bank of the river were located
two or three small log houses, together with the
old mill house constituting the buildings of the place
called Glenrose Mills. One of these log houses was
used as a storehouse by the man known to me as
John St. Helen, which place, or house, however, for
a year or so prior to St. Helen's occupancy had
been occupied as a store by a merchant doing a gen-
eral mercantile business, in a small way, carrying
with his line of goods tobacco and whiskey for the
retail trade, as did St. Helen in this place, as his
successor in business at Glenrose Mills. The former
merchant having removed from Glenrose Mills to
Grandberry, opened up his business in the latter
place before and continued his business in Grand-
berry after St. Helen had begun business at Glen-
JOHN ST. HELEN.
rose. St. Helen occupied this log house not only as
a store, but the back part of the same as living apart-
ments for himself and a negro man servant, or por-
ter, he having no family or known relatives or inti-
mate friends within the time he was doing business
at this house in Glenrose. For some reason unknown
to me and my client, the merchant at Grandberry
and former merchant at Glenrose had been indicted
for having done business at Glenrose — selling tobac-
co and whiskey in the house occupied by St. Helen,
in violation of the laws of the United States, as
mentioned. This client had been arrested by the
United States marshal and had given bond for his
appearance at Tyler, Texas, to answer the United
States government on a charge in two cases of sell-
ing tobacco and whiskey without first obtaining a
privilege license, as required by law.
On ascertaining this state of facts, I sought St.
Helen, with whom I had at this time only a casual
acquaintance, and learned from him that he (St.
Helen) was as a matter of fact doing business at
Glenrose Mills, in the house formerly occupied by
my client, the then merchant of Grandberry, who
had been doing business at this stand, selling, among
other articles of merchandise, tobacco and whiskey,
and that he had done so without a license, as re-
quired by the government of the United States, and
JOHN ST. HELEN.
was so doing this business at the time, as alleged in
the indictment against the Grandberry merchant, so
that I insisted, as a means of protection to my client,
that St. Helen should attend the Federal Court as a
witness for the defendant, to testify to this state of
facts, showing that the defendant merchant had been
wrongfully indicted, confessedly so by St. Helen,
who was at this time doing the very business of
which my client was charged, without first having a
license (for which my client had been indicted), and
for which he was to stand trial in a short time
before the Federal Court at Tyler. While St. Helen
admitted his guilt and the innocence of my client,
he declined to attend the court in any capacity on
behalf of my client, without at this time giving to
me any satisfactory reason as to why he would not
do so, and when he was informed with more earn-
estness than was reasonably polite that any and all
the known processes of the law of the Federal Court
would be called into requisition to compel hia at-
tendance on the court, as he had been requested to
do, and if need be witnesses would go before the
Federal grand jury to have him indicted for the
offense with which my client was wrongfully
charged. St. Helen asked time to consider the mat-
ter, promising to act honorably in the affair, to the
complete protection of the wronged man, conditioned
10
JOHN ST. HELEN.
that he (St. Helen) should be protected from indict-
ment and from any other process which would carry
him before the Federal Court. .With this agree-
ment we separated for the few intervening days
requested by him.
At thi* interview it was plainly to be seen that
St. Helen was sorely troubled and seemed to think
his final determination in the matter would be
fraught with the greatest consequences to himself,
much more, I thought, than was due to the appre-
hension of a possible conviction for the charges al-
leged against my client. But upon consideration
of the matter I was led to the conclusion that his
restless and uneasy manner was due to his long
outdoor life on the plains, and that by force of habit
he had acquired that restless and hunted, worried
expression constantly on his face, while the flashes
which came from his keen, penetrating black eyes
spoke of desperation and capacity for crime. All
this time his breath came hard, almost to a wheeze,
superinduced by excitement, or what seemed to be
a disease, possibly produced by exposure and bor-
dering upon a bronchial or an asthmatic affliction
of the throat and chest. Thus looking and breath-
ing, with his body poised in easy, graceful attitude,
as if so by nature born, in his leave-taking to me he
raised his hand in slow and graceful manner, say-
ing:
11
JOHN ST. HELEN.
"As I agree, I shall see you, and of my purpose
and destiny speak — until then "
The words "until then," spoken with a soft voice
and gentle tone, was a pleasant adieu, in fact, the
entire sentence having been said, and I should say,
dramatically acted in eloquence by word, motion of
the body, gesticulation of the hand and utterance of
the voice, not before or since equalled by any other
iperson in my presence or experience. These ex-
pressions by word, voice and mannerism to me
were food for thought, suggesting the inquiry
whence came such a man? Who can this handsome
man, this violent man, this soft-mannered man, this
eloquent man, be? Unsuited to his vocation — the
would-be merchant, in his log cabin store, and his
life of seclusion in the wilds of the West. As in all
things, came the day of final reckoning, and St.
Helen walked into my office calling me to the pri-
vate consultation room, turning and shutting the
door, he said:
"I come redeeming my pledge, and have to say,
first, that I desire to retain you as my attorney ; that
you may represent me in all matters of legal business
concerning my affairs, and ask that you fix your
reasonable retainer fee."
This I did, and when satisfactorily arranged St.
Helen resumed his statement by saying:
12
JOHN ST. HELEN.
"Now, that I have employed you and paid your
retainer fee, you, as my lawyer, will and must keep
secret such matters as I shall confide in you touch-
ing my legal interest and personal safety, and the
prevention of my prosecution by the courts for the
matters we are now considering or that might here-
after arise in consequence of your present employ-
ment, conditioned, of course, upon my making good
to you the promises I have made."
To which I replied: "Yes. I understand."
"Well, then," continued St. Helen. "I say to
you, as my attorney, that my true name is not John
St. Helen, as you know me and suppose me to be, and
for this reason I cannot afford to go to Tyler before
the Federal Court, in fear that my true identity be
discovered, as the Federal courts are more or less
presided over in the South and officered by persons
heretofore, as well as now, connected with the Fed-
eral Army and government, and the risk would be
too great for me to take, and you will now under-
stand why I have retained you as my counsel, and
as such I ask that you take your client, indicted in
the Federal Court at Tyler, and get him clear of this
charge, of which he is certainly not guilty, using
your best judgment in his behalf and for my protec-
tion. For this service I will pay your fee and all
costs incident to the trial and trip."
13
JOHN ST. HELEN.
Assenting to this, and accepting his suggestion as
well as the employment by St. Helen, I set about
fully planning the management of my client's case
in the Federal Court with the purpose in view of a
mutual protection of my client and John St. Helen.
.When after a few days of consultation and prepara-
tion my client and I were ready for the three or four
days' drive by private conveyance from Grandberry
to Tyler, St. Helen was notified and came promptly
to my office the morning fixed for our leaving, and
without further ceremony or discussion, handed me
a large, long, red morocco pocketbook well filled
with currency bills, saying that the amount it con-
tained would be sufficient money for the trip, etc.
The amount contained in this purse I never knew.
Then, in complete readiness, my client and I, taking
leave of our friends and thanking St. Helen, climbed
into our buggy and were off for Tyler. After an
uneventful trip we reached the hotel at Tyler on
the afternoon of the third day out, to find the Fed-
eral Court in session, and after a night's rest I
sought an interview with Col. Jack Evans, the then
United States district attorney for the Eastern dis-
trict of Texas, including Tyler, in Smith county. At
this pleasant, courteous consultation an agreement
was reached by which the government was to waive
the presence of the defendant in court, who was yet
14
JOHN ST. HELEN.
at the hotel, ignorant of what was transpiring, and
on the following morning after the convening of
court I entered pleas of guilty, as prearranged with
Col. Evans, when the court, Judge Roberts presiding,
fined the defendant the usual fine in such cases and
taxed him with the costs, amounting, as I now re-
member, to about sixty-five dollars in each case.
The fine and costs were promptly paid by me from
the funds provided by St. Helen, for^tvhich receipts
were taken as vouchers.
After the close and settling of these cases I re-
turned to the hotel and informed my grateful and
surprised client of the happy culmination of his
long-dreaded trial in the Federal Court for a crime
of which he was not guilty. The processes of this
court struck terror into the heart of the average
frontiersman when their charges constituted a crime
against the laws of the United States government.
I accepted the many marks of appreciation by
word and act manifested by my client, which for the
sake of personal allusion must be omitted. Suffice
it to say, our purpose having been accomplished, our
team was ordered, bills paid, as the beginning of the
end of our stay in Tyler, and at the moment of our
readiness re-entering our buggy, we were soon home-
ward bound full of hope for the future, made buoy-
ant by success. While my thoughts and plans for
15
JOHN ST. HELEN.
all time were lined with rose-tinted clouds, the
phantoms of vision, the treacherous shadows which
light the pathway of all youth, but how too soon to
be transformed to the black storm cloud of real life,
flashing with the lightnings of despair, with low-
muttering thunders, the signals of evils yet to come.
But on we pushed, unmindful and careless of what
the future should disclose, reaching Grandberry on
the afternoon of the third day out from Tyler, when,
with mutual good wishes and congratulations, my
client and I separated to go to our homes, seeking
the needed mental and physical rest from a trip the
memory of which lives to mark an interesting event
in my life and the foundation of a story in fact, the
relation of which beggars fiction.
Then, just as twilight was being clasped into the
folds of night by the stars of a cloudless sky, I
sought seclusion while the world paused, lapped in
the universal laws of rest, and entered dreamland
on that bark of sleep, the sister ship of death, pil-
lowed within the rainbow of hope, a fancy fed by
the air castles of youth. Thus sleeping and thus
waking the morning came, when I must needs take
up the routine business of life again, and to learn
much more of John St. Helen, who came into town.
When he called at my office and I recounted to him
the successful termination of the cases in the Federal
16
JOHN ST. BBLEN.
9
Court at Tyler, St. Helen became profuse in his com-
pliments and congratulations, when his pocketbook,
which had previously contained approximately three
or four hundred dollars, with its contents, less ex-
penses and costs of said suits, was handed him. He
took from it the necessary amount to pay the re-
mainder of my fee. This having been done, St.
Helen and I separated with at least seeming friend-
ship welded by the bonds of mutual triumph; so
that thus ended, for the present, the beginning of my
acquaintance with John St. Helen, of whom I satf,
but little for the several months following.
IT
CHAPTER III.
JOHN ST. HELEN LECTURES ROLAND
REED
In the latter part of the June following my trip to
Tyler, St. Helen came into my office and extended to
me an invitation to attend, as the orator of the day,
a barbecue to be given on the 4th of July at Glen-
rose Mills. Having accepted this invitation, in com-
pany with Gen. J. M. Taylor, made famous by his
achievements in the Seminole Indian war in the
State of Florida, and for many years an honored
and useful citizen of the State of Texas, I attended
this patriotic celebration. And I here make mention
of Gen. J. M. Taylor as a tribute to his memory for
the public services he has performed as well as his
loyal friendship to me. And I in benedictions be-
speak the repose of his soul in peace, long since left
its tenement of clay.
Arriving at Glenrose on the forenoon of the day
appointed, we were met by St. Helen, the master of
ceremonies on this occasion, and taken to his private
apartments in the log storehouse, which had been
put in readiness for the royal reception accorded us.
18
JOHN ST. HELEN LECTURES ROLAND REED.
With his servants in waiting all were attentive,
while St. Helen entertained us with a lavish hand in
princely welcome in that manner peculiarly his own.
When I turned to view the platform and plot of
ground made ready for the day, and the people as
they were gathering from beyond the Bosque river,
I saw the ideal location for the barbecue, within the
shade of the wide-spreading water oaks in the nar-
row Bosque valley. And while thus taking in the
situation, at the suggestion of Gen. Taylor, the Gen-
eral, St. Helen and myself left for the grounds. Aa
we stepped upon the platform I was greatly sur-
prised at the stage presence and consummate ease of
manner and reassuring appearance of St. Helen, who
was easily the center of attraction, and the com-
manding personality present. Gen. Taylor and I
seated ourselves, while St. Helen remained standing.
The people hurriedly gathered, giving us a hearty
reception. Order being restored, St. Helen, posing
gracefully, caused a hush of silence, and by a look
of invitation called me to his. side. Standing thus
beside him to the front of the platform he, in his
inimitable manner, in his full, clear voice, with choice
and eloquent language, introduced me as the
first speaker, as he did subsequently introduce
Gen. Taylor as the second speaker. On the close
of the speeches made by Gen. Taylor and myself, St.
19
JOHN ST. HELEN LECTURES ROLAND REED.
Helen, in a short, eloquent and timely speech, com-
pletely captivated the crowd, as well as ourselves,
by his pre-eminent superiority over those with whom
he came in contact during the day.
St. Helen's complete knowledge of elocution, ease
and grace of person, together with his chaste and
eloquent diction, seemed to be nature's gift rather
than studied effort. It was but natural then that
on the lips and in the minds of all present the inquiry
should be, Who can this man St. Helen be? He be-
ing, in fact, a stranger to those present, who only
casually knew him in this gathering, and without
kith or kin so far as any one present knew, made
the people more anxious to learn the identity of the
man; an orator of the highest class, while the men
and women lingered at Glenrose in the presence of
St. Helen until the dying day cast its shadows upon
Bosque's lofty tops and darkness was weaving the
mantle of night over valleys below. Then congratu-
lations, thank yous, glad to have met you and good
byes were said.
At this parting Gen. Taylor and I left for our
homes after a delightful day fraught with interest
and events long to be pleasantly remembered by all
in attendance, and to me it marked the beginning of
a better knowledge of the character of and a closer
personal relation with John St. Helen, whose phy-
20
JOHN ST. HELEN LECTURES ROLAND REED.
sical beauty, so to speak, and mental attainments no
man could fail to appreciate and no woman fail to
admire.
St. Helen, the man who entertained you to mirth
or to tears, as his own mood might inspire, while he
himself stood unmoved by the emotions displayed
around him — the man kind of disposition, careless
of self, thoughtful of others, but living his own life
in soliloquy, revelling in the thoughts of the master
minds of the past. His selections and recitations
were grandly and elegantly delivered, and despite
your efforts your soul would be shaken and from
the eyes tracing tears would steal like dew drops
cast from a shaken reed. Painful? No. Un-
pleasant ? No. But rather resembling a sorrow as a
"mist resembles rain" — a sigh of hope, a tear of
sympathy, or rather an exalted thought given ex-
pression to by a tear, the index to the feeling of the
soul. St. Helen himself said he could not weep,
though grief he knew to its bitterest depth, and
lived a life bent with the burden of crime. These
and kindred utterances made to me in private, in
hours spent alone with him, aroused in me an
anxious desire to know in very fact who he was.
He told me his true name was not St. Helen, and the
ascertaining of more definite information as to his
true name was made unusually difficult by reason
21
JOHN ST. HELEN LECTURES ROLAND REED.
of his sensitiveness to the mention of all subjects
pertaining to himself, in the various conversations
had between St. Helen and myself before he removed
with his business from Glenrose Mills to Grandberry,
sometime in October following the 4th of July barbe-
cue mentioned.
St. Helen's business did not seem to be a matter
of necessity with him, as he at all times appeared to
have more money than was warranted by his stock
in trade, and he apparently took little interest in
it and trusted at all times the waiting on of cus-
tomers to his negro or Mexican porter, while he was
in fact a man of leisure, spending most of his time
after his removal to Grandberry in my office, read-
ing and entertaining me after business hours, and
in our idle moments in many other ways, but his
favorite occupation was reading Shakespeare's
plays, or rather reciting them as he alone could do.
And his special preference seemed to be that of Rich-
ard III. and he began his recitations, as I now re-
member him, by somewhat transposing the intro-
ductory of Richard III., saying:
"I would I could laugh with those who laugh and
weep with those who weep, wet my eyes with arti-
ficial tears and frame my face to all occasions -"
following with much of the recitation of Richard
III., as well as others of Shakespeare's plays.
JOHN ST. HELEN LECTURES ROLAND REED.
[While these recitations from Shakespeare charmed
the ear and pleased all listeners, his rendition of
Tennyson's Locksley Hall, once heard at an even-
ing's entertainment, left an impress that years could
never efface.
On other occasions I came in for lessons in elocu-
tion with full instructions and practical illustrations
in minute details of when and how to enter upon the
stage or public platform; St. Helen giving comical
illustrations himself as to how the average statesmen
come blundering on the platform, looking for a seat
they could not find, finally falling into a chair ap-
parently not of their choice but by accident, when
they would cross their legs, stick the toes of their
shoes inward while trying to hide their hands close
down in their laps or behind their seats, or by clasp-
ing them in front of themselves and resting them on
their crossed and agitated limbs, nervously rolling
one thumb over the other, finally collapsing and
wiping the perspiration from their faces with undue
vigor and haste. All of which was impersonated by
St. Helen in such a realistic manner that it was en-
joyable to the extreme, as well as most profitable to
me in after life. And as a result of this careful
training I am now quick to observe the want of stage
presence and lack of ease of manner in statesmen on
the public platform or persons before the footlights.
23
JOHN ST. HELEN LECTURES ROLAND REED.
St. Helen was not a man of classical education,
but rather a born rhetorician and elocutionist, a
learning apparently confined to and obtained from
theatrical plays as well as a literature pertaining to
the stage, evidenced by the many theatrical periodi-
cals or papers to be found in his room. This inti-
macy with every detail of theatrical work was shown
on the occasion of his criticism of Roland Reed,
when St. Helen, Reed and I were alone together.
Roland Reed in his boyhood was touring the country
in his father's company, composed practically of
Mr. and Mrs. Reed and their son, Roland, who was
starring in light comedies by the impersonation of
simple and frivolous characters, and they played
two or three nights at Grandberry, which perform-
ances St. Helen and I attended together, and on the
morning after the third night's play St. Helen re-
quested Reed and myself to take a walk with him
to view the Brazos river, which was then flowing
with torrents of water. During this stroll St. Helen
began with great earnestness to discuss theatrical
subjects with Roland Reed, which discussion went
into all essential details of the highest class of act-
ing. St. Helen's criticism became personal to Reed,
pointing out to him that in the impersonation of
certain of the characters rendered by him, especially
the character of an old maid, in which, as I remem-
24
JOHN ST. HELEN LECTURES ROLAND REED.
ber St. Helen's criticism of Reed, was of the greatest
personal severity, and among other things he said
that in the character of the old maid Reed's acting
reminded him of a simpleton attempting to imper-
sonate the character and eccentricities of an idiot,
more appropriate to the playgrounds of the innocent
and half-witted than. to the intelligent public before
the footlights, and suggested that the artist should
create the impression on his audience that the actor
by his superior^ intelligence was creating and por-
traying the character of the foolish maiden, stamping
the play with his individuality of character, and that
acting the character in question without this was
simply nonsense, which disgusted rather than pleased
the intelligence of the ordinary attendant at the
theater, etc.
Though this criticism was at times personal and
severe, it was done with an earnestness that indi-
cated that it was kindly given and was seemingly
appreciated by Reed, for I am sure Reed profited
by it in his after life, as witnessed by me in his im-
provement in his subsequent presentation of this
character, which brought to my mind afresh the
lecture given him by St. Helen. Could Reed have
known, as I afterward knew, that this lecture given
him was by John Wilkes Booth, what a surprise it
would have been, and what an impression it would
25
JOHN ST. HELEN LECTURES ROLAND REED.
have made Upon his young mind, and I am sure Reed
would have esteemed th< lecture a privilege, In
stare is consideration which but few
ived at the hands o. St lelen — John "Wilkes
Booth.
After hearing this lecture and remembering what
St. Helen had said to me, that his name was not in
fact St. Helen, the former purpose of inquiry reas-
serted itself to know who this man was. Not only
was he an orator, as I had found him at Glenrose,
but again was he assaying the role of critic of nigh
class acting, showing a knowledge, to my mind,
of a born genius of high cultivation, demonstrating
St. Helen to be a master of the art of which he was
speaking.
26
CHAPTEK IV.
ST. HELEN'S ILLNESS
Idle hours in the life of a resident of a small
country town hang heavily and we are wont to find
entertainment. Under these conditions St. Helen
was at all leisure times as welcome as he was con-
genial, so that when he was not at my office I would
spend my leisure time at his place of business. And
now I recall to mind one occasion when I, in com-
pany with a mutual friend, stepped into St. Helen's
place of business. Just as we entered I noticed sev-
eral cowboys, as they are called in Texas parlance,
because they herd cattle, standing at the counter
eating and drinking, being waited on by the colored
porter. St. Helen meeting us, stopped, as we walk-
ed in, standing at the entrance from the front and
resting his right arm on the counter, when one of the
boys turned, addressing him in a very familiar man-
ner, saying:
"John, when you die the cowboys will build a
monument to your memory."
St. Helen cast a look of indignation to the party
addressing him, his flashing black eyes giving full
27
ST. HELEN'S ILLNESS.
expression to his contempt for the proffered distinc-
tion of a monument by the cowboys. Then resting
his thin, shapely right hand on the corner of the
counter, standing in graceful poise, his head well
poised, his beautiful black, curly hair flowing back
from his high white forehead, holding his left hand
well extended in gesticulation, said:
''Come not when I am dead
To shed thy tears around my head.
Let the winds weep and the plover cry,
But thou, oh, fool man, go by."
It was not so much what St. Helen said, but the
manner of saying and acting it, and the voice by
which it was said, that moved man to emotion, as
would his recitation of almost any sentence that had
in it a trace of sentiment.
The simple lines quoted will find but little lodg-
ment in the soul of the casual reader, but when
repeated by St. Helen, who could so beautifully por-
tray each sentence in all of its meaning, it left its
impress upon the memory of all who heard.
Five years after our acquaintance the hand of
Time, with points of pain, began writing in deep
lines on St. Helen's face the shadows of disease, the
sign board on the pathway from the cradle to the
28
ST. HELEN'S ILLNESS.
grave. Emaciated, sick and weak, he took to his
bed, confined in the back room of his store, where
I and others, with the aid of a physician, gave him
such attentions as his condition required. But de-
spite our best efforts he continued to grow worse
from day to day and both friends and physicians lost
hope of his recovery. When I, tired and worn by
my watch and continued attention at his bedside,
sleeping and nursing in turn with others, was
aroused about 10 o'clock one night and informed
that I was wanted at the bedside of St. Helen, who
was supposed to be in the last throes of death. On
entering the room I found the physician holding St.
Helen's wrist and counting his faint, infrequent
pulse, which it seemed was beating his funeral dirge
to the tomb. The doctor turned to me and said :
"St. Helen is dying and wishes to speak to you
alone," and turning, withdrew from our presence.
I touched St. Helen, and after some effort aroused
a faint response ; he opened his eyes, which gave ex-
pression to that anxious and pleading look for help
so often seen upon the face of a dying man when
we are least powerful to assist. I requested to know
of what service I could be to him. St. Helen, yet
conscious, but so weak he could speak only in
broken, whispered words, audible only by placing the
ear close to his mouth, said :
29
ST. HELEN'S ILLNESS.
aI am dying. My name is John Wilkes Booth,
and I am the assassin of President Lincoln. Get the
picture of myself from under the pillow. I leave it
with you for my future identification. Notify my
brother Edwin Booth, of New York City."
He then closed his eyes in seeming rest. I reached
forward and took from under the pillow a small pic-
ture taken of St. Helen a short while before his sick-
ness, while On a visit to Glenrose Mills, by a pho-
tographer then tented at that place, as I was after-
wards informed.
After getting the picture my attention was turned
to giving St. Helen relief, if possible, not at the time
thinking of his startling and important confession.
I called the porter, and we began rubbing his entire
body with strong brandy to give him vitality. He
passed into a gentle sleep, and for a time we could
not tell whether it would be the final sleep of death
or a restful one, promising future consciousness and
possible recovery. He lived through the night, much
to our surprise and that of the doctor, who, after a
careful examination of St. Helen's condition, was
of the opinion that he was somewhat improved, but
his condition continued extremely critical for sev-
eral days, but the doctor finally announced that St.
Helen's recovery was likely and in the course of a
few days he was convalescent and by careful watch-
30
ST. HELEN'S ILLNESS.
ing he was brought to final recovery. But it was
many weeks before his health was recovered. After
which our relations became more intimate and con-
fidential, for St. Helen was a man who cherished
gratitude.
tWe were alone one day in my office. I remarked
to St. Helen that he had passed through a very
severe spell of sickness and, in fact, we all thought
he could not recover. To which he assented with a
look of serious concern, and fixing his eyes on my
face, asked:
"Do you remember anything I said to you when I
was sick?" and waited with an anxious look for
reply.
I said to him that I remembered many things
which he had said to me.
.When St. Helen said:
"Then you have my life in your keeping, but,
thank God, as my attorney."
I replied: "Do you refer to what you said of your
sweetheart and last love?"
St. Helen in reply said: "I have had a sweetheart,
but no last love, and could not, in my wildest deliri-
um have mentioned a subject so barren of concern
31
ST. HELEN'S ILLNESS.
to me. But your suggestion is a kind evasion of
what I did say to you, which is of the greatest mo-
ment to me, and when I get well and feel like talk-
ing, and you like listening, I will tell you the story
of my life and the history of the secrecy of my
name."
"St. Helen, it will be interesting to me, at your
convenience," I replied.
St. Helen Confessing the First Time to F. L. Bates That He
Is John Wilkes Booth.
Booth, Making a Full Confession of the Killing of Lincoln —
Accusing His Accomplices and Describing His Escape
to the Author.
CHAPTBD V.
ST. HELEN'S IDENTITY REVEALED
After I had returned from an absence of several
weeks, on professional business, St. Helen came to
my office and invited me to walk with him to the
open prairie. We went out about half a mile from
town and seated ourselves on some rocks which had
been placed in this open space under a large live
oak tree as a physical monument of a land line or
corner, a common custom at that time of marking
located land lines. Seated upon this mounment we
had an elevation comfortable and commanding the
surrounding view. And St. Helen began his story
by saying :
"I have told you that my name is not St. Helen,
and, in fact, my name is John Wilkes Booth, a son
of the late Junius Brutus Booth, Sr., the actor, and
a brother of Junius Brutus Booth the second and
Edwin Booth the actor."
At that time I think he mentioned a Dr. Booth as
his brother, and two sisters whose names I cannot
now recall from his statements at that time. That
he was born on a farm in the State of Maryland, not
far from Baltimore. That there was a young mar-
33
ST. HELEN'S IDENTITY REVEALED.
ried woman taken into the Booth family, or the the-
atrical troupe of the elder Booth and known as
Agnes Booth, an actress, but in fact she was not a
Booth nor related to them, but was a Mrs. Agnes
Perry, a Scandinavian lady, who was divorced from
her husband and married some time in the sixties to
Junius Brutus Booth the second. And St. Helen
continued to relate many other family affairs, the
publication of which would be to speak of the pri-
vate concerns of the Booth family, which I deem un-
necessary to make public. And while their relation
in public would be no disparagement to the ances-
try and relations of John Wilkes Booth, yet it might
be considered an abuse of confidence for me to do so.
St. Helen continuing, by reference to himself as
Booth, said:
' ' I went on the stage at about the age of seventeen
years, had succeeded and up to the beginning of the
Civil War had accumulated about twenty thousand
dollars in gold, which I had deposited in a bank (or
banks) in Canada, owing to the uncertainty of
monetary conditions in the United States at that
time. I carried my money principally in checks of
varying amounts to suit my convenience, issued by
the banks carrying my accounts, which checks
were readily cashable in the United States or for-
eign countries."
34
ST. HELEN'S IDENTITY REVEALED,
He §aid that his sympathies during the war were
with the Southern cause, that he had become so en-
thusiastic in his loyalty to the South that he had to
a great extent lost interest in matters of the stage
and had given but little time and attention to his
professional life or the study of the art of acting.
That after the third year of the war, for many
months prior to the 14th of April, 1865, he had de-
termined that he could best serve the South 's cause
by kidnaping President Lincoln and delivering him
over to the Confederate government at Richmond,
Virginia, to be held as a hostage of war; that in
preparation for the accomplishment of this purpose
he had spent much of his time and money up to the
death, as he called it, of President Lincoln.
At this point St. Helen grew passionate and full
of sentiment, and after some hesitation, with much
force of expression, said:
"I owe it to myself, most of all to my mother,
possibly no less to my other relations and the good
name of my family, as well as to the memory of Mrs.
Surratt, who was hanged as a consequence of my
crime, to make and leave behind me for history
a full statement of this horrible affair. And I do
desire, in fact, if it were possible, to make known to
the world the purpose, as well as the motive, which
actuated me in the commission of the crime against
35
ST. HELEN'S IDENTITY REVEALED.
the life of President Lincoln. First of all I want to
say I had no personal feeling against President Lin-
coln. I am not at heart an assassin. I am not a
physical coward, or a mean man at heart, which the
word assassin implies, but what I did was done on
my part with purely patriotic motives, believing, as
I did, and as I was persuaded at \hat time, that the
death of President Lincoln and the succession of
Vice-President Johnson, a Southern man, to the
presidency, was the then only nope for the protec-
tion of the South from misrule and the confiscation
of the landed estates of the individual citizens of the
Southern Confederate States, who were loyal to the
South by President Lincoln as the chief executive
of the United States and commander-in-chief of the
Army; the success of the Federal forces and the
downfall of the Confederacy having been assured
by the surrender of Gen. Lee at Appomattox, on the
9th day of April, 1865, only five days before the final
decision to take the life of President Lincoln. And
I pause here to pay a tribute to the memory of Mrs.
Surratt, for while she was hanged for her supposed
connection with the conspiracy against the life of
President Lincoln, she was innocent, and knew noth-
ing whatever of the plot against the person to kid-
nap, or the final purpose to kill the President.
36
ST. HELEN'S IDENTITY REVEALED. ,
" It is true that I visited the home of Mrs. Surratt
in Washington; it is true I stopped at the Surratt
tavern, in Surrattville, not, however, because it was
the property of Mrs. Surratt, or that Mrs. Surratt
had anything to do with my being at the tavern, but
because it was the best, and I believe, the only place
for the traveling public to stop in the village of
Surrattville. It is true that I was at the Surratt
home in Washington, but my mission there was to
see for the first time, by letter of introduction,
given me by a mutual friend, John H. Surratt, a son
of Mrs. Surratt, who was at the time in the secret
service of the Southern Confederacy as a spy, plying
in his service between Richmond, Virginia, Washing-
ton, D. C, New York City and Montreal, Canada, as
well as other points, as I was then informed. And it
was from John H. Surratt I desired to get informa-
tion respecting what was then called the under-
ground route, because of its hidden and isolated
way, over which Surratt traveled through the Fed-
eral lines en route from Richmond, Virginia, to
Washington, D. C, with the purpose of perfecting my
plans for the kidnaping of President Lincoln. This
occurred covering a time I should say from the
spring to the late summer of 1864. Prior to this
time I did not personally know, in fact, not even by
sight, John H. Surratt, and was informed that my
ST. HELEN'S IDENTITY REVEALED.
only chance to see him was to meet with him when
he passed through Washington, D. C, when he
would stop at his mother's home, at which place Mrs.
Surratt was then keeping a boarding and lodging
house. And this is the only purpose I had in going
to Mrs. Surratt 's home. Mrs. Surratt was at this
time old enough to have been my mother, and I had
only that casual acquaintance which my mission to
the Surratt home had given me, and had only met
her at intervals, and then for but a few moments
at a time, covering the period and coupled with the
crcumstances which I have mentioned as happening
in 1864. And as a matter of fact at the final meet-
ing with John H. Surratt our interview was of such
a nature that he had no further knowledge of or
connection with any conspiracy to kidnap, or later
in the spring of 1865, to take the life of the Presi-
dent. This I say in justice to John H. Surratt, to
the end also that Mrs. Surratt may live in the mem-
ory of the civilized people of the world as an inno-
cent woman and without knowledge, guilty or oth-
erwise, of the crime for which she was executed and
whose blood stains the ermine of the judges of the
military court condemning her to die. And could
I do or say more in vindication of her name it would
be gratifying, and would I had possession of Ga-
briel's horn and his mythical powers I would blow
ST. HELEN'S IDENTITY REVEALED.
one blast to wake the sleeping dead that this inno-
cent woman might walk from the portals of the
house of death.' '
To say that my breath was taken away almost by
this narrative is but a faint expression of my feel-
ings, while St. Helen was perfectly calm with that
restful look which gives expression to a feeling of
relief.
8*
CHAPTER VI
THE ASSASSINATION
After a period of silence St. Helen began, with re-
newed interest and energy, telling me of the plot to
kill President Lincoln, saying:
"On the morning of the day I killed the Presi-
dent the taking of the life of Mr. Lincoln had never
entered my mind. My purpose had been, as I have
stated, to kidnap President Lincoln for the purpose
I have mentioned, and, in fact, one or more efforts
to do so had fallen through, and we intended that
the last effort should not fail. Preparatory to this
end David E. Herold and I left "Washington, D. C,
by the way of Surrattville and along the under-
ground route I have before described, for the pur-
pose of perfecting plans for the kidnaping of the
President. And after having passed over this line on
horseback from .Washington to near Richmond, Vir-
ginia, we returned, after making the necessary prep-
arations for crossing the Potomac and Rappahan-
rock rivers, over the same route, stopping the night
of the 13th day of April, 1865, at the old Surratt
tavern, at Surrattville, located about twelve miles
to the southeast of Washington City. On the morn-
ing of the 14th day of April, 1865, we came into
Washington and were stopped at the block house
40
THE ASSASSINATION.
of the Federal troops, at the bridge crossing the
East Potomac river, by the Federal troops, on guard
at this point. It appeared that some recent reports
had been circulated that the life or safety of Presi-
dent Lincoln was impending, and that an attempt
had or would be made from some source to assas-
sinate the President, while at this time any such pur-
pose was unknown to me, and because of these re-
ports we were informed by the guard that no one
could pass in or out of Washington City without
giving a full account of himself, because of the
threats against the life of the President. Herold
and I hesitated to give our names for awhile, and
were arrested and detained at this block house from
about 11 o'clock in the morning until in the after-
noon about 2 o'clock, when for the first time we
heard definitely of Lee's surrender at Appomattox.
|We then realized that this was a death blow to the
Southern Confederate States, when we made satis-
factory explanation and were permitted to enter
the city and went straight to the Kirkwood Hotel,
the place of rendezvous of the conspirators against
Mr. Lincoln, and where Andrew Johnson boarded.
All the conspirators against President Lincoln met
here with Andrew Johnson conversant of the pur-
pose to kidnap the President. On arriving at the
hotel, about 3 o'clock, I called on Vice-President
41
THE ASSASSINATION.
Johnson, when we talked over the situation and the
changed conditions because of the surrender of
Gen. Lee, and the Confederate forces at Appomat-
tox, which had made the purpose of the kidnaping
of President Lincoln and his delivery to the Con-
federate government at Richmond, to be held as a
hostage of war, impossible, as the Confederate gov-
ernment had abandoned Richmond and the war be-
tween the States was considered practically over,
which left, to my mind, nothing that we could do
but accept defeat and leave the South, whom we had
made our best efforts to serve, to her own fate, bit-
ter and disappointing as it was. When Vice-Presi-
dent Johnson turned to me and said, in an excited
voice and apparent anger:
" 'Will you falter at this supreme moment?'
"I could not understand his meaning, and stood
silent, when with pale face, fixed eyes and quivering
lips, Mr. Johnson asked of me :
" 'Are you too faint-hearted to kill him?'
"As God is my judge, this was the first suggestion
of the dastardly deed of the taking of the life of
President Lincoln, and came as a shock to me.
While for the moment I waited and then said:
" 'To kill the President is certain death to me/
and I explained to Vice-President Johnson that I
had just been arrested by the guard as I was com-
42
ANDREW JOHNSON.
Vice-President of the United States, and the Home Where
He Was Born, Near Raleigh, N. C.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
President of the Confederate States of America During the
Late Civil War.
THE ASSASSINATION.
ing into the city over the East Potomac bridge that
morning, and that it would be absolutely impos-
sible for me to escape through the military line,
should I do as he suggested, as this line of protec-
tion completely surrounded the city. Replying to
this Mr. Johnson said:
" 'Gen. and Mrs. U. S. Grant are in the city, the
guests of President Lincoln and family, and from
the evening papers I have learned that President
Lincoln and wife will entertain Gen. and Mrs. Grant
at a box party to be given in their honor by the
President and Mrs. Lincoln at Ford's Theater this
evening. '
"At my suggestion Vice-President Johnson as-
sured me that he would so arrange and see to it
himself, that Gen. and Mrs. Grant would not attend
the theater that evening with the President and his
family, and would also arrange for my certain es-
cape. I replied:
"'Under these conditions and assurances I will
dare strike the blow for the helpless, vanquished
Southland, whose people I love.'
"Mr. Johnson left the room and after a little
more than an hour returned, saying that it had been
arranged as he had promised, and that Gen. Grant
had been, or would be suddenly called from the city,
and that, therefore, he and his wife could not attend
43
THE ASSASSINATION.
the theater that evening with the President and
Mrs. Lincoln, as had been prearranged, and that
such persons as would attend and occupy the box at
the theater with the President and wife would not
interfere with me in my purpose and effort to kill
the President, and this he thought an opportune
time, and that I would be permitted to escape by
the route over which I had entered the city during
the forenoon of that day. That is, that I was to go
out over the East Potomac river bridge, that the
guards would be called in from this point by order
of Gen. C. C. Augur that afternoon or evening,
but if there should be guards on the bridge, I
was to use the password 'T. B.' or 'T. B. Road,' by
explanation, if need be, which would be understood
by the guards, and I would be permitted to pass
and protected by himself (Mr. Johnson) absolutely
in my escape, and* that on the death of President
Lincoln, he (Vice-President Johnson) would become
president of the United States, and that in this offi-
cial capacity I could depend on him for protection
and absolute pardon, if need be, for the crime of
killing President Lincoln, which he had suggested
to me and I had agreed to perform.
" Fired by the thoughts of patriotism, and hoping
to serve the Southern cause, hopeless as it then was,
as no other man could then do, I regarded it as an
44
THE ASSASSINATION.
opportunity for an heroic act for my country and
not the exercise of a grudge or any feeling of malice
toward the President, for I had none against him as
an individual, but rather to slay the President that
Andrew Johnson, a Southern man, a resident of the
State of Tennessee, should be made President of the
United States, to serve the interests of the South.
And upon the further promise made me by Mr. John-
son that he as President of the United States, would
protect the people of the South from personal op-
pression and the confiscation of their remaining
landed estates, relying upon these promises, and be-
lieving that by the killing of President Lincoln I
could practically bring victory to the Southern peo-
ple out of defeat for the South. Moved by this pur-
pose and actuated by no other motives, assured by
Mr. Johnson of my personal safety, I began the
preparation for the bloody deed by going to Ford's
Theater, and among other things, arranging the door
leading into the box to be occupied by Mr. Lincoln,
which had already been decorated for the occasion,
so that I could raise the fastenings, enter the box
and close the door behind me so that it could not be
opened from the outside and returned to the Kirk-
wood hotel. I then loaded afresh my derringer pis-
tol so that she would not fail me of fire, and met
Yice-President Johnson for the last time and in-
45
THE ASSASSINATION.
formed him of my readiness to carry out the prom-
ise I had made him. About 8:30 that evening we
left his room, walked to the bar in the hotel and
drank strong brandy in a silent toast to the success
of the bloody deed. We walked from the bar-room
to the street together, when I offered my hand as
the last token of good-bye and loyalty to our pur-
pose, and I shall not forget to my dying day the
clasp of his cold, clammy hand when he said :
" 'Make as sure of your aim as I have done in
arranging for your escape. For in your complete
success lies our only hope.'
"I replied, 'I will shoot him in the brain.'
" 'Then practically, from this time I am President
of the United States/ replied Vice-President John-
son, and he added, 'good-bye.'
' ' I returned to the theater. I saw the President and
party later take their seats in the box. I moved my
position to a convenient space, and at the time when
the way was clear and the play was well before the
footlights I entered the President's box, closed the
door behind me and instantly placed my pistol so
near it almost touched his head and fired the shot
which killed President Lincoln and made Andrew
Johnson President of the United States and myself
an outcast, a wanderer, and gave me the name of an
assassin. As I fired the same instant I leaped from
46
Booth Fleeing from Ford's Theatre After the Assassination.
THE ASSASSINATION.
the box to the stage, my right spur entangled in
something in the drapery on the box, which caused
me to miss my aim or location on the stage and threw
my shin bone against the edge of the stage, which
fractured my right shin bone about six or eight
inches above the ankle. (At this point St. Helen,
exposing his shin, called attention to what seemed to
be a niched or uneven surface on the shin bone. This
I did not notice closely, but casually it appeared to
have been a wound or fracture.)
"From the stage I reached my horse in safety,
which by arrangement was being held by David E.
Herold, back of the theater and close to the door of
the back entrance. With Herold 's assistance I
mounted my horse and rode away with full speed
without hindrance, and reached the bridge at the
East Potomac river, crossing the same with my
horse at full pace. When I came to the gate across
the east end of the bridge there stood a Federal
guard, who asked me a question easy to answer :
" ' Where are you going?'
"I replied, using the simple letters "T. B.' as I had
been instructed, and the guard then asked :
" ' Where?'
"I then replied, 'T. B. Road,' as I had been in-
structed by Mr. Johnson, and without further ques-
tion the guard called for assistance to help raise
47
THE ASSASSINATION.
the gate quickly, when I at once again urged my
horse to full speed and went on to Surrattville, where
I waited for Herold to overtake me, as prearranged,
whom I expected to follow closely behind. After
waiting a few minutes Herold came up and
we rode the remainder of the night until about 4
o'clock on the morning of the 15th of April, 1865,
when we reached the home of Dr. Samuel Mudd,
where Dr. Mudd, by cutting a slit in it, removed
my riding boot from the injured right foot and leg
and proceeded to dress it by bandaging it with
strips of cloth and pieces of cigar boxes, and the
riding boot was left at the home of Dr. Mudd, where
we remained during the rest of the day, and at
nightfall proceeded on our journey, my bootless
right foot being covered only by the sock and the
leg as bandaged and splinted by Dr. Mudd.
"From the home of Dr. Mudd I went to the home
of a Southern sympathizer by the name of Cox,
which we reached between 4 and 5 o'clock on the
morning of the 16th day of April, 1865. Mr. Cox
refused to admit us into his house, the news of the
death of President Lincoln having preceded us, and
he feared for this reason to take us in. But
he called his overseer, or manager about the
place, and instructed him to hide us in a pine thicket
on or near the banks of the Potomac river, just back
48
THE ASSASSINATION.
of and near his plantation. This man, the overseer,
was of medium size, approximately my weight, but
not quite so tall, I should say, swarthy complexioned,
black hair and eyes, with a short growth of whiskers
over his face. I called him by that familiar agno-
men known to the Confederate soldiers, * Johnny.'
I have the impression, whether correct or not I can-
not say, from having heard his name called by a
Mr. Jones, a relative of Mr. Cox, that it was Ruddy
or Roby, but heard this only a few times. Of course,
this may have been a given name, nickname or sir-
name, I don't know how this was; I was not spe-
cially interested in knowing his name and was with
him but a short while, having negotiated with him
to put us across the country and into the care and
protection of the Confederate soldiers.
" Ruddy told me (if this be his name) that some
of Col. Mosby's command of Confederate troops was
then encamped not far south of the Rappahannock
river at or near Bowling Green, Virginia, and agreed
to convey and deliver us to these Confederate troops
for a price, as I now best remember, about three hun-
dred dollars. Ruddy, as we will call him, left us in
our hiding place until he could go to Bowling Green,
some thirty-five miles or more distant, with
a view of arranging with some of these sol-
diers to meet us at a fixed time and place — pro-
49
THE ASSASSINATION.
posedly on the Rappahannock river, which was then
about the dividing line between the contending Fed-
eral and Confederate armies.
"Buddy left and did not return for several day*,
from say the 16th or 17th to the 21st of April, 1865.
Herold and I were cared for during his absence by
Mr. Jones, the relative, I think, half brother of
Mr. Cox. On Ruddy's return he reported that the
desired arrangements had been made with Capt. Jett
and others of Mosby's command, then stationed at
Bowling Green, Virginia, south of the Rappahannock
river, to meet us at the ferry on the Rappahannock
river at Ports Conway and Royal, as early as 2
o'clock P..M. of April 22, 1865. So we immediately
started for this point on the night of the 21st of
April, crossed the Potomac river, reaching the south
side of the Potomac river we then had about eigh-
teen miles to go from the Potomac to the Rappahan-
nock river to the point agreed upon. This distance
was through an open country, and we were liable to
be come upon at any moment by the Federal troops ;
so to guard against this I arranged the plan of my
flight, covering this distance from the Potomac to
the Rappahannock to be the scene of an old negro
moving. An old negro near the summer home of
Dr. Stewart possessed of two impoverished horses
and a dilapidated wagon was hired for the trip.
50
THE ASSASSINATION.
Straw was first placed in the bottom of the wagon
bed. I got in on this straw and stretched out full
length; then slats were placed over the first com-
partment of the bed, giving me a space of about
eighteen inches deep, which required me to remain
lying on the straw during the entire trip. On the
first compartment of the wagon bed was placed the
second portion of the wagon body, commonly called
sideboards, then was piled on this old chairs, beds,
mattresses, quilts and such other paraphernalia as is
ordinarily kept in a negro's home. A number of
chickens were caught and put in a split basket,
which was then made fast to the hind gate of the
wagon, with old quilts, blankets, etc., thrown over
the back end of the wagon, exposing the basket of
chickens, and the wagon or team was driven by the
old negro, the owner of the same, and contents, ex-
cept myself. And now having this arrangement per-
fect in all details, we at once, about 6 o'clock A.M.,
left on our perilous trip from the Potomac to the
Kappahannock river with Ports Conway and Royal
as our destination, covering the distance of about
eighteen or twenty miles without incident or acci-
dent on our march; Herold and Ruddy following
along in the wake of the wagon, some distance be-
hind, they told me, so as not to detract from' the
scene of the plot which was to be taken as one of
an old negro moving.
51
THE ASSASSINATION.
"In my concealment, of course, I had to be very
quiet. I could not talk to Lewis, the old negro
driver, and made myself as comfortable as I could
be in my cramped position. In my side coat pocket
I had a number of letters, together with my diary,
and I think there was a picture of my sister, Mrs.
Clark, all of which must have worked out of my
pocket en route or came out as I was hurriedly
taken from the wagon. Just as we drew up at the
ferry old Lewis called out :
" 'Dar's dem soldiers now.'
"And at the same moment some one began tear-
ing away4 the things from the back gate of the
wagon, who proved to be Herold and Ruddy, much
to my relief, as they had begun unceremoniously. to
remove the back gate of the wagon, which necessari-
ly excited me very much, as the driver did not say
Confederate soldiers, and the 'soldiers' referred to
flashed through my brain as being Federal soldiers.
But before I can tell you the back of the wagon was
taken away, I was pulled out by the heels by Har-
old and Ruddy, and at once hustled into the ferry
boat and over the river, where our Confederate
friends were waiting for us. They, in fact, being
the ' soldiers' referred to by Lewis, the driver.
j, "In the hurry, as well as the method of taking
me from the wagon, I think the letters, diary and
N 52
THE ASSASSINATION".
picture of my sister, were lost from my pocket, as I
was dragged out. About this I can't say, but I do
know that after I had crossed the river and was feel-
ing in my pocket to get the check, which I had on a
Canadian bank, and with which I paid this man Rud-
dy for his services he had rendered us, for an
amount, as I now remember it, of about sixty pounds,
I discovered I had lost these papers. I asked Ruddy
to go back over the river and get them out of the
wagon, if they were there, and bring them to me at
the Garrett home, where the soldiers had arranged
to take me until Herold and Ruddy should go to
Bowling Green, Virginia, that afternoon, it being
then about 2 o'clock.
y "This man Ruddy stepped imx; an old batteau boat
to go over to the wagon and get these papers after
I handed him his check. We being too exposed to
wait for his return, I hurriedly rode away with the
two gentlemen to whom I had been introduced as
Lieuts. Ruggles and Bainbridge, to the Garr tt
home, mounted on a horse^ belonging to the man
to whom I had been introduced as Capt. Jett. These
gentlemen, as I understood it, were connected with
Mosby's command of Confederate soldiers. But be-
fore separating at this ferry it had been understood
between Herold, Ruddy and myself that they would
go to Bowling Green, Virginia, that afternoon, in
53
THE ASSASSINATION.
company with Capt. Jett, on foot, by a near way,
for the purpose of getting me a shoe for my lame
foot and such other things as Herold and I needed
and that could not be obtained at Ports Conway and
Royal, and they were to return and meet me the
next day at the Garrett home, where Ruddy would
deliver to me the papers mentioned, if recovered.
"The Garrett home, I should say, is about three
miles north of the public road crossing the Rappa-
hannock river at Ports Conway and Royal and lead-
ing in a southerly direction to Bowling Green, Vir-
ginia. From the ferry we went out the Bowling
Green road a short distance westerly ; we then turned
and rode north on a country or bridle road for a
distance of about three miles and a half, when we
reached the Garrett home, where Lieuts. Bainbridge
and Ruggles left me, but were to keep watch in the
distance over me until Ruddy and Herold returned,
/hich they were expected to do the following day, it
being some twelve or fifteen miles walk for them.
They were to remain there (at Bowling Green) over
night of the day they left me and return the follow-
ing day.
"About one or two o'clock in the afternoon of
April the 23d, 1865, the second day of my stay at
the Garrett home, I was out in the front yard, loung-
ing on the meadow, when Lieuts. Bainbridge and
54
THE ASSASSINATION.
Buggies came up hurriedly and notified me that a
squad of Yankee troops had crossed the Rappahan-
nock river in hot pursuit of me, and advised me to
leave at once and go back into the woods north of
the Garrett house, in a wooded ravine, which they
pointed out, giving me a signal whistle by which I
would know them, and hurriedly rode off, saying
that they would return for me in about an hour at
the place designated, and bring with them a horse
for my escape.
"I left immediately, without letting anyone know
that I had gone or the direction I had taken. I
reached the woods at about the place which had
been pointed out to me, as nearly as one could trav-
eling in a strange wooded section with the impedi-
ment of a lame leg. At about the time fixed I was
delighted to hear the signal, and answered, to the
best of my recollection, about three or four o'clock
P. M. My friends came up with an extra horse,
which I mounted, and we rode away in a westerly
direction, riding the remainder of the afternoon and
the following night until about twelve o'clock, when
we camped together in the woods, or rather dis-
mounted to rest ourselves and horses until daylight.
We talked over the situation, they giving me direc-
tions by which I should travel. When we at last sep-
arated in a country road, they said about twenty or
55
THE ASSASSINATION.
twenty-five miles to the west of the Garrett home or
Ports Royal and Conway; I, of course, thanked
them and offered them pay for the services they had
rendered me- and the price of the horse they had
turned over to me, all of which they refused to ac-
cept, and bade me goodbye, with the warning that
I should keep my course well to the westward for
that day's ride, and then, after this day's ride, con-
tinue my journey to the southwest.
"As advised by them, I rode on westerly through
all the country roads as I came to them leading in
that direction until about ten o'clock A.M. of the
second day out from the Garrett home, when, ow-
ing to the fatigue of myself and horse, and suffering
from my wounded leg, I found it necessary to rest
and stopped at a small farm house on the country
road, where there seemed to live only three elderly
ladies, who, at my request, took me in as a wounded
Confederate soldier, fed my horse and gave me
breakfast, and as I now best remember, I compen-
sated them, paying them one dollar in small silver
coin.
y "After a few hours' rest for myself and horse, I
pushed on toward the west the remainder of the
day and the forepart of the night, as best I could,
but early in the night I rode into the thick brush
located in a small creek bottom some distance from
56
- 0^x15
Booth (as Jesse Smith) Disguised as a Teamster on His Way
to San Francisco to Meet His Mother and Brother.
....:.. \\ //
x • 1 X
^^*>«&m
'
. . ■
8
Jm
<
Em.
'■■'
. ■ . ,
ji *
1 Ob ^lf|i|P|. ^'fi
J^
I
t^iiLl^ i'^^^
hk'
;,-»
'^Mm mm
/JWi
Booth, Disguised as a Confederate Soldier in His Flight,
Applies for Shelter and Hospitality for His Tired Horse
and Himself.
THE ASSASSINATION.
the road and remained there all night. The next
morning at an early hour I obtained breakfast for
myself and feed for my horse from an elderly gentle-
man and lady at a little country home without fur-
ther incident and interest, save and except the enjoy-
ment of the meal, when I turned my course to the
southwest, as I had been directed, and followed this
direction day after day, impersonating the character
of a Confederate soldier. Continuing on down
through West Virginia, I crossed the Big Sandy river
at Warfield, in Eastern Kentucky, and after travel-
ing from Warfield for about two days, and covering
a distance of fifty or sixty miles in a southwesterly
direction from Warfield, I, as well as my horse, were
about worn out, and I was therefore compelled to
rest for about a week, claiming to be a wounded
Confederate soldier. The parties with whom I
stopped was a widow and her young son, whose
name I can not now remember. But after receiving
their kind attentions and needed rest, I resumed my
journey with the purpose of traveling to the south
until I could reach the Mississippi river at a safe
point for crossing it, and find my way into the Indian
Territory as the best possible hiding place, in my
opinion.
"I finally reached without incident worthy of
mention the Mississippi river and crossed the same
57
THE ASSASSINATION. 1
at what was called Catfish Point, in the State of
Mississippi. This point is a short distance south
of where the Arkansas river empties into the Mis-
sissippi river. I followed the south and west bank
of the Arkansas river until I reached the Indian Ter-
ritory, where I remained at different places, hid-
ing among the Indian! for afo>out eighteen months,
when I left the Indian Territory and went to Ne-
braska and was at Nefeaste City employed by a
white man to drive a team connected with a wagon
train going from Nebraska City, Nebraska, to Salt
Lake City, Utah. This man was hauling provisions
for the United States government to the Federal
troops encamped at Salt Lake City. But I left this
wagon train while en route, just before we got to
Salt Lake City, and proceeded to San Francisco,
California, to meet my mother and my brother,
Junius Brutus Booth. After meeting my mother
and brother and remaining a while there, I left and
went into Mexico. From there I went up through
Texas, finally stopping at Glenrose Mills and Grand-
berry, Texas, where we are now.
"Of course, I could add many matters of interest
to what I have said to you, but I have told you quite
sufficient for the present," saying which he gave
me a look of inquiry as much as to say, "Well, what
do you thing of me now?"
58
THE ASSASSINATION.
I broke my long, intense and interested silence by
saying, as I rose from my seat and looked at my
watch :
"It is now about our lunch hour; suppose we re-
turn to town," to which St. Helen assented.
59
CHAPTER Vn.
THE MAN KILLED AT THE GARRETT
HOME
As we were returning to town I continued the sub-
ject of our conversation by saying to St. Helen that
I had little knowledge of the history of the matters
about which he had spoken so in detail, but as of gen-
eral information knew that John "Wilkes Booth had
assassinated President Lincoln, though had no accur-
ate knowledge of the facts as detailed by him of the
President's assassination, such as would enable me to
reach the conclusion, as to the correctness or incor-
rectness of his statement, for I having been a small
boy at the close of the Civil War had not had the
opportunity to know much of the history of the war,
and less of the facts touching the tragic death of
President Lincoln, and therefore was left alone to
judge of the truth of what he said by the impressions
and convictions that his mere relation of it created
on my mind. The truth being that I did not believe
his story and sought the first opportunity to close
an interview as abhorrent as it was disbelievable by
60
THE MAN KILLED AT THE GARRETT HOME.
me. And out of charity I had begun to regard St.
Helen as an insane man, bordering in fact upon vio-
lent madness, but I said to him :
"I have learned to know and like you as John St.
Helen, but I would not know how to regard you and
associate with you as John Wilkes Booth, the assassin,
and to be kind and generous to you as my friend, I
must say I do not believe your story. First because,
I like St. Helen, and in the second place is it not true
that John Wilkes Booth was killed soon after the as-
sassination of President Lincoln, such as has been the
general information heretofore practically unques-
tioned? No, St. Helen, not against my will and in
face of these facts can I believe you the assassin and
criminal you claim to be. And giving you the benefit
of the doubt of your sanity I must decline to accept
your story as true. It is possible you may have known
Booth and the secrets of his crime and escape, and it
is possible that from your brooding over this subject
your mind has become shaken and you imagine your-
self Booth. To me you are my friend John St. Helen —
not the wicked and arch-criminal, the assassin, John
Wilkes Booth. It would take even more than your
sane statement to make me believe that you are any
other than John St. Helen. I can't believe that one
of your humane instincts, possessed, as I think I know
you to be, of all the attributes of gentle breeding and
61
THE MAN KILLED AT THE GARRETT HOME.
culture, with the highest order of intellect and re-
finement blended with beautiful sentiment, and
possessed of a soul unalloyed with crime, can be
John Wilkes Booth. Could a man seeming-
ly possessed of such attributes, protected by a
strong manhood, without physical or mental fear,
without an apparent taint of the composition of cow-
ardice, play the part of an assassin ? Booth may have
been possessed of all the qualities that it takes to make
up the assassin, but St. Helen? In my opinion, no,
if I mistake not your character. You would have met
the man you sought to slay to the forefront and bid
him with equal chance defend the life you would
take.
* 'Then, too, did not the government of the United
States announce to the American people, and as for
that matter, to the civilized world, that Booth was
killed and the death of President Lincoln avenged?
Then do you say it is a fact that Booth was not killed
at the Garrett barn in Virginia? It is a physical fact
that some man was killed at the Garrett home. If not
Booth who was this man!"
St. Helen replied by saying, "As you have heard
that a man was killed at the Garrett barn, and without
positive or direct proof as to who this man was, yet
from the circumstances I would say that it was Ruddy,
the man with whom I had negotiated for my personal
63
THE MAN KILLED AT THE GARRETT HOME.
deliverance, together with that of my accomplice,
David E. Herold, to the Confederate soldiers. You
will remember I paid this man with a check made
payable to my order by a Canadian bank, and if he
did, as I requested, which he promised to do and left
me to do, he got my letters, pictures, etcetera, out of
the wagon, as I have explained to you, as he was to
bring them to me at the Garrett home on the day or
night following the day that I left the Garrett home,
as I have also explained to you. I take it, without
personal knowledge of the facts, that Ruddy and Her-
old came to the Garrett home, as prearranged and
promised when we separated at the ferry on the Rap-
pahannock river, so that the Federal troops, by some
means, traced me to the Garrett home, where they
found Herold and Ruddy, killing Ruddy and cap tur-
ning Herold. They found on the body of Ruddy
the check for sixty pounds, together with my letters,
and I think a picture, and by reason of finding these
belongings of mine on the body of Ruddy, I presume
they identified it as the body of myself. But this
misleading incident, for I take it to be true that these
documents unexplained found upon the body of any-
one, and surely by those who did not know me, would
reasonably and rightfully justify the conclusion that
they had the1 body of John Wilkes Booth, but they
were in fact mistaken. And I do not for one moment
63
THE MAN KILLED AT THE GARRETT HOME.
doubt the sincerity of the individual members of the
government or officers and men who captured Herold
and killed, as I suppose, Ruddy, in believing that they
had killed me, and it was certainly a reasonable and
justifiable mistake if they had no other means of
identifying me than the check and documents found
on the man or body of the man whom we have called
Ruddy. But in this connection I desire to say, so that
my conscience shall be clear and confession complete,
that I have no cause to complain of the treatment
that I have received at the hands of the Federal
soldiers or officers in pursuit of me before and after
the killing of President Lincoln, for they were more
than once in plain and broad view of me. It is a little
remarkable, don 't you think, that it was possible for
me to remain within the Federal lines for seven or
more entire days and nights, within forty miles of
Washington City, in a country entirely open and
within the territory completely occupied by the Fed-
eral troops, while I waited for Ruddy to go within
the Confederate lines and arrange to have Confederate
soldiers meet us at the Rappahannock river, as the
safest and most certain means of my escape V
"Then, it is your contention, St. Helen, that the
circumstances of finding your letters, etc., on Ruddy *s
body was all the proof they had?"
64
THE MAN KILLED AT THE GARRETT HOME.
"Certainly, they could have only had circumstantial
proof — not having killed me. They could only reach
the conclusion from the incident mentioned, and I am
before you now as a physical monument to .the fact
that I was not killed."
"Yes, but I, in my opinion, as well as a large
majority of the American people, believe that the gov-
ernment has in its possession absolute and positive
proof of the killing and death of Booth. However
this may be, I shall continue to know and associate
with you only as John St. Helen, until I shall have
more satisfactory proof of your identity,' f when so
saying St. Helen and I separated and went our dif-
ferent ways to a late luncheon. While I as a fact had
little or no confidence in the story told me by St.
Helen and did not believe St. Helen to be Booth, still
his manner, directness and detail of his statement
left its impress on me and gave a justifiable cause
for serious reflection.
The former pleasant relation between St. Helen
and myself could not be continued with him as Booth,
for we forget to recognize merit and friendship in
one's character where there is much to be otherwise
condemned. In fact we find our friendship paling to
contempt and our admiration to scorn. The criminal
becomes common place and unattractive, because he
is unworthy, regardless of his physical attractiveness
65
THE MAN KILLED AT THE GARRETT HOME.
or mental attainments. We recognize in him the
villain. What we may call St. Helen's con-
fession tended to clear up the mystery he had
thrown around himself when he sought to avoid his
appearance before the Federal court at Tyler, by
saying his true name was not St. Helen, and I now
think of his confession in the light of his hard fight
and the payment of money to avoid being taken within
the settled and civilized sections of the state of Texas,
lest he should be identified to be another than John St.
Helen. This was a suspicious circumstance, at least,
that in fact St. Helen was Booth, or some other man
than St. Helen, for as a fact if he was Booth it was
possible and highly probable that he would have been
identified by some of the court officials, especially by
the United States District Attorney, Col. Jack Evans,
who it is more than probable had seen John Wilkes
Booth on the stage. Knowing the District Attorney as
I did, as also from information of his frequent trips
to Washington and Eastern cities during the days
of Booth 's triumphs before the footlights would
show a well founded reason why St. Helen
should not have taken the risk incident to a
trip to Tyler, if in fact he was Booth. Then I
would think he could have been equally as well John
St. Helen, John Smith or John Brown, or any other
man,, who had committed some crime other than that
66
THE MAN KILLED AT THE GARRETT HOME.
of the assassination of President Lincoln, for the
commission of which he would have been equally as
anxious to avoid detection under any other name or
for any other crime, if such crime had any connection
with the violation of the Federal law. In other words,
he could as well have been a mail robber as the assas-
sin of a President. So, that I could place but little
importance in these statements and circumstances as
a proof that St. Helen was in fact John Wilkes Booth,
but rather thought of his confession as an evidence
of an identity not yet spoken of. So that the true
identity of this mysterious St. Helen became more
mystifying. Then I would think of what St. Helen
had said when he thought he was making his dying
declaration that he was John Wilkes Booth. And if
this was not true why need he in the presence of
impending death, as he thought, make the confession
that he was Booth? Then, too, I would think this
confession was without significance, as St. Helen
seemed prompted by no purpose after he had been
saved from the Federal court and from death, except
to prove to me the fact of his true identity, for what
interest could it have been to me or what could it
avail Booth, his purpose having been accomplished?
So reasoning from the standpoint of cause or motives
the conclusions reached were first, that St. Helen was
not Booth, because he disclosed his secret without an
67
THE MAN KILLED AT THE GARRETT HOME.
apparent necessity, or from a business point of view,
and not likely from a matter of sentiment. Then I
would think, is the man demented ? And is he living
without purpose or reason? Or is he conscience
stricken and telling the truth for the relief that its
confession brings to him? And thus can reason
answer ?
Resting in this state of mind I waited an opportune
time when St. Helen and myself were retired, effect-
ually hidden from intrusion, and expressed to him my
apprehension of his perfect sanity as -well as of his
true identity, and asked him to more fully explain
why he had made this confession to me at a time when
he supposed he was in his last illness that he was
John Wilkes Booth. And that if as a matter of fact
he was John Wilkes Booth, why he wanted me to
know it. St. Helen, without hesitation but with slow
and deliberate expression in substance said :
"I have spoken to you in good faith and in very
truth, having in no way deceived or in any manner
misled you, and had thought in the statements I have
made you I had clearly shown my purpose. But hav-
ing failed in this I realize my fault, possibly produced
by my long habit of secretiveness of purpose, that my
conversations may more or less partake of the long
hidden mystery of my life, and in themselves appear
mystifying and contradictory in a measure to the
68
THE MAN KILLED AT THE GARRETT HOME.
legal mind. But you will remember that I gave you
these reasons some time ago — that it was first a duty
I owe myself and family name that the world might
know the motives for my crime. Then, too, I reflect,
that my crime is possibly without palliation, certainly
has no justifying excuse in the eyes of the world. That
in fact the greater part of my purpose in the con-
fession I first made you was to secure my release from
an attendance on the Federal court. Other than this
selfish motive you can not easily understand, and now
in the light of what I have said to you I must confess
that I, in fact, think that I was moved by a desire of
finding a confidant to whom at a chance risk of my
life I could speak fully of my identity and unbur-
dened the story of my crime to you, for God and the
criminal himself only know the punishment it is for
one not to be able to take his trouble to a friend and
unfold his mind to the ear which will listen with
pity, if not approval, and at least share with him the
knowledge of his crime. To you, free from crime, it
will doubtless occur that this could at most be but lit-
tle consolation, but don't forget that any consolation
at all is better than none, and that the life of man at
best is but a parasite on the life of others; his
friends who give hope of the impossible to himself
make life worth the living, and friendships kindled
into faith become the beacon fires which illumine the
69
THE MAN KILLED AT THE GARRETT HOME.
hours of our darkness beyond the sunlights of today,
and through the shadowed valley to the great beyond
where God rules and Justice obtains throughout the
time of all eternity.
11 After all, be it so. Having made known to you
my true identity and the cause of my crime, although
I know that you by your actions condemn me in fact,
I would think less of you if you did not, for I myself
confess, and would the power I had to condemn that
which you condemn, conscious that the Arbiter of our
being is pitiless in accusation, ever present in persecu-
tion and tireless in punishment. Yes, I walk in the
companionship of crime, sleep within the folds of sin
and dream the dreams of the damned and awake to go
forth by all men accused as well as self-condemned.
Ah, aweary, aweary ! Shall I say that I would that I
were dead? Yes, that I could on the wings of the
wind, by a starless and moonless night, be gone in
flight to the land of perpetual silence, where I could
forget and be forgotten, and whisper to my weary
soul, 'Peace, be still.' But for me, except in death,
there is no rest, for God in the dispensation of His
justice ordains that the criminal shall suffer the pangs
of his own crime. Why, then, should I hope? But
hopeless I may turn when all nature is hushed and
hear the voice of the supernatural saying :
70
THE MAN KILLED AT THE GARRETT HOME.
" 'Look, Repent and Confess.' When shines with-
in the light of the star of Bethlehem I shall see ex-
tended to me the outstretched arms of the Sainted
Mother Mary, I look, repent and confess, and the
fires of hope shall rekindle at the urn of my being,
with the fagots of incense burning in holy light giv-
ing off the perfume of frankincense and myrrh — a
food for and a purification of the soul. And this alone
can bring relief to my physical and spiritual being.
And in my confession to you I appealed for the pity
of man that I might live in common knowledge with
some one man, the secret that I, John Wilkes Booth,
did make my escape after the killing of President
Lincoln, whose life to replace I would gladly give
my own."
When I said to St. Helen, drop the curtain on the
beautiful sentiments expressed and for awhile listen
to me. The statements that you made with reference
to Mrs. Surratt and her son John Surratt can readily
be accepted as reasonable, but if you mean to say that
Vice-President, Andrew Johnson, was the leading con-
spirator and had formed a plan to kidnap and finally
suggested the assassination of President Lincoln, it
is startling to a point of disbelief, an insult to Ameri-
can manhood! It traduces the character of a dead
man, and is equalled only by the depravity and
cowardice characterizing the act of the assassina-
71
THE MAN KILLED AT THE GARRETT HOME.
tion of President Lincoln. No! I can not yet with-
out more proof believe the statement that you make to
be a fact. What reason, I pray, could Andrew Johnson
have in being a party to the assassination of President
Lincoln under the circumstances, or even under other
circumstances than such as you have stated?"
St. Helen, replying in substance, said :
"lam not unmindful of what my statements imply
and weigh the consequences as well as measure my
words, when I say that in the light of after events,
it was in fact Vice-President Johnson's only purpose
in planning and causing the assassination of President
Lincoln, to make himself President of the United
States, but he then gave as his reason, among oth-
ers, which I have before explained to you, that Pres-
ident Lincoln, by the act of the emancipation of the
slaves of the South, had violated the constitutional
rights of property of the Southern people and rea-
soned that if he would override the Constitution of
the United States in this respect that Mr. Lincoln
was a dangerous man to be President, for that he
could with the same propriety and that he would
in his (Mr. Johnson's) opinion continue his policy
of the confiscation of the remaining properties of
the people of the South. That he (Mr. Johnson)
was a Southern man and a citizen resident of the
South, and it was reasonable to expect, believe, and
72
THE MAN KILLED AT THE GARRETT HOME.
in fact know, that lie would do more for the South
under the then existing conditions than President Lin-
coln, who, Mr. Johnson contended, was the South 's
greatest enemy, saying that he (Mr. Johnson) was
present at a cabinet meeting prior to September 22nd,
1864, by invitation of President Lincoln, when the
question of the emancipation of slavery was to be dis-
cussed and that upon this occasion it was developed
that five out of seven members of President Lincoln's
cabinet, as follows, Wells, Smith, Seward, Blair and
Bates, were opposed to the issuance and promulgation
of the emancipation proclamation, and the argument
made by those men in opposition was that such a
proclamation by the chief executive, overriding the
decision of the Supreme Court of the United States
in the Dred Scott case, was an usurpation of the law
and constitution of the United States. To this Presi-
dent Lincoln replied: *
" 'The legal objections raised in opposition to the
promulgation of the Emancipation Proclamation free-
ing the negro slaves of the United States is well
founded and true, but I believe it would be a vital
stroke against our sister states in rebellion, and believ-
ing this as I do, as Commander-in-Chief of the Army
and as President of the United States, I shall issue
this proclamation as a war measure, believing it to
be my official duty. Believing, as I do, that the free-
73
THE MAN KILLED AT THE GARRETT HOME.
dom of the negroes is humane and meritorious and a
blow to the enemy which it can not long withstand,
and from my understanding of my official dual capac-
ity as President of the United States as its Civil
Officer and Commander-in-Chief of the Army from a
military standpoint, I violate no law or official trust
in doing what in my opinion is best and just in the
suppression of the present rebellion. '
" 'This act of President Lincoln/ continued Mr.
Johnson, 'Was earnest of his policy to be carried out
toward the subjugated South/
"This reasoning at the time seemed unselfish and
logical, and I agreed with him that the supreme mo-
ment for the displacement of President Lincoln had
arrived. And if you will think for a moment of the
conditions as they obtained at that time, in Washing-
ton City, you will agree with me that it was impossible
for me, a mere citizen, a civilian without influence,
except through Vice-President Johnson, with either
the civil or military powers at Washington, I being in
no way connected with the Federal or Confederate
armies and following my vocation as an actor, at my
convenience and pleasure, that it was a physical im-
possibility for me to have arranged my escape through
the Federal lines, then completely surrounding Wash-
ington, through which I had to go and did pass after
the accomplishment of the death of President Lincoln,
74
THE MAN KILLED AT THE GARRETT HOME.
for at this time, as it had been practically during the
entire Civil War, Washington City was closely
guarded by a cordon of soldiers thrown completely
around it, making it impossible to pass in or out of
the city without passing through this well-guarded
line, and this only could be done by officially recog-
nized permits, and even with these permits one could
not pass into the city without giving a full account of
himself.
"Now, do you think that I unaided could have
arranged for my . escape ? Then, think, Gen. U. S.
Grant and wife, as you know, were to attend the
theatre with President and Mrs. Lincoln on that
evening, and I could not have undertaken to go into
the closed box so unequally matched as I would have
been with both President Lincoln and Gen. Grant
there. So, the absence of Gen. Grant was arranged.
Could I do this ? History records the fact that Gen.
Grant was suddenly called from the City of Washing-
ton late in the afternon of the evening of the assas-
sination of President Lincoln. You understand that
Gen. and Mrs. Grant were the guests of the President
and Mrs. Lincoln, receiving the congratulations of
Mr. Lincoln as Commander-in-Chief of the Army, only
&ve days after the surrender of Gen. Lee — accepting
the hospitality of the President and Mrs. Lincoln, a
compliment extended to Gen. Grant on account of his
75
THE MAN KILLED AT THE GARRETT HOME.
great achievement in the defeat of Robert E. Lee and
hi3 army before Richmond, at Appomatox, and this
entertainment at Ford 's theater was a part of the pro-
gram for their entertainment, and was to mark the
first public appearance together of President Lincoln
and Gen. Grant as the greatest heroes of the Civil
War connected with the Federal army. Whether Gen.
Grant's absence was a mere incident I can not say. I
only know that Yice-President Johnson informed me
only a few hours before the killing of President Lin-
coln that Gen. Grant would not be in attendance with
President Lincoln at the theatre. How he knew it, I
do not know. But I do know that I would not have
gone into the box and locked myself inside so unevenly
matched as I would have been with Gen. Grant pres-
ent, and had he been present President Lincoln would
not have been killed by me on that evening. Knowing
from the evening papers of the intended presence of
Gen. Grant, one of my conditions for attempting the
life of the President was that Gen. Grant should not
be present, and it is a physical fact that he was not
there. Take the further physical fact that I did kill
the President, and that I did pass out of the lines, as
directed by Mr. Johnson, without molestation at the
same point where I had been arrested and detained
on the morning of the same day I killed the President ;
that I approached the same guarded spot with my
76
the; man killed at the garrett home.
horse under whip and spur, at or about 10 :30 o'clock
at night, when upon giving the pass word T. B. or
T. B. Road to the Federal soldiers then guarding the
gate at the bridge, I was allowed to pass out. The
guard at once called for the assistance of another
guard standing close by, and the gate was hurriedly
raised and without further question I rode through,
put spur to my horse and was off again as fast as
the animal could go.
" Likewise, Herold, my accomplice, was permitted
to cross the bridge by the same guard, by the use of
the same pass word, and came up with me at Surratt-
ville. These physical facts stand as undeniable proof
of my official aid and my escape! Taking these
facts into consideration, who can say or doubt for
one moment that I was assisted by one, or more,
persons high in official circles, as well as in military
life?"
"Then, St. Helen, do you mean to say that Gen.
Grant was a party to or cognizant of the plot against
the life of President Lincoln V
"No, I do not. All I know is that I was informed
by Vice-President Johnson that Gen. Grant was to be
in the box with President Lincoln on that evening. I
told him I could not undertake to carry out the plan
against the life of the President, as I have stated,
should Gen. Grant remain in the box, that is, should
77 v
THE MAN KILLED AT THE GARRETT HOME.
he attend the theatre and occupy the box with SCr.
Lincoln. Mr. Johnson left me late that afternoon to
arrange for my escape and on his return, before giving
me instructions for my escape, he said that Gen. Grant
would not be present. How he knew this I can not
say. All I can say is to repeat what I have said. All
the world knows that Gen. and Mrs. Grant were not
in the box. From these existing physical facts, with
no accusation by innuendo, or otherwise, you must
draw your own conclusions. My own fixed opinion
upon this subject, however, I am free to express to
you— and I confess that I do not believe that Gen.
Grant knew of any arrangements being made to kill
President Lincoln. I believe rather that he had been
decoyed off by some means, unsuspected by him, and
certainly not known to me, as were also other instances
apparently connected with the assassination of the
President. For instance, I knew nothing of any plan
to take the life of Secretary Seward on the night of
the assassination of President Lincoln, or at any other
time, showing that it would appear to have been a
conspiracy against both the President and certain
members of the Cabinet."
""While your story may be true, St. Helen, and is
apparently sustained by the facts which you state,
considering your statements to be facts, and I have no
information for a successful denial, if all you say is
78
THE MAN KILLED AT THE GARRETT HOME.
true, it in no way identifies you as John Wilkes
Booth. Your story could be as well told by any one
else of your genius for some purpose hidden from me,
so I must continue to know you as John St. Helen."
St. Helen replied, ' *■ Then allow me to say that your
long and persistent reasoning that I am not John
Wilkes Booth almost persuades me that I am in fact
John St. Helen. Indeed, I am quite willing that you
shall believe I. am not John Wilkes Booth. However,
I realize that you have one proof of my identity —
my tintype picture. I ask that you will keep
that picture, which may be the means of my complete
identification to you some day, when you will better
understand that my confidence in you has been
prompted by selfish motives to a certain degree. While
your continued mistrust and disbelief is comforting
to me, in that I reflect that you, after all that I have
told you, for the reasons that you have given, are not
willing to believe me the criminal that I am; or, if
this disbelief arises from your thinking me incapable
of the crime to which I plead guilty, it is surely grati-
fying. But, if on the other hand, your mistrust arises
from your opinion that I am unworthy of belief
under any and all circumstances, my purposes are
thwarted and my efforts of no avail. But remember
always that I am grateful to you for what you have
done for me, and the burden you share with me, un-
79
THE MAN KILLED AT THE GARRETT HOME.
wittingly, whether it be with St. Helen or with Booth,
and in the future as in the past, with your permission,
we will be friends.. Think of me as you will, my true
name and identity you have. My correct personality
you know, and whether we long associate together or
soon separate, remember you are the one man — the
only living man with whom I leave the true story of
the tragedy which ended the life of President Lin-
coln.' '
Closing with this statement, St. Helen left me in an
uncertain frame of mind. The future standing as a
barrier against coming events I was not prepared at
that time to admit that St. Helen was Booth. I was
unwilling to assume the responsibility of believing
that St. Helen was Booth. Aside from my better
judgment was my strong faith in the accuracy of
the claims of my government that John Wilkes Booth,
the assassin, had been killed, and I did not care to ac-
quire the unpleasant notoriety and criticism of making
the announcement that John Wilkes Booth in fact
lived, unless the proof of such a fact was established
irrefutably. So, I determined to drop the subject for
all time to come — treating it as a myth unfounded in
fact — a story that existed only in the mind of St.
Helen, a comparatively demented man, a crank, who
gloried in deceiving me to the idea. I preferred to
accept the story of the event referred to as it is told
80
THE MAN KILLED AT THE GAKRETT HOME.
by the government — the accepted facts of history
rather than those of this man of mystery. And in our
after association, lasting about ten months, we made
no further reference to the subject, which was avoided
by mutual consent.
Aside from this unpleasant part of St. Helenas
character he was modest, unobtrusive and congenial,
ever pleasant in association with me. He was a
social favorite with all with whom he came in con-
tact, yet, he was rather the social autocrat than the
social democrat. Except for a select few he held all
men to the strictest social etiquette, repelling all
undue familiarity, refusing all overtures of social
equality with even those of the better middle classes
of men, but it was done in such a gentle and respect-
ful way that no affront was taken — if such it could
be called, it was more pleasant than otherwise, leav-
ing the impression that he, St. Helen, would be de-
lighted to be on the most intimate terms with the
other, but, as there is nothing in common between
us more than a respectful speaking relation, it is
an impossibility. And thus he made friends while
he drew the social lines and pressed home a con-
sciousness of his own superiority as an entertainer.
The hours of our social life were pleasantly spent,
not by riotous living but by amusing games of cards,
recitations and readings by St. Helen, which were
81
THE MAN KILLED AT THE GARRETT HOME.
i
always a great treat, and which he himself seemed
to enjoy, as did his friends.
St. Helen often admitted that in his younger days
he sometimes drank to excess of strong whiskeys,
wines, etc., as also decoctions of brandy and cordials,
but during our associations I never knew of his tak-
ing strong drink of any character, nor did he use
tobacco in any form, and in the absence of these
habits and tastes we were entirely congenial, as I
myself had never cultivated appetites of this char-
acter. We were also lovers of literature of the same
class, as well as music and the fine arts, and matters
pertaining to the stage. "We enjoyed the gossip of
the stage, and the people of the stage came in for a
large share of our attention, especially St. Helen's,
who talked much of what he called the old and the
new school of acting, with which I became con-
versant, which greatly pleased St. Helen, who
frequently made reference to me as his trained asso-
ciate, while he would explain that men became
congenial by constant association linked together by
the common mother, kindred thoughts, the off-
spring of blended characters.
82
CHAPTER VIII.
THE SEPARATION
St. Helen had grown tired of his class of busi-
ness. In fact, he paid little attention to it, letting
it drift with the tide of business affairs in the little
town of Grandberry. Now his mind turned to
thoughts of mining and the acquisition of wealth by
the development of mining properties in Colorado.
I was looking to other fields for my efforts and de-
cided to leave Texas.
When the final hour of our separation came I
returned to the States, as we Westerners termed
the older States in the Union, and St. Helen left for
Leadville, Colorado, in the spring of 1878, from
which point I lost trace of him until some time in the
year 1898. In the meantime I had located in the
city of Memphis, Tennessee, and St. Helen and I
were far apart — lost 'to each other and comparatively
forgotten for a period of twenty years.
During this interval of time, my location being
more convenient to books and the acquiring of in-
formation, I investigated the subject of the assassi-
nation of President Lincoln and its attendant cir-
83
THE SEPARATION.
cumstances in view of the statements made by St.
Helen. He had connected Andrew Johnson with
the plot to kidnap and assassinate President Lin-
coln and investigation became interesting to learn,
if possible, the relations, personal and otherwise,
existing between President Lincoln and Vice-Presi-
dent Andrew Johnson.
In this search I find that the oath of office as
President of the United States was administered to
Andrew Johnson by Chief Justice Chase in the lodg-
ings of Andrew Johnson, at the Kirkwood Hotel,
Washington, D. C, and that besides members of
the Cabinet a number of United States Senators
were called in to witness the ceremony. At this
hour but few of the citizens of Washington knew
that President Lincoln was dead. The inaugura-
tion occurred at 10 o'clock on the morning of April
15, 1865, President Lincoln having died at twenty-
two minutes past 7 o'clock on the same morning*
At his informal inauguration President Johnson
made a speech remarkable in that he made no men-
tion of President Lincoln. I give this speech in part
with the comments thereon by those present, who
say:
"The effect produced upon the public by this
speech, which might be regarded as an inaugural
address, was not happy. Besides its evasive charac-
84
THE SEPARATION.
ter respecting public policies, which every observant
man noted, with apprehension, an unpleasant im-
pression was created by its evasive character re-
specting Mr. Lincoln. The entire absence of eulogy
of the slain President was remarked. There was no
mention of his name or of his character, or of his
office, the only allusion in any way whatever to Mr.
Lincoln was Mr. Johnson's declaration that he 'was
almost overwhelmed by the announcement of the sad
event which has so recently occurred. '
"While he found no time to praise one whose
praises were on every tongue, he made ample ref-
erence to himself and his own past history, and
though speaking not more than five minutes, it was
noticed that 'F and 'my' and 'me' were used at least
a score of times. A boundless egotism was inferred
from the line Of his remarks, 'My past public life,
which has been long and laborious, has been founded,
as I in good conscience believe, upon the great prin-
ciple of right which lies at the base of all things.'
" 'I must be permitted to say, if I understand
the feelings of my own heart, I have long labored to
ameliorate and alleviate the conditions of the great
mass of the American people.
' * ' Toil and an honest advocacy of the great prin-
ciples of free government have been my lot. The
duties have been mine, the consequence God's.' "
85
THE SEPARATION.
Senator John P. Hale, of New Hampshire, who
was present on this occasion, said, with characteris-
tic wit, that —
"Johnson seemed willing to share the glory of his
achievements with his Creator, but utterly forgot
that Mr. Lincoln had any share or credit in the sup-
pression of the rebellion."
Three days later, April 18, a delegation of distin-
guished citizens from Illinois called upon Mr. John-
son under circumstances extraordinary and most
touching. The dead President still lay in the White
House, before the solemn and august procession
should leave the national Capitol to bear his mortal
remains to the State which had loved and honored
him. The delegation called to assure his successor
of their respect and confidence, and in reply to Gov.
Oglesby, the spokesman of the Illinois delegation,
Mr. Johnson responded respecting the dead, Presi-
dent Lincoln, and with profound emotion of the
tragical termination of Mr. Lincoln's life. He said:
"The beloved of all hearts has been assassinated."
He then paused thoughtfully and added: "And
when we trace this crime to its cause, when we re-
member the source from whence the assassin drew
his inspiration, and then look at the result, we stand
yet more astounded at this most barbarous, most dia-
bolical act. Who can trace its cause through suc-
86
THE SEPARATION.
cessive steps back to that source which is the spring
of all our woes? No one can say that if the perpe-
trator of this fiendish deed be arrested he should not
undergo the extremest penalty of the law known
for crime. None can say that mercy should inter-
pose. But is he alone guilty?"
I charge the reader in the light of the facts that
have been written and the statement made by John
St. Helen, that you compare this oration of Andrew
Johnson over the body of Lincoln with that of Marc
Antony over the dead body of Caesar.
The character and force of Mr. Johnson's words
were anomalous and in many respects contradic-
tory.
Mr. Blaine says of him in his " Twenty Years in
Congress:'' "Mr. Johnson by birth belonged to
that large class of people in the South known as
the 'poor white.' " (Mr. Blaine should have said
"Poor white trash," a term applied to a disreputa-
ble class of poor white people who would be equally
unworthy and socially ostracised if rich. It was and
is no disgrace in the South to be "poor," and no so-
cial ostracism extended to the poor, if honorable.)
"Many wise men regarded it as a fortunate cir-
cumstance that Mr. Lincoln's successor was from
the South," says Mr. Blaine, "though a much larger
number in the North found in this fact a source of
87
THE SEPARATION.
disquietude, saying that Mr. Johnson had the mis-
fortune of not possessing any close or intimate
knowledge of the people of the loyal States ; and it
was found, moreover, that his relations with the
ruling spirit of the South in the exciting period
preceding the war specially unfitted him for harmo-
nious co-operation with them in the pending exi-
gencies. (Vol. II., page 3.)
"Mr. Johnson had been during his entire life a
Democrat, and had attained complete control of the
Democratic party in the State of Tennessee and had
filled various official positions in the State, and
finally that of Democratic United States Senator
from the State of Tennessee.' ' (Vol. II, page 4.)
I pass- the above quotations without further com-
ment than to challenge the thought of the reader to
their significance to the political relations of Andrew
Johnson with the Democratic politics of the State
of Tennessee. In this connection I have sought to
learn something, if possible, of Mr. Lincoln's feel-
ing toward Vice-President Johnson, but find only a
few sentences in written history touching their re-
lations, which are recorded by William H. Herndon
and Jesse W. Weik, in their biography of the life
of Lincoln, in Volume 2, at page 232, in which Mrs.
Lincoln speaks as follows :
83
THE SEPARATION.
"My husband placed great confidence in my
knowledge of human nature, and it was his inten-
tion to remove Seward as soon as peace was made in
the South. He greatly disliked Andrew Johnson.
On one occasion we noticed him following us and it
displeased Mr. Lincoln so much that he turned and
asked in a loud voice, 'Why is this man,' meaning
Andrew Johnson, 'forever following me?' "
Thus we have conduct suspicious in its nature of
Andrew Johnson toward Mr. Lincoln. And the world
will ask of all mankind the same question Mr. Lin-
coln asked of his wife. And why was it that An-
drew Johnson should have followed Mr. Lincoln?
Does St. Helen's story explain Johnson's conduct —
Johnson's motives?
In this connection it is interesting to know how
Lincoln passed the last day of his life. Mrs. Lin-
coln says:
"He spent the last day of his life, the 14th day
of April, 1865, by taking an early breakfast and at-
tending a Cabinet meeting at 11 o'clock, at which
Gen. Grant was present He spent the afternoon
with Gov. Oglesby, Senator Jones and other friends
from Illinois."
On the afternoon of this day, in conversation with
Mr. Colfax, only a short time before they should go
to the theater, Mr. Lincoln invited Mr. Colfax to
89
THE SEPARATION.
attend the theater with him, saying that he had se-
cured a box at Ford's Theater for the purpose of en-
tertaining Gen. Grant, but that Gen. Grant had just
declined the invitation and had left the city, and
that he (Lincoln) did not want the people entirely
disappointed in their expectation of seeing both
himself and Gen. Grant at the theater that evening,
and would be glad to have Mr. Colfax accompany
him, taking Gen. Grant's place. This Colfax de-
clined.
It has always been an interesting question to me
why, and how, under what conditions could Gen.
Grant have been so successfully decoyed away from
the City of Washington on so important an occa-
sion, almost at the hour of attending this theater
party in company with President Lincoln as the
great Federal heroes of the civil war?
Gen. Grant, in explanation of the occurrence, says
that late on the afternoon in question he received a
note from his wife expressing some frivolous reasons
as to why they should leave the city at once and
visit their daughter, I believe, in Dubuque, Iowa.
He says that on reaching Philadelphia he heard of
the assassination of President Lincoln and returned
at once by special train to Washington. These facts
of history I likewise present to the public mind with-
out comment. I trust, however, that I may be par-
90
THE SEPARATION.
doned for saying here that I esteem my personal ac-
quaintance with Gen. Grant an honor and a privilege
and I now place myself on record in vindication of
any thought or charge against the honor or integ-
rity of character of this great man, and make men-
tion of this incident only that the world may know
the facts, as told me, of the actions and conduct of
those whose names were in any way linked or asso-
ciated with this story.
91
CHAPTER IX.
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH
In the month of December, 1897, by some agency
unknown to me, I found a copy of the Sunday edi-
tion of the Boston Globe, dated December 12, 1897,
in the reception hall of my home. How this paper
came to be in my home is unknown to me. I did
not take it by subscription, nor have I or any mem-
ber of my family ever, before or since, purchased a
copy of the Boston Globe, nor has a copy of this
paper at any other time been in my office or home.
How this special paper came to my home is a com-
plete mystery to myself and to every member of my
household. My purpose is not to convey the idea
that the presence of the Boston Globe was an intru-
sion in my home, for the contrary is true, because it
was appreciated and read with great interest, and
I regard it as worth many times its price as an en-
tertainer for any household. I take pardonable
pride in the State of Massachusetts and its people,
for this State has been the home of my ancestors
and kinsmen since the year 1635.
92
tt * GEN- D. D. DANA
Under Orders of Gen. C. C.
A™' at w«i.ta«on: ThecpuliuT'i ssrssaJsa^
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
The point is, by what mysterious means did this
Sunday edition of the Boston Globe reach me con-
taining the first published statement of Gen. D. D.
Dana, of Lubec, Maine, giving a full account of his
knowledge respecting the assassination of President
Lincoln and a detailed statement of his pursuit of John
[Wilkes Booth, twenty-three years after I had heard
the story of John St. Helen, who claimed to be John
.Wilkes Booth. To my surprise the story of Gen.
Dana corroborated in its minutest detail the story St.
Helen told to me in his confession recounting Booth's
escape from Washington, D. C, to the Garrett home,
in Virginia. >
David D. Dana, brother of Charles A. Dana, the
founder, owner and publisher of the New York
Sun, in December, 1897, lived in a small, one-story
frame house in West Lubec, Maine. This being the
ancestral home of his wife's people, where he set-
tled some twenty years prior to December, 1897, at
the time when the opening of lead mines in this sec-
tion promised to make Lubec famous the world over,
and after years of mining with indifferent success,
Gen. Dana settled down to the quiet life of the
farmer with his wife and many pets as companions,
being eight miles from the nearest village. But he
93
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
was by no means a recluse, being well informed on
all current events, and a constant reader of the news-
papers and periodicals of the day.
Gen. Dana's story is given in full below:
h"The Boston Sunday Globe, Dec. 12, 1897.
"HE ALMOST SAVED LINCOLN.
'David Dana, Brother of Chas. A. Dana, Tried to Prevent
the Assassination of the Martyr President — Now
a Dweller in Lubec, Maine — He Tells
of His Pursuit of Booth.
"Away down in a remote corner of New England,
in the most easterly town in this broad country,
dwells the man who alone had knowledge before-
hand of the meditated assassination of Lincoln, and
who tried by every means in his power to thwart the
conspiracy, but all in vain.
"This maiij David Dana, brother of the late Chas.
A. Dana, is a most unique and interesting character,
and one who has seen his full share of life, and has
been a part of the most stirring events in our coun-
94
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
try's history. It was the writer's good fortune re-
cently to hear him tell of the part he took in the pur-
suit of the assassin, Booth, and his accomplice, Her-
old. Inasmuch as the story gives facts never before
laid before the public, the recital cannot fail to be
of great interest to every one who has ever perused
the story of these exciting times.
" 'In the spring of '65 I was near Washington/
began Mr. Dana, 'with my headquarters at Fort Ba-
ker, just above the east branch of the Potomac. It
was within the lines of the Third Brigade of Har-
den's Division, Twenty-second Corps, commanded
by Gen. C. C. Augur, under whom I was provost
marshal. I had authority over nearly all that
part of Maryland lying between the east branch of
the Potomac and the Patuxent river. This part of
the State was swarming with rebels, and I was com-
missioned to watch all their movements and learn
if possible of any plots against the Federal govern-
ment.
" 'While patrolling this territory I learned that a
plot was forming against the government, and that
the blow would undoubtedly be aimed against the
life of President Lincoln. I at once asked for a bat-
talion of veteran cavalry, in addition to the regu-
lar provost guard, and the request was granted. I
was ordered to establish a line of pickets from Fort
95
THE- PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
Meigs on the left to Geisboro point on the right,
with orders to permit none to enter the city of
Washington during the day unless they could give
their names, where they were from, and what was
their business at the Capitol.
" 'From, sundown to sunrise no one was to enter
or leave the city except in case of sickness or death.
All suspicious persons were to be arrested and senl!
to the commanding general for examination.
"On Friday, April 14, 1865, two men appeared be-
fore the guard on the road leading into Washington
from the east. Refusing to give their names or state
their business, they were arrested and put in the
guard tent, whence they were to be sent to headquar-
ters. /This was about 1 o'clock in the afternoon. In
an hour or two they gave their names as Booth and
Herold.
E 'The officers on guard under me carried out my
orders so strictly that it was very annoying to the
rebel sympathizers who wished access to the city, so
that many complaints were made by prominent citi-
zens of Maryland.
" 'About 4 p.m. I received an order from Gen. Au-
gur to release all prisoners held by the guards and
to withdraw the guard until further orders. I sent
an orderly to the officers on the line from Fort Meigs
easterly, with orders to release all prisoners and
96
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
to report to me at Fort Baker. On the line from
Fort Meigs to Surrattville I went in person and with-
drew the guard to my headquarters.
" 'Booth and Herold were released as soon as the
orders reached the guard, and they proceeded at once
to Washington, reaching there about 6 :30 in the aft-
ernoon. I had a guard at each end of the bridge on
the eastern branch of the Potomac and one of the
guards knew Booth and recognized him as he rode
into the city and as he came out after the assassina-
tion, and had it been known that he had killed Lin-
coln escape would have been impossible.
" 'I returned to headquarters about 11 p. m. and
had dismissed the guard and was eating supper, when
an officer rode into camp with the startling intel-
ligence that Lincoln was killed and that the murder-
er, with another man, had ridden at a rapid pace into
the country.
" 'I called out the guard and sent detachments in
different directions and then went to the bridge to
learn what I could there. On my way I met a
company of cavalry, the 13th New York, which I
ordered to patrol the river to Guisi Point and learn
all they could and then return to Fort Baker.
" 'At the bridge I found an orderly from Gen.
Augur with orders for me to report to him at Wash-
ington without delay. I did so, and was ushered
97
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
into his presence, where I found him standing by his
desk with streaming eyes.
" 'My God, marshal/ he cried, upon seeing me,
'if I had listened to your advice this terrible thing
never would have happened!'
" 'After conversing with him for a few moments
I was appointed adjutant general on his staff and
ordered to use my own judgment as to the best way
of capturing Booth. The order read as follows :
1 ' ' To Commanders of all Divisions, Brigades, Regi-
ments, Companies, and Posts: You will obey all
orders emanating from Adjt. Gen. and Provost Mar-
shall D. D. Dana the same as though especially issued
from thesf headquarters.
(Signed) Maj. Gen. C. C. Augur,
Commanding 22d Corps in Dept. of Washington. '
" 'While with Gen. Augur and by his request I laid
out the plan for the capture of Booth. First, one of
the swifest steamers which could be obtained
should patrol the Potomac as far as the Patuxent
river and seize all boats which could not give a good
account of themselves. Then a steamer should be
sent up the Patuxent and all boats on this river were
to be seized at all hazards to as far as Horse Head
ferry.
" 'These orders were telegraphed to the boats on
the Patuxent and were carried out to the letter. The
98
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
reason was this: In scouting through Maryland I
had learned that a boat would be used by the assas-
sin, who would go by land to the Patuxent, thence
across to the Albert river, from there to the Atlantic
coast, and thence to Mexico. The only thing that
prevented Booth's escape was the seizure of these
boats.
" 'I returned to Fort Baker, left orders for the
cavalry, who were out scouting, took a small detach-
ment of my own guard and started after Booth, tak-
ing the road by Surrattville to Bryantown. As we
passed by the Surratt mansion all was as dark as
though it had never been inhabited, but I found an
old man and woman who had a boy sick with the
smallpox. Finding that no information could be
obtained there, from the old man or his wife, I took
him along with us for a mile and a half to a secluded
dell. Refusing to give the desired information, I
ordered him to be strung up to the limb of a big
oak tree.
" 'It was a clear night with the moon just rising,
its silvery glints touching the tops of the trees in
the dell and the flickering light of the campfire,
which the men had kindled, casting fantastic shad-
ows here and there. The rope was made fast about
the old man's neck and, at a signal from me, he was
hoisted up and suspended between heaven and earth.
99
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
It was a weird and gruesome scene, there in the light
of the fire and moon was the swaying body of the
man struggling in his futile efforts to grasp the rope,
while the spasmodic action of his body and the gurg-
ling sounds from his throat produced an effect never
to be forgotten.
" 'I ordered him to be cut down after a few mo-
ments and he was resuscitated. Rather than try a
second pull on the rope he told me that Booth and
Herold had been at the Surratt mansion and had had
something to eat and drink and that after supper,
though Booth was badly hurt, they had mounted
their horses and rode toward Bryantown.
"''I pushed on after them and a few miles from
Bryantown I came to a detachment of ten men under
a sergeant as patrol guard to watch suspicious peo-
ple in that section. I sent the sergeant to Port To-
bacco at once, and ordered the troops to scout up the
Patuxent river to arrest all suspicious persons and
to report to me at Bryantown. The patrol guard
afterward acknowledged that they heard the clatter
of Booth's and Herold's horses' feet as they passed
by on the road leading to Dr. Samuel Mudd's to-
ward Bryantown.
" 'This came about from the fact that a short dis-
tance above the guard was a road leading to Dr.
Mudd's, who resided about three and a half miles
100
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
from the village, and this road the pair had taken,
reaching the doctor 's house about 4 a. m., about two
hours ahead of my troops.
" 'I arrived at Bryantown about 6 o'clock, and at
once placed guards at all the roads leading into the
village, with orders that anyone might enter the town
but that none were to leave it. About 2 o'clock that
afternoon the detachment of troops from Port To-
bacco reached me. In the meantime troops had been
sent to Woodbine and Horsehead ferries, all the
boats had been seized and all crossing of the river
had been stopped.
* * ' By taking possession of these positions and seiz-
ing the ferry boats and by closely guarding the line
of the river Booth's chances of escape this way were
cut off. Could he have crossed the Patuxent river
into Calvert county, he would most certainly have
reached Mexico in safety.
." 'After Booth and Herold arrived at Dr. Mudd's
Booth's leg was set, and after giving them their
breakfast, the doctor made a crutch for Booth and
fixed him up ready to start at an instant's notice.
" 'Dr. Mudd came into Bryantown at 2 o'clock in
the afternoon and stayed there until 8 or 9 in the
evening, when a cousin of his, Dr. George Mudd,
asked as a personal favor, a pass for him through the
lines. After closely questioning Samuel Mudd and
101
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
believing him to know nothing of Booth, and having
confidence in what his cousin said, I let Dr. Samuel
Mudd go.
' 'During the doctor's long absence Booth got un-
easy and sent Herold on horseback to Bryantown.
Learning that troops were in the town, he tied his
horse to a large clump of willows that grew on the
side of a stream near the road, and there watched
for Dr. Mudd 's return.
il 'When the doctor made his appearance Herold
came out and the two returned to the doctor's house.
Booth was anxious to leave at once, but the good
doctor assured him that the/re was no danger that
night.
' ' ' George Mudd, let me say in passing, never inti-
mated to me that his friend was a doctor, or was a
relative of his. I learned the next day, when it was
too late, that his cousin was a rank rebel, and I
plainly told George Mudd what I thought of him.
" 'The fugitives left Dr. Mudd's early the next
morning and took the road for Horsehead ferry.
When within two and one-half miles of the ferry
they saw a man of about sixty years leaning on a
fence in front of his house ; Booth rode up and asked
him if he had heard the news of Lincoln being killed.
He said yes, he had heard it from some troops that
had arrived at the ferry. Booth asked him if there
102
THE PURSUIT utf BOOTH.
were any troops then at Horsehead ferry and the
man told him there were.
" 'Booth got a drink of water and wanted a drink
of whiskey, but the old man had none. He asked the
men who they were, and Booth answered: ''Detec-
tives looking for Booth and Herold." "What are
you doing with a crutch V was the rejoinder.
" 'The assassin explained that his horse had stum-
bled and had fallen upon him, hurting his leg very
badly. They asked the way to Woodbine ferry, and
being directed, set off at a brisk trot.
" 'When within two miles of Woodbine ferry they
met an old darkey and inquired: "How far is it to
the ferry ?" Upon being told they asked him the
news. "Massa Lincum's killed an' Woodbine ferry's
chock full of troops.' ' "How many, uncle ?" asked
Booth. "Golly, massa, dere's more'n a hundred!
Dey's swarming like bees!" answered the negro.
" 'The horsemen rode on a short distance through
a gate into a mowing field, and there all trace of their
horses' footprints were lost. But they returned to
the vicinity of Dr. Mudd's and entered the Sekiah
swamp from the east, where they spent two days and
two nights, being supplied with food by friends near
by.
" 'I had made arrangements for a detachment of
troops to scour the swamp with a guide, when a
103
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH
heavy storm came up and made it impossible. Had
I done so I certainly would have caught them, as
they did not leave until 2 or 3 o'clock that day.
When my troops reached the island the next day
they found where the horses had been tethered, and
the very moss where Booth and Herold had slept.
They also found the pieces of blanket with which
their horses' hoofs had been muffled. How they
made their way from Woodbine ferry to the swamp
is a mystery. It could only have been done by wrap-
ping the horses' feet in blankets.
" 'The different movements they made from the
time of the assassination to their reaching Sekiah
swamp shows that they had their course all laid out
beforehand. They knew where to go and who their
friends were and were only prevented from escap-
ing by the rapid movements of the troops under my
command.
" 'Sekiah swamp lies a short distance nearly west
of Bryantown. It is full of quagmires and sinkholes
and is exceedingly dangerous to enter except by day-
time. Even then great caution is required unless
a person is acquainted with the swamp. Booth and
Herold must have had a guide both going in and
coming out.
104
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
" 'They never could have gotten their horses there
alone; to attempt it would have been the last of
them.
" 'There is a small stream running through the
swamp, but large enough to float a small boat. It
discharges into the Patuxent river. After leaving
the swamp the fugitives went to a log cabin in a
thick growth of pines and underbrush quite distant
from any road. It was the dwelling of a man named
Jones, who had a negress for a housekeeper. It was
in that scrubby pine and underbrush, back of the
house, that the two horses were killed and buried.
1 'Here Booth and Herold were kept three or four
days, when they were taken by boat down the out-
let of the swamp to a point below where the troops
were stationed, and from there they were carried in
a wagon to a point on the Patuxent nearly opposite
Aquia creek. From here they were taken across the
Potomac and made their way to Garrett 's near Bowl-
ing Green, where Booth was killed.' "
A Bay State soldier corroborates in part the story
of Gen. David A. Dana, as well as that of St. Helen.
This soldier was stationed at the bridge crossing the
East Potomac river, on the road leading into Wash-
ington, which John Wilkes Booth crossed going into
Washington City and again on his return after the
105
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
assassination the evening of the same day. This man
is Mr. F. A. Demond, and I give his letter in full :
"Mr.D. D.Dana:
"Dear Sir and Comrade — I was very much inter-
ested in reading your account of how you tried to
prevent the assassination of the late President Lin-
coln, as published in The Globe of yesterday. It
brought back old memories to me of away back in
'64, as I was a member of your old provost guard,
with headquarters at Fort Baker.
"Well do I remember those days. I was detailed
from my company — Co. C, Capt. A. W. Brigham,
then stationed at Fort Mahan — and ordered to report
to you at Fort Baker for duty on provost guard. I
did so, and was employed guarding prisoners, sawing
wood and going down to Uniontown searching for
soldiers without passes. After a short time of ser-
vice at headquarters I, with some others from your
command, was sent to guard the bridge leading from
Washington to Uniontown, down by the navy yard.
"I was stationed at the Uniontown end of the
bridge where the gates were hung to stop people
from going to Washington. I was under the orders
of Corp. Sullivan— I think that was his name — and
the command at the other end of the bridge, the
Washington side, was under Sergt. Cobb.
106
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
ilI was present the night that Booth and Herold
crossed after Booth had shot the President, but was
not on post. I stood in the door of the block house
when Booth rode up, heard him ask the guard if
anyone had gone through lately, heard the guard on
p03t answer him, 'No,' and ask Booth what he was
doing out there this time of night ?
"He made some kind of answer about going to
see some one who lived out on the T. B. road. I did
not pay much attention at this time to what they
were talking about. I helped open the gate and he
rode through.
**A short time after this Herold rode over the
bridge and asked if there had been anyone through
mounted on a bay horse. Upon being told that there
had, he muttered something about being a pretty
man not to wait for him.
"Well, we opened the gate and let him through
and he rode off in a hurry. About twenty minutes
later, I should say, we heard a great uproar across
the bridge and in a short time got word of the as-
sassination. If we had only known it sooner neither
one of them would have passed us, as I would have
shot them as quickly as I would a mad dog. But it
was too late ; they were out of sight and hearing by
that time.
"I remember when you came down to meet some-
107
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
one that was waiting on the Washington side, but
never knew who it was until I read the account given
by you in The Sunday Globe. I remember of your
going in pursuit, and, if I am not mistaken, one of
Co. C. 's boys, Charles Joise, was with you.
"Excuse my writing to you, but I was so glad to
hear from you, Lieutenant, that I had to let you
know that one of your old boys was still living.
Hoping sometime to see you on a visit to me up here,
I remain, yours with great respect,
"F. A. Demond, Cavendish, Vt.
"Late private Co. C, Third Heavy Artillery, Mas-
sachusetts Volunteers."
It will be observed that the statements made by
Gen. D. D. Dana, supported by the letter of Mr. F.
A. Demond, corroborate the statements and confes-
sions made to me by John St. Helen (claiming him-
self to be Booth) more than twenty-five years prev-
ious to Dana's publication. That the statements of
Gen. Dana and St. Helen, or Booth, should differ in
immaterial details is not surprising, but the main
points agree — that is, St. Helen says, he (Booth) and
Herold were returning to Washington City on the
morning of April 14th, 1865 ; that they were arrested
and detained at the block house located at the bridge
over the east branch of the Potomac ; that they were
released and went into Washington from this bridge ;
108
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
that Booth was recognized at the time of his de-
tention at the East Potomac bridge; that after the
assassination of President Lincoln Booth and Her-
ald returned over the same route over which they
came into the city, crossing the East Potomac bridge,
which is also the route leading to Uniontown, men-
tioned by Demond ; that in crossing said bridge and
passing the guards they used the pass words "T.
B.,' or "T. B. Road.'* It is undeniably a fact that
Booth is corroborated in his statements that arrange-
ments had been made for his escape; that he did
escape from Washington through the Federal lines,
is confessedly true, though the city was completely
surrounded and guarded by the 22d Army Corps,
composed of many thousands of union men, an army
within itself, charged with the duty of protecting
the City of Washington and guarding the life of
President Lincoln against danger, which Dana says
he knew was threatened, and he had known it for
months prior to the President's assassination.
In comparing the statements of St. Helen, or
Booth, with that of Gen. Dana, made twenty or twen-
ty-five years after the occurrences, we find that Gen.
Dana's statement published in the city of Boston in
1897, is almost a verbatim copy of that made by St.
Helen to me in the State of Texas, though more than
two thousand miles of territory divided them and a
109
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
difference in time of some years intervened. These
statements could not have been preconcerted, and be-
cause of these conditions, each corroborating the.
other, the accounts of the affair bear the stamp of
physical truth.
The reader will not fail to note with anxious con-
cern, and demand explanation of the statement of
Gen. Dana, when he says:
"The life of the President (Lincoln) was then (on
the 14th day of April, 1865) known to be in immin-
ent and impending danger, and so well was this
known to him and others, that he asked and obtained
an extra force of mounted men to better guard the
life of the President (Lincoln), and the lines of
protection had been tightened around Washington
City in every precautionary way, looking to the safe-
ty of the life of the President, then threatened. Be-
ing thus forewarned, forearmed and fully prepared
to guard against a danger known to him, why was
it that without a change in these conditions, the life
of the President still threatened, without increase of
hope for his safety, or promised immunity, rumored
or otherwise, danger to which the commanding of-
ficer, Major Gen. C. C. Augur, and himself, Gen.
Dana, were admittedly advised of, John Wilkes
Booth, the assassin, a known Southern sympathizer
who constituted one of the class of men from whom
110
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
the officers expected the attempted assault on the
President with the purpose of taking his life, of
which they had been warned, was permitted to enter
the city less than eight hours before the assassina-
tion under his own name of John Wilkes Booth?
And Herold, Booth's accomplice, was also permitted
to enter with him. They entered the city in such a
manner as to cause suspicion of their conduct and
purpose, were arrested and detained for a number of
hours at the East Potomac bridge. Yet they were
permitted to leave the city, returning over the very
bridge where they had been held prisoners only
eight hours before. They approached the bridge
under circumstances that should have excited sus-
picion, the same suspicious characters who had
been detained but a few hours before, and yet were
permitted to pass the guards without arrest by
simply giving the pass word "T. B." or "T. B.
Road, f ■ which was meaningless, unless understood by
the guard on duty.
It will be remembered that Gen. Dana says that
the strictest orders had been given to the guards to
permit no one to pass at night, except on account of
sickness or death, and that all suspicious characters
were to be arrested and sent to headquarters to be
examined by the commanding officer, Gen. C. C.
Augur. If these orders were to be carried out by the
ill
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
guards they were violated because it was night and
the reason given by Booth to pass out was neither
sickness or death. It can not be denied that the
approach of Booth and Herold to this bridge, from
the city about ten thirty o'clock at night, their
horses under full spur, at a high rate of speed,
necessarily created suspicion in the minds of the
guards, under circumstances to be remembered.
Booth, a suspicious character, first approached, giv-
ing the words "T. B.," or "T. B. Road," and was
passed, while Herold, also a suspicious character it
seems, passed the guards by simply inquiring if a
man had passed, and describing Booth. A few min-
utes later, coming in hot pursuit, the livery man
and owner of the horse ridden by Herold reached
the bridge, chasing Herold and just behind him, was
stopped and made to tell his purpose, which was:
That he wanted to overtake Herold, who was rid-
ing away with his horse ; that the President had been
shot and that Booth and Herold were guilty and
were escaping. It seems that this excuse was not
sufficient for the guard on duty, and the owner of
the horse, the leader of the chase after the escaping
criminals, was turned back. (This was the commotion
of which Mr. Demond speaks when they learned of
the shooting of President Lincoln and the incident
mentioned by Secretary John Hay in his public ut-
112
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
terance when referring to the passing of Booth and
Herold over the bridge and the pursuit of the owner
of the horse ridden by Herold, when he says, " Booth
and Herold were permitted to pass and the only hon-
est man who sought to pass was stopped.,,)
In this connection we have no information from
history or Gen. Dana, from whom such information
should come, that the guard who allowed Booth and
Herold to pass was disciplined for the violation of
orders. It, therefore, stands to reason that the
guard was not punished but was simply carrying
out "orders in passing Booth, and Herold his ac-
complice, and also in refusing to allow others to
pass. But is the situation explained by Gen. Dana,
who says that the orders prohibited the passing of
persons through the lines, except upon conditions
mentioned,, and that he had individually taken in
the guards at the East Potomac bridge, which he
had not.
The question" is, what interest did he have- — or
why should Dana individually do this, and intrust
his orders at all other points to be delivered by an
orderly? "What special interest, I ask, should Dana
have had in this identical spot, through which
Booth was later to escape when he had killed Presi-
dent Lincoln?
113
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
Gen. Dana, himself, confesses that he went to the
East Potomac bridge and gave his orders in person.
And, again, I ask, What were those orders? His-
tory does not record. He does not say. The only
answer is the act of the guard. Let the world inter-
pret what those orders were. It is true, because it
was a physical fact, the guard was on duty — Booth
was allowed to pass on giving tjie pass word "T.
B. ;" Herold, his accomplice, was allowed to pass.
Was the guard obeying orders when he allowed
Booth and Herold to pass and turned back "the
only honest man," the man in pursuit? If this act
of the guard was a violation of orders he was caught
red-handed and should have been punished as a
particeps criminis for the crime of the assassination
of President Lincoln. The penalty for which, under
the order of Secretary Stanton of April 20th, 1865,
making all those who aided Booth in his escape
guilty of his (Booth's) crime, was punishable by
death. Then, I ask, why was not this punishment
meted out to the men who alone had it in their
power to prevent the escape of Booth and Herold*
but who did, knowingly, permit them to escape?
Further, Gen. Dana says that the orders were for
calling in the guards to his headquarters, located
at Fort Baker, and that he individually gave the
orders at the East Potomac bridge ; that these orders
114
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
were issued to him (Dana) about four o'clock in the
afternoon of April 14th, 1865, by Gen. C. C. Augur.
The reader is asked to note the significance of the
fact that at about this hour St. Helen (Booth) says
that he and Vice-President Johnson had separated
at the Kirkwood hotel, Johnson going to arrange
for Booth's escape. Is this order to Dana from his
superior commanding officer, Major Gen. C. C.
Augur, an echo of Johnson's mission?
Again, Gen. Dana says that in pursuance to these
orders the guards were removed to his headquar-
ters at Fort Baker. But it is. a physical fact that at
ten thirty o'clock p. m., when Booth crossed the
bridge, the guards had not been removed; and if
removed at all it was done after this as a subterfuge
for carrying out the order to call in the guards,
which seems to have been the case. For true it is
that Gen. Dana says he had not reached his head-
quarters with this guard until about eleven o'clock
p. m. that night and was eating his evening meal
when he first received word of the shooting of the
President.
Any one knowing the distance from the East
Potomac bridge to Fort Baker will readily under-
stand how Gen. Dana, together with his guards,
mounted and leaving the East Potomac bridge at
about ten thirty o'clock could reach Fort Baker at
115
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
or about eleven o 'clock. This would make the state-
ments of Gen. Dana consistent, and this I believe
to be a correct explanation of his seeming contra-
diction in respect to the matter of withdrawing the
guards from the East Potomac bridge, which respon-
sibility he personally assumed and for which he will
be held responsible.
However this may be, it is true that the guards
were on duty at the bridge and, as a matter of fact
and of history, whether intentionally or unintention-
ally, did assist Booth and his accomplice in passing
the line, and equally true that they did refuse to
allow the owner of the horse ridden by Herold to
pass a few minutes later. Then, I ask, why this
discrimination against the man in pursuit of the
fleeing assassin and his accomplice? This can only
be answered by the guards, or Gen. Dana. Unless
the conduct of the guards explains. But, legally
holding these men responsible for the necessary con-
sequence of their acts, they did aid Booth in his
escape, while all the circumstances attendant upon
Booth's passing of the guards tend to establish
their guilty knowledge, or the guilty knowledge and
conduct of their superior officers.
At this eleventh hour, while he was yet at his
meal, Gen. Dana says he was ordered before Gen.
C. C. Augur, but then too late, as the crime had been
116
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
already committed and the assassin had escaped the
confines of the military powers of Washington.
Gen. Dana, on reaching the headquarters of Gen.
Augur, found him in tears and his first words were :
"My God, marshal, if I had listened to your advice
this terrible thing would never have happened/ '
I ask, and the civilized world listens for the reply
— What had Gen. Dana advised Gen. Augur touch-
ing the safety of the President, and "this terrible
thing," as he calls it, prior to the assassination,
which, in Gen. Augur's opinion, if heeded, would
have prevented the killing of President Lincoln ? Is
this a self-accusation — an unwitting admission of
his responsibility for the death of President Lin-
coln? This expression of self -accusation, taken in
connection with Gen. Augur's surprising and unex-
plained order, issued about four o'clock on April
14th,' 1865, in face of the known and impending
danger to the life of President Lincoln, is startling.
The withdrawing of the guard from the protection
of the President on the late afternoon of the evening
of his assassination has never been explained. And
the bloody deed was accomplished in less than six
hours after the order of withdrawal was issued, and
before the ink was well dry on the record which
changed the policy of the government for the pro-
tection of the life of the President, long guarded by
117
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
a well-maintained standing army at Washington,
and made possible the escape of the assassin. "With-
out reason, without explanation and without re-
quest, and without suggestion even, of the President,
or any other person in authority in the army superi-
or in command to Gen. C. C. Augur, this important
move was made, changing the fixed plans and tear-
ing down the barriers of protection so long deemed
necessary by the government as a wise and pruden-
tial policy, upon the authority and orders only of
Gen. C. C. Augur, so far as we are informed by
Gen. Dana.
In the light of events following this mysterious
order, we ask, to what conduct of his or advice of
Gen. Dana could Major Gen. C. C. Augur refer as
his failure to listen to Gen. Dana? Could it have
been that Dana had advised the holding of Booth
and Herold while they were yet prisoners at the
block house, at the East Potomac bridge? Or had
he, against the advice or knowledge of Gen. Dana,
entered into the plans of conspiracy against the life
of President Lincoln ?
One would infer from the statements imputed to
him by Gen. Dana that Major Gen. Augur had had
it in his power, and was so advised by Gen. Dana,
to save the life of the President and had failed to do
so and that, too, against the admonitions of Gen.
118
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
Dana, to which he (Augur) had declined to listen,
according to. his own confession.
This leads to the conclusion that Gen. Augur must
have known of a purpose to take the life of Presi-
dent Lincoln previous to the assassination; other-
wise he could not have prevented it by taking the
advice of Gen. Dana. According to Dana's state-
ment Gen. Augur admits that he could have pre-
vented the commission of an act by another. Unless
Gen. Augur had knowledge of the purpose to com-
mit that act, and of the person who was to perform
the specific act complained of, he had no such power
as he admitted. Therefore, upon the statement of
Gen. Dana, which we assume to be true, Major Gen.
C. C. Augur had a knowledge of some act, which,
if performed, would have saved the life of President
Lincoln. Reasoning from the assumed admission to
physical facts, based upon the proviso that Gen.
Dana is correctly reporting, which I believe to be
true because his report of the pursuit of Booth is
in the main a strong corroboration of the story of
St. Helen (or Booth) told to me, this is the inevit-
able conclusion, applying the legal rule, the stand-
ard by which we measure the words of men — if true
in one thing, true in all, or false in one thing, false
in all. This rule must sustain the statements of
Dana, which, without further explanation, must
119
THE PURSUIT OF BOOTH.
show that Major Gen. Augur, on his own confession,
could have saved the life of President Lincoln, but
did not do it, even when advised to do so by Gen.
Dana, his subordinate officer, and conscience-whip-
ped after the assassination he cries out :
"My God, marshal, if I had taken your advice
this terrible thing would not have happened."
And shall these words ring on and on through the
changing cycles of time, a lasting tribute to the
truth of the old, trite saying, "Murder will out"
and "truth, though crushed to the earth, will rise
again?"
120
>
GEN. C. C. AUGUR.
Commander of the Army Stationed Around Washington for
Protection of the Life of Lincoln, and the Home of the
Government, Who Issued the Order Calling in the
Guards.
MRS. SURRATT
And Her Boarding-house in Washington City, "Where Booth
Met Her Son, John H. Surratt, Delivering the Letter From
David E. Herold, Their Mutual Friend.
. CHAPTER X.
THE EAST POTOMAC BRIDGE
Gen. Dana says, in speaking of the pursuit of
Booth and Herold: " Booth and Herold remained
a day and one night at the home of Dr. Samuel
Mudd." St. Helen (or Booth) told me they reached
the home of Dr. Mudd just before daylight on the
morning of April 15th, 1865, the morning after the
assassination, where his riding boot was cut off by
Dr. Mudd and his sprained ankle and fractured shin
bone dressed and splintered by the doctor with parts
of a cigar box, and the old doctor made him a rough
crutch out of a broom handle; when after an early
breakfast, their horses in the brush near by, haying
finished feeding, they, thanking and paying Dr.
Mudd for his services, mounted their horses and left
riding the most direct way they could, keeping weil
in the country and by-roacls, to the home of Mr.
Cox, during the 15th day of April, 1865, the day
after the killing of President Lincoln, showing sub-
stantial corroboration of Gen. Dana so far.
Gen. Dana says Booth and Herold killed their
horses while they were in hiding back of the Cox
plantation on the Potomac river, but Booth says the
121
THE EAST POTOMAC BRIDGE,
horses were not killed but taken away, as he sup-
posed, by Mr. Jones.
That this is true, I am inclined to believe, for two
reasons: First, the horse ridden by Booth and de-
scribed to me by St. Helen (or Booth) was a very
fine and valuable animal, purchased by him in Mary-
land some time before this event. The second rea-
son is that Gen. Dana's men were too close on
Booth and Herold to permit of their killing the
horses, which must have been done by shooting
them. Dana then says they were buried. This would
have been a physical impossibility, for Booth, in
his crippled condition, could not help and Herold
was without the necessary implements with which
to do it.
Booth says the Federal troops of cavalry were so
close to them in their hiding in the pine brush be-
hind the Cox plantation that they could hear the
footfalls of the horses and the voices of the men, and
for that reason their horses were taken away to pre-
vent their neighs from attracting attention to them
by the passing Cavalry, as they "had neighed fre-
quently, much to our fear and discomfort."
Gen. Dana further says that "Booth and Herold
must have had guides/ ' The truth is Herold was
well acquainted with this section of the country, as
was Booth, from his previous inspections of this
122
THE EAST POTOMAC BRIDGE.
route over which Lincoln was to have been carried
if kidnaped and taken to Richmond, as originally
designed. It is true, however, that Herold was to
some extent a guide for Booth.
Herold is dead and I suppose I am the only liv-
ing man who knows why Booth became associated
with Herold, so unlike and inferior to himself, for
David E. Herold was seemingly a man of no cultiva-
tion, and was a drug clerk employed in a drug store
in Washington City, where he made the acquaint-
ance of Booth.
The explanation made to me by St. Helen ^or
Booth) was that he had become acquainted with
Herold while he was a clerk in a drug store which
he (Booth) frequented to buy cosmetics sometimes
used by him in his or others' makeup for the stage.
And at these meetings he learned of Herold 's old
acquaintance with this section of the country,
what was then called ''The underground route be-
tween Washington, D. C, and Richmond, Virginia/ ■
and for this reason he made a friend of Herold and
took him into his confidence. It was in company
with Herold that Booth made his first as well as
many other trips over this route. In the meantime
he learned that Herold knew John H. Surratt. Hav-
ing found Herold a willing and loyal friend, desir-
ous of lending himself to Booth's plans against the
123
THE EAST POTOMAC BRIDGE.
Federal government and the life of President Lin-
coln, Booth trusted him; and it will be remembered
that it was Herold who gave Booth the letter of in-
troduction to John H. Surratt.
Mrs. Surratt, the most prominent of the persons
suspected of complicity in Booth's crime, was inno-
cent of any complicity whatever in the matter; was
a woman of middle age at the time of her execution,
rather good-looking, and the mother of two or more
children, among them John H. Surratt and a daugh-
ter. Mrs. Surratt was at one time comfortably well
off but had been reduced to the necessity of remov-
ing from Surrattville, her home, to Washington,
where she kept a boarding house on H street. I
am informed that Mrs. Surratt is the only woman
ever hanged by a judgment of a Federal Adjudica-
tion.
Recurring to the incident at the East Potomac
bridge and the statements made by Demond to Gen.
Dana, where he says, "I well remember when you
came down to meet some one that was waiting on
the Washington side, but never knew who it was un-
til I read the account given by you in The Sunday
Globe."
Is this statement suggestive? Gen. Dana fails to
mention that he had a meeting with some third party
124
THE EAST POTOMAC BRIDGE.
who was waiting for him at the East Potomac bridge
on the Washington side.
Was this meeting by prearrangement? And does
it explain why Gen. Dana went in person to the East
Potomac bridge, ostensibly to call in the guard, but
presumably to meet this party in waiting ? We reach
this conclusion from the physical fact that he did
meet this party and that he did not call in the
guards, if so, not until Booth had made good his
escape.
Gen. Dana says that he went in person to the East
Potomac bridge to call in the guard, using this
language: "On the line from Fort Meigs to Sur-
rattville I went in person and withdrew my guard
to my headquarters/ ' his headquarters being at
Fort Baker. He follows this statement by saying:
"I returned to headquarters about eleven o'clock
that night and had dismissed my guards.' ' Thus
referring to, or meaning, the guards which he had
called in from the East Potomac bridge, the point
where Booth crossed the river.
Booth killed the President about ten minutes past
ten o'clock p. m. and arrived at the East Potomac
and crossed the bridge about ten thirty o'clock. Gen.
Dana says he received the order to call in the guards
about four o'clock that afternoon; that he went in
person to call in the guards from this bridge; that
125
THE EAST POTOMAC BRIDGE.
he reached his headquarters at Fort Baker and dis-
missed his guards about eleven o'clock that night.
Gen. Dana gives no account of himself from four
o'clock p. m. until about eleven o'clock p. m. of
the 14th day of April, 1865. Nothing of what he did
at the bridge, what time he reached there, or when
he left. Nothing of who this third party was at
the bridge waiting on the Washington side, with
whom he was seen to meet and talk by Demond.
Where was Gen. Dana when President Lincoln
was shot? Of thisJie gives no account. Where was
he when Booth and Herold crossed the bridge about
ten thirty o'clock? Of this time he gives no account.
Was he present at the bridge? He says he with-
drew the guards, and the guards were present when
Booth and Herold crossed!
Gen. Dana says: "I withdrew my guards to my
headquarters and had dismissed them and was eat-
ing my evening meal at about eleven o'clock, when
I heard the President was shot. ' ' Certainly Gen.
Dana was not at his headquarters at the usual hour
for taking meals.
If it be true that Dana withdrew the guards from
the bridge it was certainly done after Booth and
Herold had passed, for it is a physical fact that the
guards were there when they passed over, so that
the logical conclusion is that if the guard left at all
126
THE EAST POTOMAC BRIDGE.
they left after Booth and Herold had crossed the
bridge.
Gen. X)ana shows that when he arrived at the
headquarters of Major Gen. Augur that Gen. Augur
gave Dana complete command of all the forces to
pursue and capture Booth. And we ask, is it not a
significant fact that Gen. Dana should have misdi-
rected all the troops which he sent out other than
a single detachment, in pursuit of Booth, unless he
knew the direction Booth had gone ? Is it not strange
that he himself, with a detail of men, without hesita-
tion and without other information than such as he
possessed before the shooting of President Lincoln —
in fact, as if by intuition, took the proper trail by
leaving Washington directly for Surrattville, cross-
ing the East Potomac bridge as Booth and Herold
had done, following along the trail in the wake of
Booth and Herold, who arrived at the home of Dr.
Mudd about four o'clock a. m., while Gen. Dana
turned from the road leading to Dr. Mudd's home
and went to Bryantown, just three and a half miles
from Dr. Mudd's home, reaching Bryantown at
six o'clock a. m., while Booth and Herold were yet
at the home of the doctor. Dr. Mudd administered
to Booth's pains, then went to Bryantown, where
he called on Gen. Dana, and was permitted to leave
Bryantown by Gen. Dana, as the general says, "at
127
THE EAST POTOMAC BRIDGE.
the request of his cousin, Dr. George Mudd.'
[We ask, are these findings of fact mere incidents
of the occasion? Shall we say it is entirely reason-
able so to conclude?
Gen. Dana, in commenting ~on the Dr. Mudd in-
cident, says : ' ' George Mudd, let me say in passing,
never intimated to me that his friend was a doctor,
or was a relative of his. I learned this the next day
when it was too late (as usual he does not explain
how he found it out) that his cousin was a rank
rebel, and I plainly told George Mudd what I
thought of him. ' '
iWhich we suggest must have been a great punish-
ment to Dr. George Mudd and was quite the act of
a hero on the part of Gen. Dana to thus occupy his
time — reading lectures to Dr. George Mudd while
in hot pursuit of and on the trail of the assassin of
the President of the United States.
Thus spending his time at Bryantown, neglecting
to go with his troops, or send them to capture Dr.
Samuel Mudd at his home only three and a half
miles away, in order that he might investigate the
suspicious and offending conduct of Dr. Samuel
Mudd, he, instead, sends a detachment of his troops
with a guide to scour a nearby swamp looking for
Booth and Herold, when a heavy storm came up
and made it impossible to proceed with the search
128
THE EAST POTOMAC BRIDGE.
and the next day it was too late. As usual, conven-
ient for Booth and Herold.
Thus practically ended Gen. Dana's chase after
Booth at Bryantown. _
Realizing that he was hunted with a zeal beyond
the zeal prompting the searchers in following the
ordinary criminal and bringing him to justice ; stim-
ulated by a burning desire for vengeance for the
crime that startled the whole world, no less than the
hope of the magnificent reward, which meant a for-
tune in those days, John Wilkes Booth decided to
cast his lot among the Indians. He met many
of the tribes and mingled with them, finally becom-
ing associated with the Apache tribe, whose chief
he described as being a man of docility, lazy and de-
void of ambition. The males of the tribe, who are
called bucks, were active and possessed of more
than ordinary intelligence; the squaws, some of
them pretty and attractive, were the slaves of the
men. But, though these people were kind to him
and his safety was absolutely secure among them,
Booth could not accustom himself to the habits and
customs of these rude people and the longing for
kindred companionship drew him back again to the
haunts of civilized man.
He went to Nebraska City, Nebraska, where he
met and was entertained by a Mr. Treadkell, who
129
THE EAST POTOMAC BRIDGfi.
employed him later as a teamster, under the name
of Jesse Smith, in the fall of the year, 1866. Mr.
Treadkell had a contract with the United States
government for hauling overland the supplies to the
United States army located at Salt Lake Gity, Utah.
In speaking of Booth Mr. Treadkell said: " There
was always a strange thing about Jesse Smith, or
Booth. While he was a good driver of mules four in
hand, he did not have the slightest knowledge of
how to harness his team nor even how to hitch them
to the wagon. But he was the life of the camp at
night and rendered himself so agreeable that I never
once thought of discharging him for his ignorance
in this respect, that he never was able to hitch up
his own team. The other drivers were always gladly
willing to do this service for him and I myself would
much rather do this than give him up, on account
of his ability to entertain us at night. He would
recite Shakespeare's plays, poems, etcetera, and tell
of his travels, which seemed to have been extensive.
His recitations were grandly eloquent."
The day before reaching Salt Lake City and the
army officials Jesse Smith (Booth) left the wagon
and his employer, disappearing without notice or
compensation, according to Mr. Treadkell 's state-
ment, which corroborates St. Helen's (Booth) ver-
sion of the same story. And I suppose he continued
130
THE EAST POTOMAC BRIDGE.
his journey west to San Francisco where he met Ms
mother and brother, Junius Brutus Booth.
A few years later Mr. Treadkell purchased a book
containing the story of the assassination of Presi-
dent Lincoln and a picture of John Wilkes Booth
the assassin, from which picture he was greatly sur-
prised to recognize in his mysterious teamster, Jesse
Smith, no less a person than John Wilkes Booth.
131
CHAPTER XI.
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON
The government for some reason took up the pur-
suit of Booth independent of the movements of Gen
Dana and the Army of Washington within the lines
of the 3rd Brigade of Harden 's Division, 22d Corps,
commanded by Maj. Gen. C. C. Augur, when Edwin
M. Stanton, Secretary of War, sent the following
telegram to New York City:
" Washington, April 16th, 1865.
"3:20 P. M.
"Col. L. C. Baker — Come here immediately and
see if you can find the murderer of the President.
" (Signed.) EDWIN M. STANTON,
"Secretary of War."
Early the next morning Col. Baker reached Wash-
ington, accompanied by his cousin, Lieut. L. B. Bak-
er, a member of the Bureau, who had recently been
mustered out of the First District of Columbia Cav-
alry.
They went at once to the office of the War De-
partment and after a conference with Secretary
Stanton, began the search for the murderer of the
President.
132
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
"Up to this. time," says Col. Baker, "the con-
fusion had been so great that few of the ordinary
detective measures for the apprehension of crim-
inals had been employed. No rewards had been of-
fered. Little or no attempt had been made to col-
lect and arrange the clue in the furtherance of a
systematic search and the pursuit was wholly with-
out a dictating leadership. ' '
Col. Baker's first step was the publication of a
handbill offering thirty thousand dollars for the
capture of the fugitives. Twenty thousand dollars
of this amount was subscribed by the City of Wash-
ington and the other ten thousand dollars by Col.
Baker, offered on his own account and authorized
by the War Department.
On this handbill was a minute description of
Booth, as follows :
' ' John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated the Presi-
dent on the evening of April 14th, 1865, height 5
feet 8 inches, weight 160 pounds, compactly built;
hair jet black, inclined to curl ; medium length, part-
ed behind, eyes black, and heavy brows. Wears a
large seal ring on his little finger.
"When talking inclines his head forward and
looks down.
"(Signed.) L.C.BAKER,
"Colonel and Adjutant of the War Dept."
133
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
Hardly had these handbills been posted when the
United States Government made the publication of
additional reward to the amount of one hundred
thousand dollors for the capture of Booth, Surratt
and Herold, Surratt at that time being suspected of
dire complicity in the assassination.
Three states increased this sum by twenty-five
thousand dollars each and many individuals and
companies, shocked by the awful atrocity of the
crime, offered rewards of various amounts. Fab-
ulous stories were told of the wealth which the
assassin's captors would receive, the sum being
placed anywhere from five hundred thousand dol-
lars to one million dollars.
This prospect of winning a fortune at once set
hundreds of detectives and recently discharged
Union officers and soldiers, and, in fact, a vast host
of adventurers into the field of search and the whole
of Southern Maryland and Eastern Virginia was
scoured and ransacked until it seemed as if a jack
rabbit could not have escaped, and yet at the end of
ten days the assassins were still at large.
" Booth was accompanied in his flight by a callow
stage-struck youth named David E. Herold, who was
bound to Booth, the older, merely by ties of a mar-
velous magnetism as a part of his art."
134
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
"In beginning his search for the assassin Col.
Baker proceeded on the theory that Jefferson Davis,
President of the Confederate States, and his Cab-
inet, were involved in the plot and that Booth, Her-
old and others, were mere tools in the hands of the
more skilled conspirators. He therefore detailed
Lieut. L. B. Baker to procure for the purpose of
future identification, photographs of John Wilkes
Booth, Jefferson Davis, President of the Confeder-
acy; George N. Sanders, Beverly Tucker, Jacob
Thompson and others unknown, all of whom were
charged with being conspirators.
"Lieutenant Baker, with half a dozen active men
to help him, was sent into lower Maryland to dis-
tribute the handbills describing Booth, Herold and
others, and to exhibit the pictures of the fugitives
when possible, under instructions from Col. Baker.
They also made a search for clues, but they found
themselves harassed and thwarted at Washington
by private detectives and soldiers who tried to throw
them off their trail (as Baker thought), in the hope
of following it successfully themselves."
In this connection I challenge attention to the
conduct of Gen. Dana, as we left him at Bryantown
resting under the seeming shadows of treacherous
conduct, which accusation appears also to be well
founded by the statements of Col. Baker, for he says
135
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
that in their search for Booth and Herold they fonnd
themselves harassed and thwarted at every turn
by private detectives and soldiers of the Federal
Army who tried to throw them off the trail.
Baker says they regarded Booth, Herold and oth-
ers as "mere tools in the hands of more skilled con-
spirators." Baker was more wise than even he
knew in this conclusion as the events of after years
disclosed, proven by the confession of Booth himself
of the plot and the persons connected with it.
' ' On his return to Washington Lieut. Baker told
Col. Baker that it was his opinion that Booth and
his companions had not gone South, but had taken
some other direction, most probably toward Phila-
delphia, where it was known that Booth had several
women friends.
" 'Now, sir/ was Col. Baker's answer, 'you are
mistaken. There is no place of safety for them on
earth, except among their friends in the still rebel-
lious South.'
"Acting on this belief, Col. Baker, Theodore
Woodall, one of the detectives in lower Maryland,
accompanied by an expert telegrapher named Brak-
with, who was to attach his instrument to the wires
at any convenient point and report frequently to
headquarters at "Washington, started in pursuit of
Booth.
136
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
' ' These men had been out less than two days when
they discovered a valuable clue from a negro who
told them without hesitation that two men answer-
ing the description of Booth and Herold had crossed
the Potomac below Port Tobacco on Sunday night,
April 21st, 1865, in a fishing boat.
"This evidence or information was regarded as
of so much importance that the negro was hurried to
AYashington by the next boat on the Potomac river.
Col. Baker questioned him closely and after show-
ing him a large number of photographs he at once
selected the picture of Booth and Herold as being
the persons whom he had seen in the boat. Col.
Baker decided that the clue was of the first import-
ance and, after a hurried conference with Secretary
Stanton, he sent a request to Gen. Hancock for a
detachment of cavalry to guard his men sent in pur-
suit and Lieut. Baker was ordered to the quarter-
master's department to make arrangements for
transportation down the Potomac river. On Lieut.
Baker's return he was informed that he and E. J.
Conger and other detectives were to have charge of
the party.
"The three men then held a conference in which
Col. Baker fully explained his theory of the where-
abouts of Booth and Herold. In half an hour Lieut.
Edward P. Dougherty, of the 16th New York Cav-
137
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
airy, with twenty-five men, Sergeant Boston Cor-
bett, second in command, reported to Col. Baker for
duty, having been directed to go with Lieut. Baker
and Conger wherever they might order and to pro-
tect them to the extent of their ability. Without
waiting even to secure sufficient rations Lieut. Bak-
er and his men galloped off down to the Sixth Street
dock and hurried on the government tug, 'John S.
Ide, ' at a little after three o 'clock, and that same
afternoon the tug reached Belle Plain Landing. At
this point there was a sharp bend in the river and
CoL Baker advised his men to scour the strip of
country stretching between it and the Rappahan-
nock river.
"On disembarking Baker and Conger rode con-
tinuously ahead, Lieut. Dougherty and his men fol-
lowing within hailing distance. The country being
familiar to both of the leaders of the expedition they
assumed the names of well-known blockade runners
and mail carriers and stopped at the homes of the
more prominent Confederates to make inquiries, say-
ing:
" 'We are being pursued by the Yankees and in
crossing the river we became separated from two
of our party, one of whom is a lame man. Have you
seen them?' *
138
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
"All night this kind of work was kept up, inter-
spersed with much harder riding, but although the
Confederates invariably expressed their sympathy
it was .evident that they knew nothing of the fugi-
tives. At dawn the cavalrymen threw off their dis-
guise and halted for an hour for rest and refresh-
ments.
"Again in their saddles they struck across the
country in the direction of Port Conway, a little
town on the Rappahannock river, about twenty-two
miles below Fredericksburg. Between two and three
o 'clock in the afternoon they drew rein near a plant-
er's home, half a mile distant from this town, and
ordered dinner for the men and feed for their
horses. Conger, who was suffering from an old
wound, was almost exhausted from the long, hot
and dusty ride. He and the other members of the
party, except Baker and a corporal, dropped down
on the roadside to rest. Baker, fearing that the
presence of the scouting party might give warning
to Booth and his companions, should they be hiding
in the neighborhood, pushed on ahead to the bank
of the Rappahannock river. He saw dozing in the
sunshine in front of his little cottage a fisherman, or
ferryman, whose name was Rollins. He asked him
if he had seen a lame man cross the river within the
past few days. The man answered yes he had, and
139
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
that there were other men with him. In fact he had
ferried them across the river.. (This was Booth,
Herold and Ruddy. Notice that the ferryman re-
fers to men being with Booth — not a man).
" Baker drew out his photographs and without
hesitation Rollins pointed out the pictures of Booth
and Herold. (Baker had no picture of Ruddy).
:' 'These men/ he said, nodding his head, 'They
are the men, only this one/ pointing to Booth's pic-
ture, 'had no mustache.' (The fisherman evidently
was thinking of Ruddy and identifying him from
Booth's picture, because Booth had a mustache and
Ruddy did not have a distinguishable mustache,
having an even growth of whiskers on his entire
face. This would seem to show that Ruddy could
have-been, and was, mistaken for Booth, without a
long mustache.)
"It was with a thrill of satisfaction that Baker
heard these words. He was now positive that he
of all the hundred detectives and soldiers who were
looking for Booth, was on the right trail. Not a
moment was to be lost now that the object of their
search might be riding far into the land of the
Rebels. Baker sent the corporal back with orders
for Conger and his men to come up_ without delay.
After he was gone Rollins explained that the men
had hired him to ferry them across the river on the
140
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
previous afternoon and that just before starting
three men had ridden up and greeted the fugitives.
"In response to questioning Rollins admitted that
he knew the three men well; that they were Major
M. B. Ruggles, Lieut. Bainbridge and Capt. Jett, of
Mosby's Confederate command.
" ' Do you know where they went?' Baker press-
ed the questioning.
" 'Wall/ drawled the fisherman, 'this Capt. Jett
has a lady love over at Bowling Green and I reckon
he went over there.' And he further explained that
Bowling Green was about fifteen miles to the south
and that it had a big hotel which would make a
good hiding place for a wounded man. As the cav-
alry came up Baker told Rollins that he would have
to accompany him as a guide until they reached
Bowling Green. To this Rollins objected on the
ground that he would incur the hatred of his neigh-
bors, none of whom had favored the Union cause.
" 'But you might make me your prisoner/ he said
in his slow drawl, 'then I would have to go/ Bak-
er felt the necessity of exercising the greatest energy
in the pursuit if the fugitives were to be snatched
from the shelter of the hostile country.
"Rollins' old ferry boat was shaky and, although
the loading was done with the greatest dispatch it
took three trips to get the detachment across the
141
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
river, when the march for Bowling Green was be-
gun. The horses sweltered up the crooked sandy-
road from the river. Baker and Conger, who wer#
riding ahead, saw two horsemen standing motion-
less on the top of a hill, their black forms showing
well against the sky. (This was Major or Lieut.
Ruggles and Bainbridge on sentinel duty, guarding
Booth at the Garrett farm, which was only a short
distance to the north of where these men were seen).
''These men seem much interested in the move-
ments of the cavalry. Baker and Conger at once
suspected them of being Booth's friends, who had
in some way received information of the approach
of the searching party.
"Baker signaled the horsemen to wait for a parley
but instead of stopping they at once put spurs to
their horses and galloped up the road. Conger and
Baker gave chase, but they bent to the necks of
their horses and riding at full speed they were
away. And just as they were overhauling them the
two horsemen dashed into a blind trail leading from
the main road into the pine forest. (This is when
Euggles and Bainbridge rode to the Garrett home,
a short distance north of the main road, in which
the Federal troops then were on their way to Bowl-
ing Green, and then it was that they notified Booth
to leave the Garrett home, as explained to me by St.
142
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
Helen (or Booth), when he left the Garrett home
and went into the wooded spot where he was after-
ward picked up by Ruggles and Bainbridge, and fur-
nished a horse by which means he made his escape.)
I* "The pursuers drew rein on their winded horses
and after consultation decided not to follow further,
but to reach Bowling Green as promptly as possi-
ble. ' ' These men, Baker and Conger say, they were
afterward informed, were Ruggles and Bainbridge,
and that Booth, at the time they turned back, was
less than half a mile away, lying on the grass in
front of the Garrett house. Baker says further that
"indeed Booth saw his pursuers distinctly as they
neared his hiding place and commented on their
dusty and saddle-worn appearance. " (In this Baker
is mistaken. Booth did not see them, but was in-
formed of their movements only by Ruggles and
Bainbridge.)
i Baker and Conger believed Booth to be at Bowling
Green, fifteen miles away, and so they pushed on,
leaving behind the man they so much desired to cap^
ture.
•> "It was near midnight when the party clattered
into Bowling Green, and with hardly a spoken com-
mand surrounded the dark, rambling hotel. Baker
stepped boldly to the front door, while Conger
strode to the rear from which came the dismal
143
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
barking of a dog. ( Presently a light flickered on
and some one opened the door ajar and inquired in
a frightened, feminine voice, what was wanted.
Baker thrust his toe inside, flung the door open and
was confronted by a woman. At this moment Con-
ger came through from the back way, led by a
negro. The woman admitted at once that there was
a Confederate cavalryman sleeping in the house and
promptly pointed out the room. Baker and Conger,
candle in hand, at once entered. Capt. Jett sat up
staring at them and said:
" 'What do you want?'
" 'We want you/ answered Conger. 'You took
Booth across the river, and you know where he is.'
" 'You are mistaken in your man,' Jett replied
rolling out of bed.
" 'You lie!' roared Conger, springing forward, his
pistol close to Jett's head.
"By this time the cavalrymen had crowded into
the room and Jett saw the candle light glinting on
their brass buttons and on their drawn revolvers.
" 'Upon my honor as a gentleman/ he said, pal-
ing, 'I will tell you all I know if you will shield me
from complicity in the whole matter.'
" 'Yes, if we get Booth/ responded Conger.
" 'Booth is at the Garrett home, three miles this
side of Port Conway/ he said. 'If you came that
144
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
way you may have frightened him off, for you must
have passed the place.
"In less than thirty minutes the pursuing party
was doubling back over the road by which it had
just come, bearing Jett with it as a prisoner.
1 ' The bridle reins of the horse ridden by him were
fastened to the men on each side of him in the fear
that he would make a dash to escape and alarm
Booth and Herold.
"It was a black night, no moon, no stars, and the
dust rose in choking clouds. For two days the men
had eaten little and slept less, and they were so
worn out that they could hardly sit on their jaded
horses, and yet they plunged and stumbled on
through the darkness over fifteen miles of mean-
dering country road, reaching the Garrett home at
half -past 3 or 4 o'clock on the morning of April 26,
1865.
"Like many other Southern places, Garrett's home
stood far back from the road, with a bridle gate at
the end of a long lane. So exhausted were the cav-
alrymen that some of them dropped down in the
sand when their horses stopped and had to be kicked
into wakefulness. Rollins and Jett were placed
under guard and Baker and Conger made a dash
up the lane, some of the cavalry following. Gar-
rett's house was an old-fashioned southern man-
145
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
sion, somewhat dilapidated, with a wide hospitable
piazza, reaching its full length in front, and barns
and tobacco houses looming up big and dark apart.
" Baker leaped from his horse to the steps and
thundered on the door. A moment later a window
close at hand was cautiously raised and a man
thrust his head out. Before he could say a word
Baker seized him by the arm and said: 'Open the
door ! Be quick about it ! ' The old man, trembling,
complied, and Baker stepped inside, closing the door
behind him. A candle was quickly lighted, and then
Baker demanded of Garrett to reveal the hiding
place of the men who had been staying in the house.
" 'They are gone to the woods,' he said. (This
was true, as Booth had gone to the woods about
2 or 3 o'clock the day before, wThen notified by Rug-
gles and Bainb ridge.) Baker thrust his revolver in
the old man's face. 'Don't tell me that,' he said.
'They are here.'
"Conger now came in with young Garrett. l Don't
injure father,' said the young man. 'I will tell you
all about it. The men did go to the woods last
evening when some cavalry went by, but came back
and wanted us to take them over to Louisa Court
House.' (Booth had left as the old man Garrett
said.)
146
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
"The men spoken of by young Garrett as coming
back were Herold and Ruddy, returning from Bowl-
ing Green, as prearranged at the Rappahannock
Ferry, and explained to me by St. Helen (Booth)
to meet Booth, who they found had gone. They re-
mained that night with the Garretts. There was
no one with Booth at the Garrett's, and when he left
he left alone. Ruggles and Bainbridge corroborate
St. Helen (Booth), and say that when they returned
to the Garrett home and notified Booth to leave they
looked for Herold, who had not yet returned to
Booth, and that Booth straightway left by himself,
in the direction which they pointed out to him. So
the allusion by young Garrett to the two men return-
ing had no reference to Booth's return, for at the
time Booth left the Garrett home Herold and Ruddy
had not yet reached there on their return from Bowl-
ing Green.
"Young Garrett, continuing, said to Baker: 'We
could not leave home before morning, if at all. "We
were becoming suspicious of them and father told
them they could not stay with us.'
" 'Where are they now?' interrupted Baker.
" 'In the barn. My brother locked them in for
fear they would steal the horses. He is now keep-
ing watch on them in the corn crib.'
147
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
"It was plain that Garrett did not know the iden-
tity of the men who had been imposing on their
hospitality. Baker asked no questions, but taking
young Garrett's arm he made a dash toward the
barn, when Conger ordered the cavalrymen to fol-
low, and formed them in such position around the
barn that no one could escape. By this time the
soldiers had found the boy guarding the barn and
had brought him out with the key. Baker un-
locked the door and told young Garrett that inas-
much as the two men were his guests he must go
inside and induce them to come out and surrender.
The young man objected most vigorously.
" 'They are armed to the teeth/ he faltered, 'and
they will shoot me down.' But he appreciated the
fact that he was looking into the black mouth of
Baker's revolver and hastily slid through the door-
way.
"There was a sudden rustling of corn blades and
the sound of voices in low conversation. All around
the barn the soldiers were picketed, wrapped in
inky blackness and uttering no sound. In the
midst of a little circle of candle light Baker stood
at the doorway with drawn revolver. Conger had
gone to the rear of the barn.
"During the heat and excitement of the chase
Baker had assumed command of the cavalrymen,
148
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
somewhat to the umbrage of Lieut. Dougherty, who
kept himself in the background during the remain-
der of the night. Further away, around the house,
the Garrett family huddled together trembling and
frightened.
"Suddenly from the barn a clear, high voice rang
out, 'You have betrayed me, sir! Leave this barn
or I will shoot you ! '
"Baker then called to the men in the barn, order-
ing them to turn over their arms to young Garrett
and surrender at once. 'If you don't, we shall burn
the barn, and have a bonfire and a shooting match.'
At this young Garrett came running to the door and
begged to be let out. He said he would do anything
he could, but he did not want to risk his life in
the presence of the two desperate men.
"Baker then opened the door and Garrett came
out with a bound. He turned and pointed to the
candle which Baker had been carrying since he left
the house. 'Put that out, or he will shoot you by
its light, ' he whispered in a frightened voice. Baker
placed the candle on the ground at a little distance
from the door, so that it would light all the space in
front of the barn. Then he called to Booth to sur-
render. In a full, clear voice Booth replied :
" 'There is a man here who wishes to surrender.'
And they heard him say to Herold: 'Leave me,
149
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
will you ? Go ! I don 't want you to stay ! '
''At the door Herold was whimpering, 'Let me
out ! Let me out ! I know nothing of this man in
here.' (As a matter of fact Herold knew nothing
of the man in there with him, who was Ruddy, with
whom he had been connected only as the employe
and guide for Booth, from across the Potomac and
Rappahannock rivers, and with whom Herold had
gone to Bowling Green and returned to the Garrett
home, as explained by Booth to me.)
" 'Bring out your arms and you can surrender,'
insisted Baker.
"Herold did not have any arms, and Booth (as
they called him), finally said: 'He has no arms.
The arms are mine, and I shall keep them. ' By this
time Herold was praying pieteously to be let out.
He said he was afraid of being shot, and begged to
be allowed to surrender.
"Baker opened the door a little and told him to
put out his hands. The moment the door opened
Baker seized his hands and whipped Herold out
of the barn and turned him over to the soldiers.
" 'You had better come out, too/ said Baker to
Booth (or the man in the barn.)
" 'Tell me who you are and what you want of
me. It may be that I am being taken by my
friends. '
150
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
" 'It makes no difference who we are,' was the
reply. 'We know you and we want you. We have
fifty well armed men stationed around this barn.
You cannot escape, and we do not wish to kill you.'
"There was a moment's pause and then Booth (as
they supposed), said, falteringly: 'Captain, that is
a hard case. I swear I am lame. Give me a chance.
Draw up your men twenty yards from here, and I
will fight your whole command.'
" 'We are not here to fight/ said Baker. 'We
are here to take you.'
"Booth (as they supposed him) then asked for
time to consider, and Baker told him that he could
have two minutes — no more. Presently he said:
'Captain, I believe you are a brave and honorable
man. I have had half a dozen chances to shoot you.
I have had a bead drawn on you, and I have a bead
drawn on you now. I do not wish to kill you.
Withdraw your men from the door and I will go
out. Give me this chance for my life. I will not
be taken alive.'
"Even in his deep distress Booth had not forgot-
ten to be theatrical.
" 'Your time is up,' said Baker, firmly. 'If you
don't come out we shall fire the barn.'
" 'Well, then, my brave boys,' came the answer in
clarion tones, which could be heard by the women
151
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
who cowered on the Garrett porch rods away, 'you
may prepare a stretcher for me.'
/'Then after a slight pause he added, 'One more
star on the glorious old banner.'
■ ' Conger now came .around the corner of the barn
and asked Baker if he was ready. Baker nodded
and Conger stepped noiselessly back, drew a husk of
corn blades through the crack in the barn, scratched
a match, and in a moment the whole interior of the
barn was brilliant with light. Baker opened the
door and peered in. Booth (as they supposed) had
been lying against the mow, but he now sprang for-
ward, half blinded by the glow of the fire, his
crutches under his arms and his carbine leveled in
the direction of the flames as if he would shoot the
man who had set them going, but he could not see
in the darkness outside. He hesitated, then reeled
forward again. An old table was near at hand. He
caught hold of it as though to cast it top side down
on the fire, but he was not quick enough, and drop-
ping one crutch he hobbled toward the door. About
the middle of the barn he stopped, drew himself up
to his full height and seemed to take in the entire
situation. His hat was gone, and his waving, dark
hair was tossed back from his high, white forehead,
his lips were firmly compressed, and if he was pale
the ruddy glow of the firelight concealed the fact.
152
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
"In his full, dark eyes there was an expression of
mingled hatred and terror, and the defiance of a
tiger hunted to his lair. In one hand he held a car-
bine, in the other a revolver, and his belt contained
another revolver and a bowie knife. He seemed pre-
pared to fight to the end, no matter what numbers
appeared against him. By this time the flames in
the dry corn blades had mounted to the rafters of
the dingy old building, arching the hunted assassin
in a glow of fire more brilliant than the lightnings
of any theater in which he had ever played.
"Suddenly Booth (as they supposed him) threw
aside his remaining crutch, dropped his carbine,
raised his revolver and made a spring for the door.
It was his evident intention to shoot down any one
who might bar his way, and make a dash for liberty,
fighting as he ran.
"Then came a shock that sounded above the roar
of the flames. Booth (as they supposed him) leaped
in the air, then pitched forward on his face. Baker
was on him in an instant and grasped both his arms
to prevent the use of the revolver, but this precau-
tion was entirely unnecessary. Booth (as they sup-
posed him) would struggle no more. Another mo-
ment and Conger and the soldiers came rushing in
while Baker turned the wounded man over and felt
for his heart.
153
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
" 'He must have shot himself,' remarked Baker.
'I saw him the moment the fire was lighted. If not,
the man who did do the shooting goes back to
Washington in irons for disobedience of orders. '
"In the excitement that followed the firing of the
barn Sergeant Corbett, an eccentric character who
had accompanied the cavalry detachment, had
stepped up to the side of the barn, placed his revol-
ver to a crack between two boards, and just as
Booth (as they supposed him) was about to spring
to the doorway he had fired the fatal shot.
"Booth's (as they supposed it) body was caught
up and carried out of the barn and laid under an
apple tree not far away. Water was dashed in his
face and Baker tried to make him drink, but he
seemed unable to swallow. Presently, however, he
opened his eyes and seemed to understand the situa-
tion. His lips moved, and Baker bent down to hear
what he might say. 'Tell mother Tell mother
' he faltered, and then became unconscious.
"The flames of the burning barn now grew
so intense that it was necessary to remove the dying
man to the piazza of the house, where he was laid
on a mattress provided by Mrs. Garrett. A cloth
wet with brandy was applied to his lips, and under
this influence he revived a little, then opened his
154
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
eyes and said with deep bitterness: 'Oh, kill me.
Kill me quick!'
" 'No, Booth/ (they supposed him Booth), 'we
don't want you to die. You were shot against or-
ders. '
"Then he was unconscious again for several min-
utes and they thought he would never speak again,
but his breast heaved and he acted as if he wished
to say something.
ft "Baker placed his ear at the dying man's mouth
and Booth (so they supposed) faltered: 'Tell
mother I died for my country. I did what I thought
was best.' With a feeling of pity and tenderness
Baker lifted the limp hand, but it fell back again
by his side as if dead. Booth (as they supposed)
seemed conscious of the movement. He turned his
eyes and muttered 'Hopeless, useless,' and he was
dead."
/J must be pardoned for cutting short the circuit-
ous and superfluous language Baker employs in his
further narrative on reaching Washington with the
body of the man he supposed to be Booth, but will
condense his statements He says the body was
taken from the Garrett home to the river and placed
on the gunboat from which they had disembarked
(the steamer John S. Ide), and thence up the Poto-
mac river to Washington City, where the body was
155
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
"» '%
removed to another gunboat, Saugatuck, lying at
anchor near the navy yard. An autopsy and in-
quest was held here, the bullet was taken out of the
head of the body and produced as evidence of the
cause of the death of the man whose body they had.
Then Conger produced such evidence as they had of
the identity of the body as that of John Wilkes
Booth, which follows : The diary, the letters or pa-
pers and the pictures of Booth's two relatives, the
carbines, the belt and a compass, which were placed
in the hands of Col. Baker, in charge of the body,
and all of which Col. Baker delivered to the officers
of the Secretary of War, and the body, without fur-
ther identification, was buried in a cell on the
ground floor of the old navy prison.
So much for the article of Mr. Ray Stannard Ba-
ker, a relative of Col. L. C. Baker, and Lieut. L. B.
Baker, as refers to the pursuit of and supposed cap-
ture and killing of John Wilkes Booth, which is re-
produced above because he writes of the subject as
of information from Lieut. L. B. Baker, the man who
was last in pursuit of Booth, and who is supposed
to have captured and killed Booth.
By a casual reading, and without investigation,
the statements made by Mr. Ray Stannard Baker
would seem conclusive, but it will be seen that Mr.
Baker has stated fiction for facts, assuming without
156
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
proof that the man in the supposed barn or crib
was Booth, and that the man killed was Booth, the
truth of which fact must rest on the subsequent
identification of the body which Lieut. Baker carried
to Washington, assuming it to be the body of Booth.
Upon this proof of identification of the body by
Conger, who produced Booth's two pictures and the
papers mentioned, together with a carbine, a belt
and a compass, they were placed in the hands of
Col. Baker and were the only proof offered for the
identification of Booth.
Does this prove the body to be that of Booth?
No, not directly, not positively. But the evidence
offered was merely circumstantial, if found on the
body of the dead man, as tending to show that it was
the body of Booth, upon the presumption that such
things as belonged to Booth would be found on his
body, but does not negative the probability or pos-
sibility of finding these matters of evidence on the
body of some man other than Booth. It is claimed,
and history discloses, that none of the pursuing
party under Lieut. Baker, nor even he himself, knew
either Booth or Herold, but they were furnished
photographs of them for their identification, while
at the inquest the body was not identified by the pic-
ture of Booth, so far as we are informed, though
it was then and there in the possession of Lieut.
157
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
Baker. There was no further proof of the identity
of the body as that of Booth except the pictures of
Booth's relatives, the letters, etc., offered by Con-
ger, and this was solely relied on. If the body had
been that of Booth positive identification could have
been had by comparison with his pictures, while
hundreds, yea, perhaps thousands of the people liv-
ing in Washington could have been called on to pos-
itively identify the dead body of Booth under oath.
There were so many who knew him personally and
others who had so often seen him on the stage that it
would have been almost as easy to have identified
the body of John Wilkes Booth as that of President
Lincoln, whom he had assassinated. Why was not
this done? Because even Lieut. Baker says: "In-
deed, there were rumors widely circulated in certain
parts of the country that Booth had never been cap-
tured." And before the trial of the conspirators
was begun he was again sent into lower Maryland
to collect evidence against Booth and his accom-
plices, and was so far successful as to find the boat
in which Booth and Herold had crossed the Potomac
river, and Booth's opera glasses hidden near the
Garrett home, both of which he took back to Wash-
ington.
How is it that Baker, on his second visit, found
Booth 's opera, or field glasses, hidden near the Gar-
158
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
rett home? It is evidence of two things: First,
that Booth had been out from the Garrett home, as
he was when notified by Ruggles and Bainbridge to
go to the wooded spot near the Garrett house and
wait for them, where they would come for him
(which Booth said he did), and this is how and why
the glasses were found, as Baker says, ''hidden near
the Garrett home," lost or dropped by Booth as he
sought the secluded hiding place in the woods.
Second, it was not Booth in the barn, as they sup-
posed. If it had been they would have found the
glasses there, as we have no record of Booth having
left the Garrett home, except by Booth (St. Helen),
and by Ruggles and Bainbridge, who say that Booth
was alone when they notified him to leave. They
looked for Herold and he was not there. This was
a fact, for Herold had not returned with Ruddy
from Bowling Green, and they did not reach the
Garrett home until 10 o'clock on the night of the
day that Booth left the Garrett home (at about 2 or
3 o'clock in the afternoon). Of this we have the
preponderance of proof, to-wit : Ruggles and Bain-
bridge say they "found Booth on the lawn in front
of the Garrett home and notified him to leave;"
that he did leave alone, and that they especially
looked for Herold and he was not present.
159
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
St. Helen, or Booth, says he left the Garrett home
alone. Old man Garrett said, in reply to Lieut.
Baker, that they had gone to the woods, referring
to' Booth, Ruggles and Bainbridge, while young Gar-
rett said to Lieut. Baker they had returned, refer-
ring to Euddy and Herold, who had come in late
that evening from Bowling Green, Virginia, expect-
ing to meet Booth, where Booth had agreed to re-
main in waiting for them, and would have done so,
except for the warning from Ruggles and Bainbridge
five or six hours before Herold and Ruddy returned.
It is evident that the government was not satis-
fied with the only proof they had of Booth's death,
to-wit: The letters, pictures, etc., furnished them by
Conger and Baker, that the body turned over to it by
Baker and Conger was actually that of Booth ; and
were much puzzled by the circumstances of finding
Booth's letters, etc., on this body which was claimed
to be that of Booth, and this was at least a strong
circumstantial evidence of identity to those who did
not know Booth by sight; but in Washington City
there was no excuse for not obtaining positive iden-
tification of Booth's body because there were hun-
dreds of people there who knew him personally.
If the government had been satisfied that the body
delivered by Baker and Conger was that of John
.Wilkes Booth I dare say it would have been placed
160
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
on public exhibition rather than have been held in
the secret manner in which it was. At least, the
body would have been sufficiently exposed for pub-
lic and positive identification, which would have
been a matter of general satisfaction to the Ameri-
can people, for all sections of the country were clam-
oring for the execution of the man who had taken
the life of President Lincoln. For some reason this
was not done, and it has not been done to this day,
as will be learned upon the further reading of this
story, where, in an unofficial statement from the
War Department, it is admitted that the govern-
ment has no direct or positive evidence of the cap-
ture and death of John Wilkes Booth. In fact, the
government has no proof of the capture and death
of John Wilkes Booth other than the finding of the
letters, pictures, etc., of Booth on the body of the
man captured, killed and delivered by Baker and
Conger.
Again, observe the minuteness and apparent per-
fection of detail of Mr. Ray Stannard Baker, who
was not present, but who assumes to speak as one
present, presenting the most minute act, movement,
to the very utterances and tone of voice attributed
to Booth, in the supposed burning of the barn or
corn crib, and that, too, written thirty-two years
after the supposed capture and killing took place.
161
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
That is, Booth was supposed to have been killed on or
about April 26, 1865, and Mr. Baker writes and pub-
lishes his article in May, 1897, and admits that he
was not present at the time in the pursuit of Booth,
and personally knew nothing of what he wrote.
Therefore, the physical facts and admissions con-
demn Mr. Baker's article as one of misinformation
and pure invention or fiction — a misleading state-
ment of an historical occurrence. For instance, he
refers to the dark outlines of the dingy barn and to-
bacco house, where Booth is claimed to have been
killed, when, as a matter of fact, was there a barn
on the place at all, or only two small corn cribs con-
structed of poles or small logs, as is seen in the true
pictures of the Grarrett home here presented ? Bos-
ton Gorbett, himself, recently said that he "shot
Booth in a little house through a crack." Boston
Corbett was present and shot the man who was
killed, so it will be seen that Baker's description of
the barn is purely one of his imagination.
Again, Baker has this man, supposed to be Booth,
on two crutches in the barn, within the glare of the
burning barn, when, as a matter of fact, Booth at no
time had two crutches, but used only one, that made
from an old broom handle by Dr. Mudd ten days
prior to the time of which Baker writes, and this
162
DAVID B. HEROLD.
The Accomplice of John Wilkes Booth, and the Garrett
Home, Where He Was Captured, Ruddy Killed, and From
Which Booth Escaped, Going- to the Wooded Spot Just
North of the House.
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
was discarded by Booth before he reached the Gar-
rett home. At the Garrett home Booth was merely
using a stick for support, the injury to his leg being
a sprained ankle and slight fracture of the shin
bone, about six inches above the ankle, and when
Booth left the Garrett's he was only using this stick.
Again, if there was no barn to burn — and we under-
stand there was none — then none was burned, as
claimed and written of by Mr. Baker. The man
killed was killed in the left hand corn crib, as you
face them in the picture of the Garrett home and
barnyard, shown in this volume, which is a true re-
production of the Garrett home, together with the
corn cribs as they were on the 26th day of April,
1865, and as we presume they are now. So that Baker
neither had Booth, a barn or even a large corn crib
for the tragic play he writes of Booth and his kill-
ing at the Garrett home on the early morning of the
26th day of April, 1865. So his sentimental and pa-
thetic story of the capture and killing of Booth is
one drawn from his imagination, written prin-
cipally, it would appear, for the purpose
of robbing Lieutenant E. P. Dougherty of his
share in the participation of the famous pur-
suit and supposed capture of Booth, who, as
a matter of fact, had command of the squad of
cavalry in pursuit of Booth, and is justly entitled
163
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
to any credit that is due the commander of this
now famous troop; for it was Dougherty who was
the superior officer in command of the whole cam-
paign in pursuit of Booth, under the direction of CoL
L. C. Baker, who remained at Washington. As a
matter of fact, Mr. Baker's article is an apparent
plagiarism of Capt. Edward P. Dougherty's report
of his pursuit, capture and killing of the man sup-
posed to be John Wilkes Booth, published in Janu-
ary, 1890, twenty-five years after the incident ; while
Mr. Baker writes and publishes his remarkable
story seven years after Capt. Dougherty's is pub-
lished and thirty-two years after the supposed kill-
ing of Booth.
Before leaving the subject of the personages
found at the Garrett home and the facts reported
by the Federal troops in command of Capt. Dough-
erty, we wish to say that from all obtainable proof
on both sides, which best harmonizes with reason
and is most consonant with truth, Booth was car-
ried to the Garrett home by Ruggles and Bainbridge,
who remained to watch over him until Herold and
Ruddy should return from Bowling Green. And
before Herold and Ruddy could return for Booth,
as had been prearranged the day before the troops
came in pursuit, they having to walk going and
coming from the Garrett home to Bowling Green, a
164
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
distance of twenty to twenty-four miles, the nearest
route they could travel from Ports Royal and Con-
way would require the entire afternoon of the day
they crossed the Rappahannock river, or more, to
reach Bowling Green, and they most likely remained
there half of the forenoon of the next day, so they
could not have reached the Garrett home before
late in the evening if they left Bowling Green at 12
o 'clock noon. And there is some proof to show they
did arrive at the Garrett home about 10 o'clock that
night — the same day on which Booth left the Gar-
rett home in the afternoon — and that as a fact
Ruddy and Herold were at the Garrett home asleep
in the back or shed room of the house, which has a
door opening out in direct line to the gate opening
into the horse lot, as they are commonly called in
the upland countries of the South. Booth left the
Garrett home about 2 or 3 o'clock in the afternoon
and Ruddy and Herold arrived at the Garrett home
about 10 o'clock that night, six or seven hours later.
Thus when Capt. Dougherty, guided by Jett, came
upon the Garrett home and surrounded the house
on the early morning of the next day — the morning
following the day on which Booth left — they found
Ruddy and Herold asleep in this back room, who,
when awakened by hearing the noise made by the
Federal troops around the house, with Capt Dough-
165
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTON.
erty demanding admission from old man Garrett at
the front entrance of the house, made a dash under
cover of the darkness (the hour being between 3
and 4 o'clock in the morning) for the first hiding
place, making their escape out of this back doorway
through the gate mentioned and went into the
corn crib, where they were discovered. They were
located in this crib and surrounded by the soldiers,
and Herold was taken a prisoner. And it was here
in this crib that Boston Corbett, against orders, shot
and killed the man supposed to be John Wilkes
Booth. The body of Ruddy was taken from the
crib, after being shot, and on his body was found
the letters, etc., belonging to Booth which Ruddy
had taken from the wagon after Booth had left the
ferry and which he was trying to deliver to Booth
at the Garrett home, as promised at their last meet-
ing, but which, because Booth was gone, he could
not deliver. So when Ruddy was killed they were
found on his body. Finding the letters, pictures,
etc., belonging to Booth on the body of the man who
was killed, Capt. Dougherty reached the conclusion
that the body in his possession was that of John
Wilkes Booth, and thus it was that through the cir-
cumstances mentioned the body of Ruddy was iden*
tified as the body of John Wilkes Booth.
1U6
THE HAND OF SECRETARY STANTOH
Two facts we wish to emphasize — they are unan-
swerable— brought out and agreed upon by all that
has been written and said on the subject. They are :
First, that Booth was carried to the Garrett home
by Ruggles and Bainbridge, Confederate soldiers be-
longing to Mosby's command. Second, that Booth
had notice of the pursuit by the Federal troops ; that
being notified by Ruggles and Bainbridge, Booth did
leave the Garrett home at their urgent request for
his (Booth's) safety; that they did see him leave
alone, with the earnest and determined purpose to
make good his escape, with a full knowledge of his
present and impending danger of being captured,
which he knew was death.
Can any one, under these circumstances and con-
ditions, believe that Booth did not go and continue
to go? Can any one believe that he would at that
time have returned to the Garrett home? The sane
and reasonable answer to these queries is unques-
tionably and unequivocally — NO.
16T
CHAPTER XII.
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
After having read the publication of Gen. Dana
in December, 1897, I remembered anew the inci-
dents connected with the confessions of St. Helen
and went persistently to work to ascertain, if pos-
sible, the truth with respect to the escape of John
Wilkes Booth.
I wrote at once to Gen. Dana for further facts.
Having no knowledge whatever of the Booth fam-
ily before my meeting with St. Helen, I could only
explain the information I had received from him
concerning this family and the escape of John
.Wilkes Booth upon the theory that St. Helen was
related to Herold and knew Booth's personal and
family affairs by reason of his association with
either Booth or Herold, or both. So, I assumed,
without foundation in fact, that the tintype picture
of himself given me by St. Helen when he believed
he was dying must be a picture of some one of
the Herolds. So I wrote Gen. Dana, who in return
sent me the first pictures I ever remember to have
163
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
seen of Booth, also Herold and others. I at once
identified John Wilkes Booth for the first time, by
comparing the tintype picture of St. Helen with the
picture of John Wilkes Booth sent me by Dana. St.
Helen was indeed the man he claimed to be — John
Wilkes Booth. I at once had a picture made from
the tintype and sent it to Dana, whose reply, from
Lubec, Maine, January 17, 1898, with respect to this
picture, is as follows:
"Dear Sir: Your favor of January 8th at hand
and read. I must say I was somewhat surprised at
the turn things took, for I expected the likeness of
Herold, or that it would have some of the features
in it of the man Herold you wrote me about, but it
seems it was Booth instead.
"Can this be J. B. Booth, brother of John Wilkes
Booth? Will it be asking too much of you to send
me a copy of the confession which you have? I
would like to have it for my own satisfaction. If I
can be of any help to you, will gladly aid all I can.
Regarding J. B. Booth, I shall write to some one of
the Booth family and learn all I can of his death,
and where. When received will send to you.
"Respectfully yours, etc.,
"(Signed.), DAVID D. DANA.' '
169
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
Especial attention is called to Gen. Dana's identi-
fication of the tintype picture as that of John Wilkes
Booth, and his intimate knowledge of the Booth
family, asking as he does if this picture is that of his
brother, J. B. Booth, and the readiness with which
he could approach "some one of the Booth family
and learn all I can of his death," getting all the
information he desired of J. B. Booth, whom he
claimed to be dead, and whose name had in no way
been brought into the discussion except by Gen.
Dana. But for some reason unknown to me Gen.
Dana did not write giving me the information which
he had voluntarily promised.
Why?
I have since learned, however, that the brother of
Booth unmistakably referred to by Gen. Dana as
J. B. Booth was Junius Brutus Booth, the oldest
brother of John Wilkes Booth, who, with the excep-
tion of a few years spent in the West, lived and died
in Boston, Mass. The next eldest brother lived and
died in New York City. The youngest brother, Dr.
Joseph Adrian Booth, a physician of acknowledged
ability, was associated with his brother, Edwin
Booth, the famous actor of New York City, in a busi-
ness way other than that of acting, as he made
no pretention to the stage, died some years ago, I
am informed.
170
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
Of these four brothers only John Wilkes Booth
came South, and he only after the assassination of
President Lincoln, the other brothers living and
dying in the East.
The entire Booth family, consisting of two sisters
and four brothers, of which John Wilkes was one,
were similar in appearance, and you would recog-
nize a family likeness, yet they were very unlike in
many features, so that no one knowing the family
could mistake one for the other. This statement is
made from actual knowledge, for I have before me
the pictures of the entire Booth family, the father
and mother, four brothers and two sisters, which
constitutes the entire family. Should any one doubt
the accuracy of this statement or be curious to see,
he may dispel the one and gratify the other by secur-
ing a copy of the Cincinnati Enquirer, published
April 27, 1902, and find the group referred to at
page 1, section 4, of this Sunday edition, a study of
which I affirm will prove the statements made by
me in regard to the Booth family.
The identification of the tintype picture of St.
Helen as that of John Wilkes Booth by Gen. Dana
stirred to activity my resting energies and revived
my purpose to investigate. I at once began to call
for proof of the death of John Wilkes Booth, and
began by asking of Dana what evidence they had
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
of the capture and killing of Booth. In reply to
this lettter Gen. Dana says, by letter of date Decem-
ber 25, 1897:
" Booth, I personally knew; Herold I did not.
After Booth was killed he was brought to the navy
yard, and I went on the boat and identified him.
But the body was very much thinner and features
very much pinched up, as though he had suffered a
great deal.
"He was buried near the old jail and a battery of
artillery drawn over his grave to obliterate all trace
ofit.,,
Thus we have Gen. Dana claiming to identify the
body of John Wilkes Booth on the boat in April,
1865, with the reservation that the body was much
thinner and features much more pinched up than
usual for Booth, and on the 17th day of January,
1898, thirty-three years later, we have Gen. Dana
identifying John Wilkes Booth from a tintype pic-
ture of St. Helen, claiming to be Booth, taken twelve
years after Dana is supposed to have identified the
dead body of John Wilkes Booth on the boat. Which
identification is CORRECT?
► Was it Booth's body on the boat, or was it the
living Booth sitting for the picture taken at Glen-
rose Mills, in Western Texas, twelve years after his
172
GEN. LEW WALLACE.
One of the Military Court Who Sentenced Mrs. Surratt and
Others to Be Hanged.
EDWIN BOOTH,
At the Age of 31.
/
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
dead body is supposed to have lain on the boat at
Washington ?
This leaves a doubt in the minds of all men who
read this state of facts. Under the rule of law in
the application of evidence in matters criminal the
doubt resolves itself against the truth of the witness
and the benefit of the doubt is given to the defend-
ant, Booth. Dana both identifies the supposed body
of Booth on the boat and then unquestionably identi-
fies the living Booth from the tintype picture, taken
as before stated. This being true, then applying the
legal rule as to civil proof, his evidence stands at an
equipoise, and under that condition we find in favor
of Booth's escape until there is a preponderance of
proof to the contrary.
Being advised that Gen. Lew Wallace was the
only surviving member of the military court which
tried and convicted David E. Herold, Mrs. Surratt
and others, by the judgment of which court Herold
and Mrs. Surratt were hanged and the others con-
victed, I wrote under the date of January 25, 1898,
calling on Gen. Wallace for the proof which was
heard at that court. I also asked for such evidence
as was then and now in possession of the govern-
ment of the United States showing that Booth had
been captured and killed.
173
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
The General replied as follows :
"Crawfordsville, Ind., Jan. 27, 1898.
"Dear Sir: In reply to yours of the 25th inst., I
beg to say that to my certain knowledge John
.Wilkes Booth was buried under a brick pavement
in a room of the old penitentiary prison of Wash-
ington City ; also that after he had lain buried there
for a time, at the request of his friends, his remains
were taken up and transferred to Baltimore, where
they now lie, under a very handsome marble monu-
ment erected to his memory by men of whom I have
reason to think as little as I did him. Eespectfully
yours,
" (Signed.) LEW WALLACE."
From this man, great in war and greater by far
in the literary field of fiction, I expected much val-
uable proof or suggestions germane to the issue, but
the reading of Gen. Wallace 's letter can best explain
the disappointment it contained in this respect. He
speaks positively of his knowledge, without giving
the facts on which that knowledge was based — an
evasion keen and shrewd, that others might measure
the sufficiency of the proofs by his conviction (cer-
tain knowledge.) Therefore, in the absence of spe-
cific facts, heard by him before a military court, we
must rationally conclude that his conviction (cer-
tain knowledge) is born of the result of the circum-
174
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
stantial evidence, the finding of the letters, pictures,
etc., belonging to Booth on the supposed body of
Booth. A body said to be Booth's was buried,
Gen. Wallace says, and subsequently exhumed and
transplanted from Washington City at the Old Navy
Yard, to the Booth lot in a Baltimore cemetery, and
a monument erected to the memory of Booth. These
are mere circumstances tending to create the impres-
sion that the body so transplanted was that of Booth,
but is at best a mere surmise, and in the absence of
other and further positive and direct proof does not
justify a finding of facts as of certain and personal
knowledge.
It will be noticed that Gen. Wallace says that the
body of Booth was buried under a " brick pavement
in a room of the old penitentiary prison of Washing-
ton City," to his " certain knowledge/ ' while Gen.
Dana says, and is equally positive of his "certain
knowledge," that the "body was buried out in the
old Navy Yard, and a battery of artillery run over
the grave to obliterate any trace of it." This is a
complete contradiction of the statement of Gen. Wal-
lace, based on his "certain knowledge," and this
can not be an immaterial mistake merely as to de-
tail between these two gentlemen, because each has
stated matters of material physical facts, based on
their own knowledge, yet in direct contradiction of
175
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
each other. Then the question is, Who is right!!
For if the body was buried as Gen. Wallace says,
"under a brick pavement in a room of the old peni-
tentiary prison of Washington City," then it could
not have been buried, as Gen. Dana says, "out in
the Navy Yard," the grave being obliterated by
' ' running a battery of artillery over it. ' ' It was not
in the building if it was out in the yard, and not out
in the yard if it was in the building. Then, who is
RIGHT?
It is a physical impossibility for them both to be
correct, but it is possible for them both to be mis-
taken. -And so, in being mistaken, their "certain
knowledge ' ' of these facts must fall. To these state-
ments, contradictory as they are, I hold their sol-
signed letters, including the statements made,
which I thought at the time, and now think, come
from among the best sources of information on this
subject, yet they are to be further contradicted and
worse confounded by the statement of others.
The public press, in referring to the death of the
late Wm. P. Wood, of Washington Gity, said:
"In the passing of the late Wm. P. Wood, in
Washington, several weeks ago, there has gone a
man whose associations with the central figures in
the Lincoln assassination tragedy were of the most
intimate character. Col. Wood was of the Secret
176
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
Service at the time of the assassination, the thirty-
eighth anniversary of which will occur next Tues-
day, and was in Cincinnati when President Lincoln
was shot. A telegram from Secretary of War Stan-
ton to him requesting him to come to Washington
was the first information Col. Wood had that John
Wilkes Booth was the assassin of President Lincoln.
* ' Col. Wood, in speaking of the burial of the body
of Booth, said:
" 'The body of Booth was taken off the steamer
Ide April 27, 1865, down the Potomac river; from
the steamer it was placed on a boat by Capt. Baker
and his nephew, a lieutenant in the New York
Seventy-first Volnnteers, and carried to an island
twenty-seven miles from Washington, and secretly
buried there. That story was given out that Booth
had been buried under the flagstone in the district
jail was only told to keep the public mind at ease
and satisfy public curiosity.' '
So, while Gen. Wallace and Gen. Dana contradict
each other they are both contradicted by Col. Wood,
making confusion confounded, while Capt. B. W.
Hillard, of Metropolis, Illinois, recently published a
statement in which he said that he "was one of four
privates who carried the remains of Booth from the
old Capital Prison in Washington to a gunboat,
which carried them about ten miles down the Po-
rn ,
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
tomac river, when the body was sunk in the river,"
etc. Therefore, Gen. Dana, Col. Wood and Capt
Hillard say by their statements that Gen. Wallace is
mistaken. Gen. Wallace, Col. Wood and Capt. Hill-
ard say that Gen. Dana is mistaken, while Col. Wood
and Capt. Hillard say that both Gen. Wallace and
Gen. Dana are mistaken, and Col. Wood and Capt.
Hillard are agreed upon the material points that the
supposed body of John Wilkes Booth was buried in
the Potomac river, differing only in the immaterial
point as to the distance the body was carried down
the river. Therefore, from the weight or prepon-
derance of proof, it appears that the body was bur-
ied in the Potomac river. If this was in fact the
body of John Wilkes Booth, why was it secretly and
mysteriously handled around, as shown in these
statements, while the masses of the people of the
United States were clamoring for the avenging of
the death of President Lincoln? What could have
been more satisfactory than for the government to
have made public proffer of the body? This, it
seems, common judgment would have dictated to
the officials then in power. And we believe it
would have been done if in truth and in fact this
body in question had been that of John Wilkes
Booth. And why did not the government in this
instance turn the body over publicly to Booth's
178
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
family? This is the custom of the government —
State and national — in dealing with their executed
dead. This was done in the case of Guitteau, the as-
sassin of President Garfield, and Czolgolsz, the as-
sassin of President McKinley. Why this exception
with the body of Booth ?
Col. Wood says that the story of the burial of
Booth's body at the "Navy Yard was circulated to
gratify the people." The people would have been
much more gratified at seeing and identifying the
body. What mattered it to them where the body
of Booth should be buried? They were only anxious
to know that Booth was dead. This was the gratifi-
cation supposed to be desired. The truth is, but one
purpose was served, and that the one desired, the
concealment of the body claimed to be that of Booth,
because it was known that it was not the body of
John Wilkes Booth. From the true facts and cir-
cumstances as they existed there is neither sense
nor reason for any other conclusion.
On the 22d day of January, 1898, I addressed a
communication to Mr. H. M. Alsen, editor of Har-
per's Weekly, giving a full statement of the facts
in my possession respecting the escape of Booth,
asserting that in my opinion Booth had not in fact
179
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
been killed, as reported, at the Garrett home in Vir-
ginia, in April, 1865, but had made his escape, and I
believed Booth then to be alive and at large in the
West. Mr. Alsen replied as follows :
"Harper & Brothers — Editorial Rooms,
"Franklin Square, New York,
"January 25, 1898.
"Dear Sir: In reply to your letter of January
22. * * * Of the facts you mention we have not
the slightest doubt. The rumor that John Wilkes
Booth was still alive frequently reached Edwin
Booth, the actor. Yet it was frequently investi-
gated, found false or quietly ignored. Sincerely
yours,
" (Signed) H. M. ALSEN, Editor. "
And now comes the climax in the shape of a vol-
untary letter from the United States War Depart-
ment, as follows:
"War Department,
"Office of the Judge Advocate General,
"Washington, May 13, 1898.
"F. L. Bates, Memphis, Tenn.
"Dear Sir: I am collecting matter for a detailed
account of the assassination of President Lincoln by
J. Wilkes Booth, and seeing your letter to this de-
partment concerning the evidence you therein state
180
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
you possess, that Booth was not captured and killed
by the Federal troops, I have been prompted to
write you in my private capacity as a citizen, and
not as an employe of the War Department, and in-
quire if you will kindly give me for publication, if
found available, such information on the subject as
you may possess.
" While I have not what may be styled direct or
positive evidence that the man killed was Booth, I
have such circumstantial evidence as would seem
to prove the fact beyond doubt. Still, I would be
glad to examine any evidence to the contrary.
" Hoping to hear from you soon, I am, very re-
spectfully, your obedient servant,
" (Signed) JOHN P. SIMONTON."
The voluntary statement of Mr. Simonton being
true, establishes beyond question the fact that the
government has no positive or direct proof of tKfe
capture and killing of Booth. Then this explains
why the government did not expose the supposed
body of Booth. Because they had no conclusive
proof of its identity they kept it concealed from the
public, for the good effect the deception would have
181
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
on the public, that they might lull to rest the out-
raged and restless public sentiment demanding ven-
geance.
Gen. Wallace refers to the monument to John
Wilkes Booth, in Green Mount Cemetery, Baltimore,
Maryland, standing in the family lot, the last resting
place of the members of the Booth family who have
joined the pilgrims in the shadowed valley of the
spirit land beyond that river, the boundary line be-
tween the dwelling of the living and the home of the
dead. It is worthy to mention in this connection that
on this monument is chiseled only the name
''Booth," and that on the base, the white shaft
stands barren of name or epitaph to John Wilkes
Booth. Why is this? Does St. Helen's story explain?
When the keeper of the Booth lot asked Edwin
Booth if the name of John Wilkes Booth, with an
epitaph to him, should be placed on the monument,
his reply was, "Let it remain blank." By the light
of subsequent investigation we understand Edwin
Booth \s reason for this order. It was in fact not the
monument op the dead John Wilkes Booth, as the
keeper and the uninformed public believed.
182
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTS,
On one occasion a friend asked to speak to Edwin
Booth respecting the subject of John Wilkes Booth 's
crime, when Edwin Booth interrupted him by say-
ing, "Yes, that Washington affair was a horrible
crime, but then John Wilkes is my brother.' ' He
uttered this with great emotion and ended the sub-
ject.
Notice Edwin's unwitting reply, "John Wilkes is
my brother/ ' not "John Wilkes was my brother."
.To strengthen the theory that Booth had been cap-
tured and killed there was a publication in the Balti-
more Sun of January 18, 1903, under the head lines :
"WHERE JOHN WILKES BOOTH LIES."
(Published thirty-eight years after the assasina-
tion^of the President.)
"It is an interesting fact that Edwin Booth never
desisted from his potent and quiet endeavor to re-
cover the body of John Wilkes Booth until he deliv-
ered it to his mother in Maryland. Of John Wilkes
Booth's burial there can be no doubt. John T. Ford,
the Baltimore theatrical manager, and Charles B.
Bishop, the comedian, both told me that they wit-
nessed for Edwin Booth the exhuming of the body.'*
183
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
(Then we ask from where ? Out of the obliterated
grave described by Gen. Dana ; from under the brick
pavement in the room in the old Penitentiary Build-
ing described by Wallace, or from the waters of the
Potomac river, as described by Col. Wood and
Capt. Hillard?) "And that the same was identi-
fied and sent to his mother. This should set at rest
the rumors that Booth lives."
Of the exhuming of this body and its identifica-
tion by John T. Ford and Charles B. Bishop, as pub-
lished by the Baltimore Sun, is incomplete as an his-
torical fact, for the reason that there were others
present at the same time with Mr. Ford and Mr.
Bishop, who have likewise spoken of the manner of
the identification of this body as that of John Wilkes
Booth, which was shipped to Baltimore and claimed
by some to be the body of John Wilkes Booth.
Among the others present was Miss Blanche Chap-
man, leading lady in the play, "Why Smith Left
Home" company, and in referring to the story pub-
lished in the Baltimore Sun, she says :
"One morning in 1872, just after rehearsal, my
godfather, John T. Ford, manager of the theater,
184
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
came to me and in a strangely serious voice for him
to assume when addressing me, said: * Blanche,
keep your eyes and ears open, and your mouth shut,
and follow me.' I followed him out through the
back of the theater and across the street to Mr.
Weaver's undertaking establishment, which was just
opposite. He led the way to a sort of private room
at the back of the shop, furtherest from the street,
and upon entering I saw a number of people seated
or standing around a rough, earth-stained box, which
contained something that was wrapped in a muddy
army blanket. Some of the people present I knew
at the time, but there were some I did not know.
Of course, I afterward learned their names, and the
company was made up as follows: John T. Ford,
my godfather and manager of the theater; Charles
B. Bishop, the comedian; Mrs. Booth, widow of the
elder Booth and mother of Edwin Booth, Junius
Brutus Booth, and a still younger brother, whose
name I did not know; Mr. Weaver, the undertaker,
my little sister and myself.
"It was not long before I began to realize what
the solemn little conclave meant. The muddy brown
army blanket was partly removed from the object
185
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
inside of it with a decorous solemnity that I could
not misunderstand. Mr. Bishop approached the box,
and turning to Junius Brutus Booth, said in a low
tone : 'You are sure about that being the only tooth
in his head that had been filled V 'Yes/
"Mr. Bishop then gently pressed down the lower
jaw of the body in the box and with his thumb and
forefinger withdrew the tooth indicated. It had
been filled with gold, and the peculiar form of the
filling was at once recognized by Junius Brutus
Booth. Mr. Bishop then carefully drew off one of
the long riding boots, which were still on the feet
and limbs of the body, which had evidently lain in
the earth for years, and as he did so the foot and
lower portion of the limb remained in the boot. An
examination was then made, and it was plainly seen
that the ankle had been fractured. By this time, of
course, I realized from what I saw and heard that
the remains in the box were those of John Wilkes
Booth, returned to the family by the government, ' ?
It will be remembered that President Lincoln was
assassinated in the Ford Theater, at Washington,
D. C, a place owned by this same John T. Ford, or
186
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
run by him; that Ford and Bishop were warm per-
sonal friends of John Wilkes Booth, and the others
were friends of the Booth family, who of all people
were anxious that the government officials and tlv
American people at large should believe that Johi.
Wilkes Booth, their relative and friend, had been
killed. For thisibelief meant absolute protection for
the living John Wilkes Booth at Glenrose Mills, Tex.,
known as John St. Helen.
Suppose these people had failed to recognize and
had announced that the body shown was not that of
Tohn Wilkes Booth. Th% government would have
^een up in arms, figuratively speaking, and the
people of America frenzied with indignation over the
deception practiced upon them, would have de-
manded punishment and justice for the deceivers.
There is no question that there was a body ex-
humed, or otherwise obtained, at Washington, as
stated in the Sun's publication, and ac disclosed in
the statements of Ford, Bishop and Miss Chapman.
But the examination of this body discloses the fact
that it was not the body of John Wilkes Booth. The
government could not afford to have been caught
187
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
red-handed in the act of attempting to palm off a
spurious body on the friends and relatives of John
Wilkes Booth. Therefore the body was kept for
seven years, at the end of which time it was identi-
fied by a gold-filled tooth and a limb that came off
in a boot which had been left at the home of Dr.
Mudd seven years before.
It is a physical fact that Dr. Mudd cut one of the
riding boots from the injured limb of Booth on the
morning of April 15, 1865, the limb at that time be-
ing so swollen and painful as to render it impossible
for Booth to longer endure the suffering it caused,
and from that time to the date of his supposed cap-
ture and burial Booth had on but one riding boot.
And at the time this supposed identification was
being made in Baltimore, as described by Miss Chap-
man, the very boot said to have been drawn off,
carrying with it the wounded foot and leg, was at
that self -same time in the archives of the govern-
ment at Washington, where it was placed after be-
ing removed from the home of Dr. Mudd. So that
the identification story published in the Baltimore
Sun, the same as described by Blanche Chapman,
188
THE HOME OP DR. MUDD AND THE RIDING BOOT
OF BOOTH.
Which Was Taken Off the Injured Limb of John Wilkes
Booth by Dr. Mudd on the Morning of the 15th of April,
18GT,, Where It Was Afterward Recovered by the Federal
Troops.
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
must fall flat, for the reason that the very means of
identification accepted as physical facts proving the
identity of the exhumed body to be that of John
Wilkes Booth, actually prove it to have been the
body of some one else who had on two boots.
In this connection I reproduce what Mr. Moxly
says in a published interview:
"Mr. Basil Moxly, veteran doorkeeper at John T,
Ford's Opera House, after a silence of years, in-
forms the world that the body buried in Green
Mount Cemetery, Baltimore, was not that of the as-
sassin, John Wilkes Booth, but that of another man,
forwarded to Baltimore by the government at the
solicitation of the Booth family and their friends.
"Mr. Moxly is the sole survivor of the men who
aeted as pall-bearers at what he now terms a 'mock
funeral, ' and he has deemed the time ripe to tell
the facts in this strange disclosure.
tCtI knew Booth well/ said Mr. Moxly, 'and I
conversed with him only a short time before the af-
fair in Washington. I am the only one of the pall-
bearers left. The man who was brought to Balti-
more did not resemble Booth; he had brown hair,
189
GEN. DANA IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
while Booth's was jet black; there was also a dif-
ference in their general appearance.' "
The statement of Mr. Moxly is positive and con-
clusive that the body buried at Baltimore was not
that of John Wilkes Booth, and the question, "Was
John Wilkes Booth killed?" again arises, and we
revert back to the evidence held by the government,
where we find the circumstance of finding Booth's
letters, pictures, check, etc., on the body of the man
killed, which John St. Helen, the mysterious cultured
gentleman of leisure living at the very edge of civili-
zation, explains were in the possession of the dark-
haired, swarthy complexioned man, not quite so
tall or large as himself, by the name of Ruddy or
Roby, his better recollection being that it was Ruddy
or a name sounding the most like the word
' 'Ruddy." -*|
That Ruddy or Roby was the man killed there can
no longer be a well-founded doubt, and I leave the
submitted facts for reflection while taking up the
most interesting part of Booth's life in the West,
the home of the Indian, the Mexican and the cow-
boy.
190
CHAPTER XIII.
A BALTIMOREAN STILL.
Baltimore has the distinction of being the chief
stage upon which Booth played his romantic part
as an actor, where the footlights separated him from
the people, and from that city of beautiful cul-
tured women, honorable and intellectual men.
John Wilkes Booth drank the inspiration that made
him famous as an actor, that made him ever the
courteous and cultured gentleman during his wan-
dering life on the Western plains. For Baltimore
and her people he carried and cherished in his mem-
ory, love, gratitude and honor to the hour he com-
manded his heart "Be still."
He had often said to me: "In the morning of my
life the star of my fate rose from without the firma-
ment of Baltimore's elite, and I love and honor her."
How vividly do I recall his proud and haughty,
yea, his beautiful and defiant face, when he spoke
of Baltimore, the home of his youth and early man-
191
A BALTIMOREAN STILL.
hood, and the Baltimorean as his friend. And you
of Baltimore who remember him in his strength and
honor, this greeting I send as a message from him,
from his home nearer the gateway of the Day, where
twillight greets the evening star, where darkness
makes of ours a dreamland and of the Orient a land
of day: "John Wilkes Booth's fondest memories
are of thee and of his friends in Baltimore.' '
The life of John Wilkes Booth is, however, cer-
tainly no less, and perhaps far more interesting, in
the part he played on the Western plains, on the
stage by Nature set, in which he had before him the
wild man and the semi-civilized people of this wild
section as an appreciative audience. And while
there are doubtless many residents of the Monu-
mental City who treasure up reminiscences of
Booth's bright youth and splendid, misguided gen-
ius, there live today thousands of people on the
plains who cherish his memory and love his per-
sonality without a knowledge of his true name, his
crime or his wasted genius, and would, like the
cowboy, build a monument to his memory.
192
A BALTIMOREAN STILL.
Of John Wilkes Booth his brother, Edwin, himself
a genius and a judge, said: "He has the genius
of my father, and is more gifted than I," while Joe
Jefferson, the "Rip Van Winkle" of all ages, with
whom the world laughed or wept at his will, saw
John Wilkes Booth in the last years before his in-
sane deed at Washington and told me that he never
saw so great a performance as his impersonation
of ' ' Richard III. " In " Richard III. ' ' he played un-
der the name of John Wilkes, and never used his
surname until he played Horatio to Edwin Booth's
Hamlet. When for the first time his name was
given on the bills as John Wilkes Booth, at the close
of the play, as usual, the call came for Edwin
Bootht and as the curtain went up Edwin Booth
came down the stage leading his brother, John
Wilkes Booth, by the arm and, pointing to him, said :
"I think he has done well, don't you?"
Then came from the audience cries of "Yes!"
"Yes!" and tumultuous applause.
Mr. Jefferson said: "John Wilkes Booth was a
little taller than his brother Edwin, possessed his in-
tellectual and beautiful eyes, with great symmetry
193
A BALTIMOREAN STILL.
of features, and an especially fine forehead and
curly, black hair."
"He was as handsome as a Greek god," says Mr.
Edwin M. Delfind. Continuing further, he said:
"It is saying a good deal, but he was a much hand-
somer man than his brother Edwin. He possessed a
voice much like his brother's — melodious, sweet, full
and strong, and was a consummate elocutionist. He
was a great admirer of those Greek and Roman char-
acters that are deemed exponents of popular lib-
erty and heroic patriotism. In these he went al-
most to radicalism. Of the Brutuses he was an es-
pecial devotee, and I shall never forget his recita-
tion of Brutus' speech in "Julius Caesar," of his de-
fiance in his share of the asssassination, and with
what force he rolled out those lines:
" 'My ancestors did from the streets of Rome the
tarquin drive. '
"He said that of all Shakespeare's characters, 'I
like Brutus the best, excepting only Lear. ' There is
no doubt but that the study of these characters and
meditation upon their deeds had much to do with
shaping that mental condition which led to the
murder of President Lincoln.
194
A BALTIMOREAN STILL.
"I was talking with Edwin Booth at the Players
one day and remarked to him: 'Mr. Booth, there is
an incident in the nation's history to which I would
like to allude. ' He promptly comprehended, and re-
plied with flashing eyes and compressed lips, 'You
mean that affair at Washington. I could not ap-
prove of what John Wilkes did, and would rather
not discuss it. He is my brother.'
"As to the dramatic genius of John Wilkes Booth,
I can speak with professional authority. It was of
the highest order, and had he continued on the stage
his fame and success would have equaled that of lis
father. The father I never saw, but nearly every
great actor from Edwin Forrest down to the present
day I have seen and heard, and with the exception
of Forrest and that brilliant, erratic genius, Edwin
Adams, John Wilkes Booth's genius excelled them
all. I
"As I have said, he was a great admirer of Lear.
I don't think his genius would ever have made his
rendering of the part equal to Forrest. Lear and
Booth genius were not quite in harmony. He did
not have the large physical proportions essential to
195
A BALTIMOREAN STILL.
the performance of Shakespeare's sublimest charac-
ters. Edwin Forrest did, and was the only Lear the
stage has ever seen. But Booth was unequalled as
Richard III., and would have made the greatest
Hamlet, Cassius, Othello, Macbeth, Coriolanus and
Charles DeMoore, as well as other similar parts.
"In plays like 'The Taming of the Shrew' he had
achieved distinction. He acted in such parts with
a brilliant dash and sweep that were irresistible to
women. He was an imperious fascinator and
women idolized him.
"Onee in Philadelphia, when going over with Mr.
Forrest his 1623d edition of Shakespeare, I expressed
to him my admiration of his Lear. Forrest flushed
and said : ' Sir, I act Hamlet, but I am Lear. ' It is
lamentable that through the insanity which led to
the dark deed in Washington the genius of John
Wilkes Booth was lost to the American stage. His
star went out in the darkest night through a deed
that cost the South its best friend, Abraham Lin-
coln.' '
Clara Morris, the emotional actress, now nearing
the last scenes in the playhouse of Time, says of
196
A BALTLMOREAN STILL.
John Wilkes Booth: "In glancing back over two
crowded and busy seasons one figure stands out with
clearness and beauty. In this case, so far as my
personal knowledge goes, there is nothing deroga-
tory to dignity or manhood in being called 'beauti-
ful, '■ for he was that bud of splendid promise blasted
to the core before its full triumphant blooming,
known to the world as a madman and an assassin,
but to the profession as 'that unhappy boy, John
Wilkes Booth. ' He was so young, so bright, so kind.
"I could not have known him well? Of course,
too, there are two or three different people in every
man's skin. Yet, when we remember that stars are
not generally in the habit of showing their brightest,
their best side, to the company at rehearsals, we can
not help feeling both respect and liking for the one
who does.
"There are not matiy men who can receive a gash
over the eye in the scene at night without at least a
momentary outburst of temper, but when the com-
bat between Richard and Richmond was being re-
hearsed, John Wilkes Booth had again and again
urged McCullom — that six-foot tall and handsome
197
A BALTIMOREAN STILL.
man, who entrusted me with the care of his watch
during such encounters, 'To come on hard, come on
hot, old fellow ! Harder, faster ! ' that he would take
the chances of a blow if only they could make a hot
fight of it. Mr. McCullom, who was a cold man at
night, became nervous in his efforts to act like a
fiery one. He forgot that he had struck the full
number of hard blows, and when Booth was expect-
ing a thrust, McCullom, wielding his sword with both
hands, brought it down with awful force fair across
Booth's forehead. A cry of horror rose, for in one
moment his face was marked in blood, one eyebrow
was clearly cut through. Then came simultaneously
one deep groan from Eichard (Booth) and an
exclamation of 'Oh! Good God! Good God!' from
Richmond (McCullom), who stood trembling like a
leaf and staring at his work. Booth, flinging the
blood from his eyes with his left hand, said as gently
as a man could speak: 'That is all right. That is
all right, old man. Never mind me. Only come on
hard, for God's sake, and save the fight!' which he
resumed at once. And though he was perceptibly
weakened it required the sharp order of Mr. Ellsler
198
CLARA MORRIS.
As Sister Genevieve in "The Two Orphans.
JOSEPH JEFFERSON.
As He Appeared at the Interview With Mr. Bates at the
Gayoso Hotel, Memphis, Tennessee.
A BALTIMOREAN STILL.
t —
to ring the first curtain bell to force him to bring the
fight to a close, a single blow shorter than usual.
And there was a running to and fro with ice and
vinegar, and raw steak, and raw oysters, and when
the doctor had placed a few stitches where they
were most required Booth laughingly declared that
there was provisions enough in the room to start a
restaurant.
"McCullom came to try to apologize, to explain,
but Booth would have none of it. He held out his
hand, saying, 'Why, old fellow, you look as if you
had lost the blood — don't worry — now, if my eye
had gone, that would have been bad.' And so, with
light words he turned to set the unfortunate man at
ease, and though he must have suffered much morti-
fication as well as pain from the eye, he never made
a sign showing it.
"John Wilkes Booth, like his next elder brother,,
was rather lacking in height, but his head and throat
and the manner of their rising from his shoulders
were truly beautifuL His coloring was unusual, the
ivory pallor of his skin, the inky blackness of his
dusky, thick, curly hair, the heavy lids of his glow-
199
A BALTIMOREAN STILL.
ing eyes, were all Oriental, and they gave a touch of
mystery to his face when it fell into gravity, but
there was generally a flash of white teeth behind his
black, silky mustache.
"Now, it is scarcely exaggerating to say that the
fair sex were in love with John Wilkes Booth, or
John Booth, as he was called, the name Wilkes being
apparently unknown to his family and close friends.
I played with John Wilkes, to my great joy, playing
1 Player Queen,* and in 'The Marble Heart,' I was
one of the group of three statues in the first act,
then a girl in my teens.
"With all my admiration for the person and the
genius of John Wilkes Booth, his crime I can not
condone. The killing of that homely, tender-hearted
father, Abraham Lincoln, a rare combination of
courage, justice and humanity, whose death at the
hands of an actor will be a grief of horror and shame
to the profession forever. And yet I cannot believe
that John Wilkes Booth was the leader of a band
of bloody conspirators.
"Who shall draw the line and say, 'Here genius
ends and madness begins % ' There was that touch of
200
A BALTIMOREAN STILL.
strangeness, in Edwin it was a profound melan-
choly; in John it was an exaggeration of spirit,
almost a madness. There was the natural vanity of
the actor, too, who craves a dramatic selection in
real life. There was also his passionate love and
sympathy for the South, which was easier to be
played on than a pipe.
"Undoubtedly he conspired to kidnap the Presi-
dent; that would appeal to him. But after that I
truly believe he was a tool; certainly he was no
leader. Those who led him knew his courage, his
belief in fate, his loyalty to his friends, and because
they knew these things he drew the lot, as it was
meant he should from the first. Then, half mad, he
accepted the part fate cast him for and committed
the murderous crime.
'God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform. '
" 'And God shutteth not up His mercies forever in
displeasure.* We can only shiver and turn our
thoughts away from the bright light that went out
in such utter darkness. Poor, guilty, unhappy John
Wilkes Booth !"
201
A BALTIMOREAN STILL.
These extensive quotations are mado from the two
veterans of the stage, Clare Morris and Edwin M.
Delfind, the personal friends ox John Wilkes Booth,
whose long acquaintance and association with inim
enabled them to write these articles, showing tif>
characteristics, personal appearance and ability oS
John Wilkes Booth, whom they so perfectly describe.
And yet these descriptions, so true in detail, so per-
fectly describe John St. Helen, the mysterious gen-
tleman of the plains, who so persistently maintained
to me that he was John Wilkes Booth, of whom they
had never heard, and that too, thirty-eight years
after they are presumed to know that John LWilkes
Booth is dead. This is wonderful and unanswer-
able proof that the John St. Helen whom 2 knew was
actually the John Wilkes Booth whom they knew
and describe, as he claimed to be.
In this connection it is of interest to know some-
thing more of John Wilkes Booth's father, the fa-
mous actor, Junius Brutus Booth, Sr., who came to
the United States from England, and followed the
profession in this country with such success that for
all time links the name of Booth with the American
stage.
202
JOHN WILKES BOOTH, AGED 38.
The Picture Taken at Glenrose Mills, Texas, on the Bosque
River. (A reproduction from the tin-type.)
; ,.*v x-;>v; -r,?;
k...
JUNIUS BRUTUS BOOTH, THE FIRST.
Father of John Wilkes Booth, as Sir Giles Overreach, Show-
ing the Famous Actor in One of His Favorite Characters.
■
A BALTIMOREAN STILL.
Booth, the elder, acted because he loved to act, and
was farmer because he loved to farm; which of the
two he liked best seemed always a matter of doubt
to himself and naturally became so with others. He
was eminently successful in both farming and acting,
his great reputation as an actor being made after
he came to America, where he stood pre-eminently
at the head of his profession. He was a well-read
man, with a remarkable talent for showing it. Per-
sonally he was dark, had strong eyes, a fine mouth
and a positive manner. He was a kindly man and
lived up to the customs of his time and profession,
maintaining all conventional distinctions. Mr.
Booth's Baltimore residence was in Exeter street,
and his farm was in Belair, about fourteen miles
from Baltimore. His professional habits were not
unlike those of the late Joseph Jefferson ; he played
when he felt like it, and when he was not acting he
was farming, while he farmed throughout all his
engagements in the city of Baltimore.
Be it said to the lasting credit of Mr. Booth that
his opinion of himself was much inferior to that
entertained of him by others, who thought him pre-
203
A BALTIMOREAN STILL.
eminently the greatest actor of his time, and he has
not been equalled by any one since his day.
The likeness of John Wilkes Booth to his father
is striking at the age of twenty-seven. But note
the more striking resemblance of John Wilkes Booth
to his father where he reaches the age of thirty-
eight years. This picture is a reproduction of the
little tintype picture taken of John St. Helen (John
Wilkes Booth) twelve years after the assassination
of President Lincoln and Booth's reported capture
and death.
204
CHAPTER XIV.
INFORMING THE WAR DEPARTMENT
THAT BOOTH LIVES.
Being convinced that John St. Helen was actually
John Wilkes Booth, I determined to locate him, and
with this purpose in view I addressed a letter to a
personal friend, a lawyer, at Grandberry, Texas, re-
ceiving this reply :
" Grandberry, Texas, September 21st, 1898.
" N. L. Cooper & Sons, Attorneys at Law.
F. L. Bates:—
"Dear Sir and Friend— I have made many in-
quiries about the latter end of St. Helen, if he
should have crossed the Jordan, but can make but
little discovery. L. B. McClannahan, who was in
partnership with A. P. Gordon, in the whiskey busi-
ness, on the south side of the square, now lives at
Bluffdale, eighteen miles southwest from here, on the
railroad in Erath county, may know something of
St. Helen ; also William Farmwalt, whose address is
Maryfa, Presideo county, Texas, and G. W. Calvin,
Kerrville, Texas.
205
INFORMING WAR DEPARTMENT THAT BOOTH LIVES.
"It might be that John H. Traylor, formerly of
this place, whom you knew, and now mayor of Dal-
las, Texas, might known something of his where-
abouts. I will continue to inquire of any one whom
I shall meet that might know of him. Capt. J. J.
Farr. whom jovi. ?eia*mber, now lives at Glenrose
'Milis, «exas. iiwentt miles south of this place, and
may know .something of him. I will see him soon
and will then make inquiry.
"Many thanks for your appreciation of myself and
family. With high regards for you and yours, I am
ever your friend,
(Signed) "N. L. COOPER.' '
The result of this investigation located St. Helen
at Leadviile, Colorado, in October, 1879. From Lead-
ville I traced him to Fresno, California, where he
seems merely to have passed through the town.
In the meantime I also sought to investigate the
men who had aided Booth to escape and to locate,
as far as possible, their identity. With this end in
view I addressed a letter to a law firm in Freder-
icksburg, Virginia, which elicited the following re-
ply:
206
i I
INFORMING WAR DEPARTMENT THAT BOOTH LIVES.
"Law Office of
"John L. Marye and St. George R. Fitzhugh.
"Fredericksburg, Virginia, October 5th, 1898.
F. L. Bates, Memphis, Tenn.
Dear Sir — Your favor received. Major or Lieu-
tenant M. B. Ruggles is with Arnold, Constable &
Co., New York City. Major Edward S. Ruggles, the
brother of M. B. Ruggles, is a farmer in King George
county, Virginia. Gen. Daniel Ruggles, the father
of these gentlemen, died here about a year ago,
and his widow is living here now. Very truly yours,
etc.,
(Signed) ' ' ST. GEORGE R. FITZHUGH. ' '
"Alexandria, Virginia, , 1898.
"Capt. Jett was well known and acquainted in
Carlin county, Virginia. He was a near relative
of mine, with whom I was on the most intimate terms.
He went to Baltimore a year after the assassination
of President Lincoln, engaged in the business of
traveling constantly in Virginia, and married the
daughter of a prominent physician of Baltimore. No
one blamed him for piloting the Federal Cavalry to
where he had left Booth, or criticised him for hia
207
INFORMING WAR DEPARTMENT THAT BOOTH LIVES.
efforts to assist Booth in his escape. Sixteen years
after he settled in Baltimore he was attacked with
paresis, and died at the hospital of Williamsburg,.
Virginia, re.psected by ail who knew him.
(Signed.) "JOHN L. MARYE."
Lieut. A. R. Bainbridge, after the close of the war,
went to New York City and entered business. Jett,
Bainbridge and Ruggles were the members of Mos-
by 's Confederate command who met Booth and Har-
old at the Rappahannock ferry, and described Booth
as wearing at this time a black slouch hat, well
pulled down on his forehead, the lame foot was en-
tirely free from covering except a black sock. The
crutch or stick which he carried was rough and un-
gainly. They further say, speaking of the following
afternooon: "After we had crossed Booth to the
Garrett farm we saw the Federal troops across the
Rappahannock river, and we (Ruggles and Bain-
bridge) were pursued by them, when we fled straight
to the Garrett farm and notified Booth to leave, di-
recting him to go into the wooded ravine, which we
pointed out to him, over and beyond the Garrett
farm, for which place he left at once, carrying a
INFORMING WAR DEPARTMENT THAT BOOTH LIVES.
heavy stick in his hand to support his lame leg."
Through inquiry of a person now in Washington
City, whose name it would be an abuse of confidence
to disclose, I learned that there was a large family
of people by the name of Ruddy living within the
immediate neighborhood of Samuel Cox, on the
Potomac river, where Booth was secreted, so that I
take it the man killed at the Garrett farm was
"Ruddy" and not "Roby," as several of the men
of the Ruddy family answer the description Booth
gave of the man who got his letters, pictures, check,
etc.
The statements of these gentlemen, Jett, Ruggles
and Bainbridge, corroborate St. Helen's story that
he (Booth) was met by these gentlemen, Confeder-
ate soldiers, at the Rappahannock ferry. Could this
have been an incident? Surely it was prearranged.
These gentlemen say: "We met Booth at the fer-
ry," but do not say by accident, a mere casualty and
seemingly it was by appointment, at a stated time;
they had arrived at the ferry in advance of Booth,
as if to receive and protect him on his arrival.
209
INFORMING WAR DEPARTMENT THAT BOOTH LIVESr
Neither Booth nor Herold could have gone to ar-
range this appointment. Booth was lame and Her-
old did not know the country in that direction, so
remained with Booth, who was suffering a great
deal. There can be no well founded doubt but that
Ruddy went in advance and made this appointment
as detailed to me by St. Helen (Booth).
After successfully locating St. Helen (Booth) at
Leadville and later at Fresno, California, I was
reasonably sure he still lived and could be located,
and supposing it to be a matter of interest to the
United States government, I addressed the following
letter to the War Department :
"Law Office of F. L. BATES,
"297 Second Street,
"Memphis, Tenn., January 17th, 1898.
"Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.
"Dear Sir — Would it be a matter of any import-
ance to develop the fact to the War Department of
the United States that John Wilkes Booth, the as-
sassin of President Lincoln, was not captured and
killed by the Federal troops, as is supposed?
210
INFORMING WAR DEPARTMENT THAT BOOTH LIVES
"By accident I have been placed in possession of
such facts as are conclusive that John Wilkes Booth
now lives, and have kept the matter from publica-
tion until I have communicated with the War De-
partment of this government. Very truly yours,
"F.L.BATES."
In reply the following endorsements were made
on this letter and returned to me, viz. :
First endorsement:
"Office of the Secretary of War Department.
"January 19th, 1898.
(294) "Memphis, Tenn., Jan. 17th, 1898.
"F. L. Bates says that he is in possession of such
facts as are conclusive that John Wilkes Booth was
not captured and killed by the Federal troops, and
•asks if War Department would consider the matter
of enough importance to develop that fact.
"JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL."
Second endorsement :
(3808) "War Department,
"Judge Advocate General's Office,
"Washington, D. C.
January 21st, 1898
211
INFORMING WAR DEPARTMENT THAT BOOTH LIVES.
1 ' Respectfully returned to the Secretary of "War.
"This is a request by F. L. Bates, of Memphis,
Tenn., for information as to whether it would be a
matter of importance to develop the fact to the War
Department that John Wilkes Booth was not cap-
tured and killed by the Federal troops.
"He says that by accident he has recently been
placed in possession of such facts as are conclusive.
"It is recommended that he be informed that the
matter is of no importance to the War Department.
(Signed) G. NORMAN LIEBER,
"Judge Advocate General."
"Received back War Department January 22d,
1898.
(294) "Assistant Secretary. ' '
(L. S. S.)
Third endorsement
"War Department.
"January 25th, 1898.
"Respectfully returned to Mr. F. L. Bates, No, 297
Second street, Memphis, Tenn., inviting attention to
the foregoing report of the Judge Advocate General
of the Army.
212
INFORMING WAR DEPARTMENT THAT BOOTH LIVES.
(Signed) ' ' G. D. MICKLE JOHN,
"Acting Secretary of War."
In view of the fact that the War Department
would take no action upon the information furnished
of the then living Booth, on January 19th, January
21st and January 25th, 1898, notwithstanding that
the officials of the War Department were fully ad-
vised that there was no positive or direct proof on
file with the government as to the. death of John
Wilkes Booth, as is fully shown by the letter of
John P. Simonton, of the War Department, oi date
May 11th, 1898, almost five months later, I ask then
why should these officials refuse to investigate the
proof of these facts when offered? It must, there-
fore, follow that the officials, having only circum-
stantial proof of the death of Booth, did not want
and refused to consider proof of the fact that
Booth still lived, and went so far as to say that it
was a matter of no importance to the War Depart-
ment to establish the truth that Booth was not killed,
as supposed, or that he was still alive.
Does such a declaration, coming as an official find-
ing of the War Department, assist in and perpet-
213
INFORMING WAR DEPARTMENT THAT BOOTH LIVES.
uate the escape of Booth, the assassin of President
Lincoln? For to officially find that it was a matter
of no importance to ascertain whether Booth still
lived and was at large when proof was offered to
this end was to officially find that John "Wilkes
Booth should go at large so far as these officials were
concerned, notwithstanding the great crime that
Booth had committed and its national significance,
demanding national reparation.
These officers will not be heard to explain by say-
ing that they did not regard the tender of proof of
sufficient importance to justify an investigation. For
if it did not justify an official investigation to learn
the truth of the statememfc m®, *® it did not justify a
finding that it was a matto ®S no importance to the
government whether Booth in fact lived ov was dead,
which is the logical and unmistakable finding of the
War Department, and this finding by these officials
in view of the following order, which is yet valid aiif.
subsisting, is remarkable to a degree unexplainable :
214
INFORMING WAR DEPARTMENT THAT BOOTH LIVES.
"War Department,
"Washington, D. C.
April 20th, 1865.
"ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS
REWARD.
^Thc murderer of our late beloved President,
Abraham Lincoln, is still at large. Fifty thousand
dollars' reward will be paid by this department for
hie apprehension. In addition to reward offered ^%,
municipal authorities or State executives, liberal re-
wards will be paid for any information that ahall
conduce to the arrest of either Booth or his accom-
plices.
"All persons harboring or secreting the said per-
sons, or either of them, or aiding or assisting their
concealment or escape, will be treated as accom-
plices in the murder of the President, and shall be
held to trial before a military commission and the
punishment of death.
"Let the stain of innocent blood be removed from
the land by the arrest and punishment of the mur-
derers. All good citizens are exhorted to aid public
justice on this account; every man should consider
215
INFORMING WAR DEPARTMENT THAT BOOTH LIVES.
his own conscience charged with this solemn duty,
and rest neither night nor day until it is accom-
plished.
(Signed) "EDWIN M. STANTON,
"Secretary of War."
The above order constituted then and consti-
tutes now the national law of the United States re-
specting the subject of which it treats, and is today
and at all times prior to the present day, since its
promulgation in 1865, a part of the records of the
War Department, the mandates and knowledge of
which is chargeable to the officials of the War De-
partment.
G. Norman Lieber, Judge Advocate General of the
Army, and Acting Secretary of War Micklejohn, are
chargeable with notice and held responsible for its
execution; and if, in view of this knowledge, the
finding of Micklejohn, Secretary of War, on the 25th
day of January, 1898, rescinds the order of Secretary
Stanton of April 20th, 1865, it sets free, so far as
the War Department could, the assassin of President
Lincoln
216
INFORMING WAR DEPARTMENT THAT BOOTH LIVES.
m It stands as a matter of history that at about the
hour of four o'clock in the afternoon of April 14th,.
1865, General C. C. Augur ordered the guards called
in from the protection of the life of President Lin-
coln, then known to be threatened and in imminent
danger, as stated by General Dana, and that at ten
minutes past ten o 'clock that same evening the Pres-
ident was assassinated, and at thirty minutes past
ten, twenty minutes later, the Federal guards, still
on duty, opened the gates for Booth, the assassin, to
pass out over the East Potomac bridge. So that
within six hours after the order of Gen. Augur the
President had been shot and the criminal had es-
caped through the Federal lines, his escape having
been made possible by the order of Gen. Augur,
whether designedly or not the result was the same,
and on the 25th day of January, 1898, thirty-three
years later, the officials of the War Department find
that proof of the fact that John Wilkes Booth lived
and was still at large was of no importance to their
department, nor to the Department of Justice of the
United States — otherwise proper reference would
217
INFORMING WAR DEPARTMENT THAT BOOTH LIVES.
have been made, and the Department of Justice offi-
cially notified instead of finding against an investi-
gation of the facts submitted.
Does this finding against an investigation of the
facts offered, proof of the truth that Booth was not
captured and killed — make void the order of Secre-
tary Stanton on April 20th, 1865? If not, then is
the Acting Secretary of War, as well as the Judge
Advocate General, under the provisions of this order,
guilty of assisting, by concealment, the escape of
John Wilkes Booth.
But, if the finding of January 25th, 1898, of the
War Department is a revocation of the order of the
War Department of April 20th, 1865, do such acts
of these officials make them accessories after the
fact, as at common law?
These charges, though grave, are justified by the
solemn records which I hold as physical evidence of
the charges made, and I appeal to the American peo-
ple for a verdict on the issues thus joined as an
expiation for the murder of Abraham Lincoln, whose
death is yet unavenged!
218
INFORMING WAR DEPARTMENT THAT BOOTH LIVES.
Not being satined with the disposition of this mat-
ter by the War Department, I turned to the State
Department, addressing a latter to Secretary John
Hay, stating in substance the facts which I had sub-
mitted to the War Department, and received the fol-
lowing letter in reply :
"Department of State,
"Washington, D. C.
April 27th, 1900.
"P. L. Bates.
"Dear Sir — The Secretary of State requests me to
acknowledge receipt of your favor of the 24th of
April and to thank you for it. Very respectfully,
(Signed) "E. J. BABCOCK,
"Private Secretary."
This closed my efforts at presenting the matter
of Booth's discovery to the government of the
United States. And at last of what interest was the
matter to Secretary of State John Hay, the pride
of the American people — the world's greatest diplo-
mat?
In this connection, however, it will be of interest
to note what Secretary Hay, in January, 1890, had
219
INFORMING WAR DEPARTMENT THAT BOOTH LIVES.
to say relative to John Wilkes Booth and his escape :
"Booth was a young man of twenty-six, strikingly
handsome, with a pale olive face, dark eyes, and
that ease and grace of manner which came to him
by right from his theatrical ancestry. (How strik-
ingly like St. Helen.) Booth in his flight gained the
Navy Yard bridge (East Potomac bridge) in a few
minutes, and was allowed to pass the guards, and
shortly afterward Herold came on the bridge and
was allowed to pass ; a moment later the owner of the
horse which Herold rode came up in pursuit of his
animal, and he, the only honest man of the three,
was turned back by the guards.
"If Booth had been in health there is no reason
why he should not have remained at large a long
while. He might even have made his escape to some
foreign country, though sooner or later a crime so
prodigious will generally find its perpetrator out.
But it is easy to hide among sympathizing people;
many a Union soldier escaping from prison has
walked hundreds of miles through the enemy's coun-
try, relying implicitly upon the friendship of the
negroes. Booth, from the time he crossed the Navy
220
INFORMING WAR DEPARTMENT THAT BOOTH LIVES.
Yard (East Potomac) bridge, received the assistance
of a large number of men. With such devoted assist-
ance Booth might have wandered a long way, but
there was no final escape save suicide for an as-
sassin. ' '
These comments on the possibilities of Booth's es-
cape by one of the wise, if not in fact the wisest,
diplomats known to the civilized world, challenges
attention; in fact, was prophetic and (as subse-
quent events disclosed), is paralleled only by the
prophets of old.
Hay says, "from the nature of things Booth could
have escaped, * * * but there was no final es-
cape save suicide for the assassin." Who will deny
the correctness of his prophecy, since Booth did es-
cape, remained in hiding thirty-eight years and did
suicide? It was this power of foreseeing the possi-
bility of coming events that made Secretary Hay the
greatest of diplomats.
221
CHAPTER XV.
GEN. ALBERT PIKE IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
While trying to trace Booth after he left Fresno,
California, I read a story from Col. Edward Levan,
of Monterey, Mexico. He says that a man whom he
believed to be Booth roomed with him during the
winter of 1868, in Lexington, Kentucky. The two
became quite friendly, and Col. Levan openly de-
clared to the man, who was going by the name of
J. J. Marr, that he believed him to be John Wilkes
Booth. Mr. Marr did not deny the allegation, but
shortly thereafter left Lexington, where he was
"playing the character of a lawyer."
Col. Levan says that he afterward learned that
Mr. Marr had settled at Village Mills, Texas, and
from there went to Clenrose Mills, Texas, at which
place I first met John St. Helen, and where he de-
clared himself to be John Wilkes Booth.
Col. M. W. Connolly, a distinguished newspaper
loan, at present and for many years past connected
222
Booth (as D. E. George) Playing- the Role of a House Painter,
and the Only Painting Job He Ever Did.
GEN. ALBERT PIKE.
The Veteran Mason, Statesman, Lawyer and Poet, as He
Appeared at the Time of His Recognition of John Wilkes
Booth at Fort Worth, Texas, in 1885.
GEN. ALBERT PIKE IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
with the leading papers as editor-in-chief, a gentle-
man of the highest type, a brilliant writer and a man
of honor and integrity, says :
"I am strongly inclined to believe that David E.
George, who died at Enid, Oklahoma Territory, was
John Wilkes Booth, the man who killed Lincoln.
"In 1883, while in the little town of Village Mills,
Texas, I met George, although I never knew his
name, and cannot say whether he went under that
name or not. He impressed me. I had seen Edwin
Booth once in Galveston, and had some knowledge
of the appearance of the Booth family. Later I went
to Fort Worth as editor of the Gazette, under the
late Walter Malone. I had forgotten all about my
casual acquaintance of Village Mills.
"One night I was in the Pickwick Hotel barroom
talking to Gen. Albert Pike, who had come down
from Washington on legal business. I had called on
him to inquire about a claim against the government
in which he was interested — the claim of the heirs
of my wife's grandfather, Major Michie, of La-
Grange, Tennessee, whose cotton and cotton gins
were burned by the Federal troops when Grant was
223
GEN. ALBERT PIKE IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
at LaGrange. Capt. Day, of Day & Maas, proprie-
tors, was behind the bar. It was in 1884 or 1885,
and we were unconventional then.
"Tom Powell, mayor of Fort Worth, joined us, and
Temple Houston, youngest son of the ex-Governor
of Tennessee, the man who whipped Santa Anna at
San Jacinto, and the first president of the Texas
republic (Gen Sam Houston), was there. I was
about to leave, was waiting for a pause in order to
excuse myself; Gen. Pike was explaining how he had
been credited with the authorship of 'The Old
Canoe,' which he said was written by some woman;
just then my Village Mills friend came in accom-
panied by some one, I think Long Scurlock, who
used to edit the Chronicle at Cleburne, Texas. Capt.
Day turned to make a change. I was watching Gen.
Pike closely (trying to get away), when suddenly
he threw up his hands, his face white as his hair and
beard, and exclaimed :
"'My God! John Wilkes Booth ! ' He was much
excited, trembled like an aspen, and at my sugges-
tion went to his room. He seemed weakened by the
shock, the occasion of which I could not realize at
224
GEN. ALBERT PIKE IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
the moment, I saw him climb the stairs to his room
and turned to look for my Village Mills acquaint-
ance, but could not find him.
"While talking to Temple Houston the next morn-
ing I pointed out my Village Mills friend when I
was called to Gen. Pike, who was standing on the
opposite side of the street, and Temple Houston
promised me that he would look the man up and get
a story. I have heard that the alleged Booth, the
man whom I had met, moved to the Territory later,
but I took no newspaper interest in the matter.
"I never saw J. Wilkes Booth, but I have seen his
pictures, and while I am in no way certain, I am
strongly of the belief that the man who died at Enid
was John Wilkes Booth. I am quite sure that the
venerable author of 'Every Year' believed it was
the infatuated actor, and I am sure that he was
amazed to find that his bewailment, ' There are fewer
to regret us/ did not include the man who took a
leading part in our great national tragedy."
It is ot interest in this connection to state that
Fort Worth, Texas, is only about forty-fives miles
to the northeast of Grandberry, Texas, my old home
GEN. ALBERT PIKE IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
and St. Helen's. It was from this place, in 1878,
that he drifted to Leadville, Colorado, and from
thence to Fresno, California, and was next seen — in
1884 or 1885— at Fort Worth, Texas, near his old
home, by Gen. Albert Pike, in company with M.
W. Connolly, and by Gen. Pike recognized as John
Wilkes Booth.
The man supposed to be Booth was seen by others
before he settled at Glenrose Mills, for Dr. H. W.
Gay says :
"I knew John Wilkes Booth in 1857, and while I
was at Fort Donaldson, a prisoner of war, the news
was flashed over the world that President Lincoln
had been slain by John Wilkes Booth. I was horri-
fied to think of such a thing, for Booth, though a
boy when I knew him, in appearance was the most
accomplished gentleman with whom I had ever come
in contact. All who knew him well were captivated
by him. He was the most hospitable, genial fellow
to be met, and when drinking or much in company,
he was always quoting Shakespeare, or some other
poet. How many times have I seen him strike a
tragic attitude and exclaim:
226
GEN. ALBERT PIKE IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
u "The aspiring youth that fired the Ephesian dome
Outlives in fame the pious fool that raised it.'
"I read of his capture and death and never
doubted it until the year 1869. I was then living in
what is now Tate county, Mississippi. One evening
about dusk a man came to my house claiming that
he was one of the Ku-Klux Clan run out of Arkansas
by Clayton's militia (the Clayton referred to being
Powell Clayton, until recently Ambassador to Mex-
ico).
"I soon recognized this man as an erratic fellow.
During his stay at my house he told me that John
Wilkes Booth was not killed, but made his escape
and spent a short while in Mexico with Maximilian's
army, but got into trouble, and his life was saved
by reason of the fact that he was a Catholic. The
man also stated that during Booth's short stay in
Mexico he had lived in disguise as an itinerant Cath-
olic priest. He also told me the story of how Booth
had escaped after the assassination was done, and it
corresponded exactly with Mr. Bates' story as told
by John St. Helen, even to the crossing of the Mis-
sissippi river at Catfish Point and going thence up
227
GEN. ALBERT PIKE IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
the Arkansas river to Indian Territory. And that
Booth afterward met Junius Brutus Booth and his
mother in San Francisco.' •
This meeting was possibly arranged while John
"Wilkes Booth was in the Indian Territory, and may
explain in some measure his employment to drive a
team from Nebraska City, Nebraska, to Salt Lake,
Utah, for Mr. L. Treadkel, in 1866 or 1867, and his
unceremonious desertion of duty before reaching
Salt Lake City.
So we have Booth, or St. Helen, meeting his oldest
brother, Junius Brutus Booth, at San Francisco in
1866 or 1867. Again we locate him in Lexington,
Kentucky, in company with Col. Levan, in 1868 or
1869, and seen by Dr. Gay in Tate county, Mississip-
pi, in 1869. In 1872 I met and knew him intimately at
Glenrose Mills, Texas. In 1883 Mr. Connolly saw
him at Village Mills, Texas, and again in 1884 or
1885 at Fort Worth, Texas, where he was recog-
nized by Gen. Albert Pike.
At Fort Worth we lost sight of Booth for a num-
ber of years, but it seems from the best obtainable
information that he drifted into the vicinity of Guth-
223
GEN. ALBERT PIKE IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
rie, Oklahoma Territory, but was located at He.i-
iiessy, Oklahoma Territory, in the year 1896, play-
ing the role of a gentleman of leisure, under the name
of George D. Ryan, where he remained until some
time in the year 1899, when he located at El Reno,
Oklahoma Territory, sixty-five miles south of Hen-
nessy, stopping at the Anstein hotel, where he was
domiciled in 1898 when I took up the matter with
the government authorities at Washington.
On moving to El Reno, in 1899, Booth made de-
posits of money, opening an account with the State
bank of that place, under the name of David E.
George. Assuming the character of a journeyman
house painter he took a contract and painted a small
cottage for Mr. Anstien, the proprietor of the An-
stein hotel, and advertised himself as David E.
George, house painter, in the Daily Democrat, a
newspaper published at El Reno, but took no jobs of
painting after that first one for*Mr. Anstien, and did
no other work in this nor any other business at El
Reno.
At the El Reno State bank, where Booth made his
deposits as David E. George, the tintype picture of
229
GEN. ALBERT PIKE IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
St. Helen (Booth), taken twelve years after the as-
sassination of President Lincoln, was at once identi-
fied by the officials of the bank as being a true like-
ness of the man David E. George, who made the de-
posits at their bank and with whom they were per-
sonally acquainted. At the request of Mr. Bellamy,
one of the bank officials, I went with him to another
bank, the name of which I do not now remember,
and was introduced to the president of this bank,
whose name I believe was Dr. Davis, who at once
identified the tintype picture of St. Helen as a true
and correct likeness of David E. George.
After remaining at the Anstien Hotel for quite a
long while David E. George (Booth) bought a cot-
tage at El Reno, paying thirty-five hundred dollars
for it, where he installed a family by the name of
Simmons, who were to board him for the rent of the
place. He told the Anstiens that he was tired of
hotel life and requested them to look for a wife for
him, saying in a joking way that he would pay hand-
somely for one well suiting his fancy, who would be
willing to take charge of his cottage home.
230
GEN. ALBERT PIKE IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
Mrs. Simmons also took to board with her the
Methodist minister and his wife, the Rev. and Mrs.
Harper. Mr. Harper is a man of means and follows
the ministry as a matter of choice and not as a means
of livelihood, and his wife is a lady of great refine-
ment and culture, occupying in church and social
circles a high position. Being thrown much together
in the ordinary course of everyday life at the cottage
MrSo Harper as well as the members of the Simmons
family grew to be on intimate terms with George
(Booth), who fell ill with his chronic asthmatic af-
fliction, from which he suffered a great deal, and
was removed from his cottage home to the Kerfoot
Hotel. Mrs. Harper, Mrs. Simmons and other kind-
hearted ladies of the city visited George (Booth),
who by right of birth and breeding moved in the so-
cial circle to which he was born, regardless of his
advertisement in the Democrat as a house painter,
performing for him such ministries as were neces-
sary.
Mrs. Harper makes the following statement:
"Mr. George (Booth) had been a resident of the
Territory for several years. He had always been
231
GEN. ALBERT PIKE IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
well supplied with money, the origin or source of
which no one knew, for from some mysterious source
he received a regular remittance. He was a familiar
figure in Guthrie, El Reno and Enid. My acquaint-
ance with Mr. George led me to believe him to be a
very different person from what he represented him-
self to be as David E. George, the painter. He was
eccentric, and though he claimed to be a painter of
houses, yet he did no work. He was possessed of
the highest degree of intelligence, had always the
bearing of a gentleman of cultivation and refine-
ment, and in conversation was fluent and captivat-
ing, while he discussed subjects of the greatest mo-
ment with learning, familiarity and ease. There
were very few people with whom he cared to asso-
ciate. Generally he was gloomy, though at times he
would brighten up, sing snatches of stage songs and
repeat Shakespeare's plays in an admirable manner.
He was so well versed in these plays and other writ-
ings that he would often answer questions with a
quotation.
"At one time the young people of El Reno had a
play of some kind. One of the actors became ill and
332
GEN. ALBERT PIKE IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
Mr. George (Booth) filled the place to the great ad-
miration and entertainment of those who saw him.
When surprise was expressed at his ability as an
actor he replied that he had acted some when he was
a young man.
"Regarding his people, he told different stories.
One time he said his father was a doctor, and he
and a brother were the only children; that his
mother had married again and two half brothers
were living in the Indian Territory, their name being
Smith, and that he had property in the Indian Ter-
ritory. Again he seemed very lonely at times, and
said that he had not a relative in the world. He was
subject to fits of melancholia, was extremely sensi-
tive, quick tempered and rather excitable. He said
he had never married. There seemed to be some-
thing constantly on his mind about which he thought,
and which made him miserable. He seemed to love
to have one understand that he was in trouble and
appreciated sympathy.
"He remained with the Simmons family three
months and treated everyone with the greatest kind-
ness and consideration. Never do I remember his
, 233
GEN. ALBERT PIKE IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
mentioning the history of his past life or that he
was other than David E. George until the time he
thought he was going to die — that was about the
middle of April, 1902.
"He had gone up town, but returned shortly and,
entering the room where Mrs. Simmons, Mrs. Bears
and myself were seated, he made some remarks re-
garding the weather, which was unusually fine for
the time of year. He then went to his room and in
about fifteen minutes called for us, and said:
" 'I feel as if I am going to be very sick.* He
was lying on his bed and asked me to get him a
mirror. For some time he gazed at himself in the
mirror.
"Mrs. Bears said she could see the pupils of his
eyes dilate and believed that he had taken mor-
phine. Being uneasy, she went out o- the room and
got him a cup of coffee and insisted until he drank
it, but when she suggested sending for a physician
he roused himself and in a peculiar and dramatic
manner and voice said, while holding the mirror in
front of his face:
234
GEN. ALBERT PIKE IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
" 'Stay, woman, stay. This messenger of death
is my guest, and I desire to see the curtain of death
fall upon the last tragic act of mine, ' which passion-
ate utterance brought tears to our eyes. And when
I turned to wipe the tears from my eyes he called
me to his side and said :
" 'I have something to tell you. I am going to
die in a few minutes, and I don't believe you would
do anything to injure me. Did it ever occur to you
that I am anything but an ordinary painter? I
killed the best man that ever lived. ' I asked him
who it was and he answered:
" 'Abraham Lincoln. '
"I could not believe it. I thought him out of his
head and asked: 'Who was Abraham Lincoln V
" 'Is it possible you are so ignorant as not to
know?' he asked. He then took a pencil and paper
and wrote down in a peculiar but legible hand the
name, 'Abraham Lincoln/ and said:
" 'Don't doubt it, it is true. I am John Wilkes
Booth.'
" 'Am I dying now?' he asked. 'I feel cold, as if
death's icy hand was closing my life as the forfeit
for my crime.'
235
GEN. ALBERT PIKE IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
"He then told me that he was well off. He seemed
to be perfectly rational while talking to me. He
knew me and knew where he was, and I believe he
really thought in fact that he was dying, and asked
me to keep his secret until he was dead, adding that
if any one should find out now that he was J. Wilkes
Booth they would take him out and hang him, and the
people who loved him so well now would despise him.
He told me that people high in official life hated
Lincoln and were implicated in his assassination. He
said that the suspense of possibly being detected
preyed on his mind all the time and was something
awful, and that his life was miserable. He said that
Mrs. Surratt was innocent and he was responsible
for her death as well as that of several others. He
said that he was devoted to acting, but had to give
it up because of his crime, and the fact that he must
remain away from the stage, when he loved the life
and profession of acting so well, made him restless
and ill tempered. He said he had plenty of money,
but was compelled to play the character of a work-
ing man to keep his mind occupied.
236
GEN. ALBERT PIKE IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
"In the mean time Dr. Arnold arrived and as a
result of his efforts Mr. George was restored. After
this he was very anxious for weeks regarding what
he had told me and questioned me concerning it.
I answered him that he had told me nothing of im-
portance, but he seemed to know better. One day
he saw me looking at a picture of Lincoln and asked
me why I was looking at it. I told him that I had
always admired Lincoln.
. " 'Is that the only reason you have for looking at
it?' he asked, regarding me with a fierce look. A
peculiar expression came over his face, his eyes
flashed and he turned pale and walked off.
"One peculiar feature of Mr. George, or Booth's,
face was that one eyebrow was somewhat higher
than the other. I have noticed him limp slightly,
but he said it was rheumatism. That Mr. George had
a past we all knew, but what his secret was remains
unknown except in so far as he may have communi-
cated the truth to me."
Booth's, or George's, life at El Reno was much
the same as I have found it at other places — a simi-
larity and accumulative evidence unmistakably es-
237
GEN. ALBERT PIKE IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
tablishing his identity of person and character
wherever he located. It seems to have been his pol-
icy to change his name and character as often as he
changed his place of residence. It will be remem-
bered that when he left Hennessy for El Reno that
he changed his name from George D. Ryan to David
E. George, and his occupation and dress from that
of a gentleman of leisure to that of a journeyman
painter of houses, which character he acted to such
perfection that, although he painted but one house,
and did that in such an uneven and unworkmanlike
manner as to show that he knew little or nothing
about painting, yet people thought he knew all about
it, and just why he did no more painting the general
public did not understand. Upon inquiry, however,
George, or Booth, was always ready with a satis-
factory explanation. When the editor of the El Reno
Democrat, in which paper he put an advertisement
as a tradesman of house painting, at a cost of four
dollars a month, thinking it a useless expense, so
universally was it known that George, or Booth, did
no such work, suggested this to him, George, or
Booth, indignantly demanded to know if the editor
238
GEN. ALBERT PIKE IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
was uneasy about the price of the card, if so he
would pay for it in advance. The editor apologized
and the card continued from month to month for
two years, up to the date of the death of George.
Booth's purpose in this is obvious. He wanted to
keep himself constantly before the public as a paint-
er, not that he wanted work, but to keep alive his
identity as a painter while he played the deceptive
character. The little cottage painted for Mr. An-
stien was the stage setting to the character, the card
in the paper was his program and he played to a suc-
cessful finish this drama of the journeyman painter.
Booth's idea in purchasing the cottage and estab-
lishing a home for himself was probably because he
thought he would enjoy it after a long and homeless
life, alone whether on the plains, in the mountains
or the best hotels — for it was his custom to put up
at only the best hotels wherever he went. Thus,
when he reached El Reno he went to the Anstien
Hotel, the best one then in the city, and as good as
any there now. But three months of home life was
quite sufficient for him and he moved into the Ker-
Joot Hotel, 1ne newest and most up-to-date hotel in
239
GEN. ALBERT PIKE IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
El Reno, which was completed after he left the An-
stien for his cottage. Just how it was possible for
Booth to stay at this hotel, the stopping place of
most of the traveling public, and escape detection
in his changed character from "Gentleman Ryan"
to w Journeyman House Painter George," by people
from Hennessy, only about sixty-five miles away,
who must have frequented this hotel, is hard to un-
derstand. Nevertheless it is true. It would be pos-
sible, perhaps easy, to deceive as to occupation, but
to successfully disguise his person, and change his
name, is remarkable and certainly required all the
genius of the actor, John Wilkes Booth, who played
the change of name, person and character practically
in the same community. At El Reno, Guthrie and
Enid he was known as George, while at Hennessy,
within the same section, he was known as George D.
Ryan, and that he was not recognized and exposed
staggers comprehension and creates disbelief, nev-
ertheless Booth did this successfully, as he did many
other surprising things.
Leaving El Reno, Booth, or George, arrived at
Enid on the 3d day of December, 1902, and registered
240
GEN. ALBERT PIKE IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
at the Grand Avenue Hotel, under the name of David
E. George. In the meantime Mr. Harper and his
wife had removed from El Reno to Enid, from which
place she made the following statement:
' ' Enid, Oklahoma Territory, Jan. 23d, 1903.
"On the evening of January 13th, I was startled
and surprised by reading in the Enid Daily News
of the suicide of David E. George, of El Reno, with
whom I first became acquainted in March, 1900, in
El Reno, at the home of Mr. Simmons.
"Mr. Harper went down on Wednesday morning,
the 14th instant, and recognized him, and told the
embalmers of a confession that David E. George had
made to myself, and that they had better investi-
gate.
"I went to the morgue with Mr. Harper on the
15th and identified the corpse of. David E. George
as the man who had confessed to me at El Reno that
he was John Wilkes Booth, and, as brevity has been
enjoined on me, will reaffirm my former statement
made in detail of David E. George's confession to me
at El Reno, about the middle of April, 1900, as fully
as if same were set forth herein.
(Signed.) "MRS. E. C. HARPER/ '
241
GEN. ALBERT PIKE IDENTIFIES BOOTH.
"Territory of Oklahoma,
)ss.
"County of Garland.
"Mrs. E. C. Harper, first being duly sworn, upon
her oath says that the facts were written above by
herself; that she knows the facts she has written,
and that the same are true.
(Signed) "MRS. E. C. HARPER.
1 * Sworn to and subscribed before me this the 24th
day of January, 1903.
(Signed) "A. A. STRATFORD,
"Notary Public.
(L. S.) "My commission expires November 18th,
1906. "
242
CHAPTER XVI,
PRESS COMMENTS ON THE SUICIDE OF
DAVID E. GEORGE.
"Enid Wave: Enid, Oklahoma Territory, Janu-
ary 17th, 1903.— (Special.)— David E. George, a
wealthy resident of the Territory, who committed
suicide here, announced himself on his deathbed to
be John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Lin-
coln. He stated that he had successfully eluded the
officers after shooting Lincoln and since had re-
mained incognito. His statement caused a sensa-
tion, and an investigation was made. Surgeons ex-
amined the body and stated the man to be of the
age Booth would be at this time, and announced
that his leg was broken in the same place and in the
same manner as that of Booth after jumping from
the President's box at Ford's Theater after the as-
assination. All the time George has received money
regularly from unknown sources, and telegrams ar-
riving yesterday and today ask that the body be held
for identification. It is claimed that one telegram
243
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE,
came from the address, George E. Smith, Colfax,
Iowa, the same as the mysterious money remittances.
Smith is unknown to any one in Oklahoma. Upon
his arrival in Enid today he commanded that no
other person be allowed to view the remains, and
promised to return for the body later.
"Mr. Smith was asked if George had ever con-
fessed any of his life's history to him, to which he
answered: 'Well, yes, to some extent. He has had
a past of which I do not care to speak at the pres-
ent. I think he killed a man in Texas. He may be
Booth.'
"George committed suicide in the Grand Avenue
Hotel, taking poison. He previously attempted sui-
cide at El Reno. A letter found in his pocket ad-
dressed, 'To Whom It May Concern/ sets aside a
former will which he made, although its contents
are not known. He was worth about thirty thousand
dollars, owning property in El Reno, Oklahoma; in
Dallas, Texas, and a lease on six hundred acres in
the Indian Territory. He carried $5,000.00 insur-
ance.
244
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
"No reason for the suicide is known. George
maintained on his death bed to his attendants that
he was John Wilkes Booth, and his general appear-
ance closely resembles that of the murderer of Lin-
coln."
The following appeared in the same paper under
proper date:
"Enid, Oklahoma, January 21st, 1903.— The
Wave's editorial and reportorial force have been
searching closely for data and evidence to sustain
or obliterate the report that the remains lying in the
Enid morgue, under the name of David E. George,
could possibly be those of J. Wilkes Booth, who as-
sassinated Abraham Lincoln nearly thirty-eight
years ago. All the history or account of that sad
and terrible affair to be found in the city has been
searched, and while the history at hand leaves but
little doubt of the decease of Booth in attempting to
escape from the burning barn in Virginia, that he
was shot by Boston Corbett upon his first appear-
ance from the barn, and that he died on the porch
of Garrett's Virginia farm home, was taken to
Washington, identified and buried secretly, that a
245
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
diary was found on his person, etc., yet the fact
still remains that a doubt did exist with the govern-
ment as to the positive identity of the man killed;
hence the reward for his capture was never paid,
for the identity was not clear. The Wave is still of
the opinion that the possibility of the dead man
being all that is mortal of John Wilkes Booth re-
mains in doubt, but it must be admitted that the ev-
idence goes to show that if George was not Booth
he was his double, which, in connection with his vol-
untary confession to Mrs. Harper, makes the case
interesting and worthy the attention of the Attor-
ney General's department of the United States.
Doctors Baker and Way unearthed the Decehiber,
1901, number of the Medical Monthly Journal in
their office, which number was almost wholly de-
voted to the consideration of the murderers of the
Presidents of the United States and European po-
tentates. In this pamphlet we found a portrait of
J. Wilkes Booth, with quite a writeup as to his
character, a physical and anatomical description
among other descriptions. It said the forehead of
J. Wilkes Booth was Kephalonard, the ears exces-
246
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
sively and abnormally developed, inclined to the so*
called Satanic type; the eyes were small, sunken
and unequally placed; the nose was normal; the
facial bones and jaw were arrested in development,
and there was a partial V-shaped dental arch; the
lower jaw was well developed. n% ^'*' $mh
iC Yesterday the editor of the paper, in company
with Dr. McElreth, visited the corpse and compared
it with the above description of Booth, and we must
acknowledge that the dead man shows all the marks
credited to Booth above in every particular. The
satanic ear is not much larger than the ordinary
ear, but the lower lobe thereof clings close to the?
side of the head instead of projecting outward like
the common or ordinary ear. The corpse has that
kind of an ear. The eyebrows of the dead man are
not mates in appearance, which fits the description
of Booth. The Booth chin, mouth, upper lip and
general description is absolutely perfect in th<?
corpse.
"The Wave has been searching for a fac-simile of
Booth's handwriting. It was found today in a copy
of Harper Brothers' Pictorial History of the Civil
247
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
War, and we were startled when we compared it
with the round, little, scrawly boy writing of D. E.
George. We placed the very last words George
wrote by the side of the f ac-simile writing of Booth,
and it really seemed to us that one and the same
man had written both, Booth's f ac-simile signature
shown in Harper's Pictorial History indicated the
same irregular handwriting as George's.
"History readers will remember that a supposed
attempt was made to poison President Lincoln in a
hotel in Meadeville, Pennsylvania, in August, 1864.
A notice appeared in the window of the hotel, say-
ing:
" ' Aoe Lincoln departed this life August 1st, 1864,
by the effects of poison.'
"After the Washington tragedy this handwriting
on the window was found to be the handwriting of
J. Wilkes Booth, and as it appeared in Harpers' Pic-
torial History of the Civil War it is a f ac-simile of
the writing of D. E. George, now supposed to be
Booth."
The Post-Dispatch, of St. Louis, Missouri, through
its reportorial staff , made a similar investigation,
248
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
writing an editorial report in confirmation of the in-
vestigation made and published by the Enid Wave as
above given, but which is not here reproduced be-
cause it would be but cumulative evidence of the sub-
ject. However, we do give the following:
"The Perry, Oklahoma Republican: Perry, Okla-
homa, June 5th, 1903. — The Booth Case:
"It is now fully developed that the man at Enid,
who committed suicide on January 13th last, was
none other than John Wilkes Booth, the slayer of
President Lincoln. Junius Brutus Booth, the nephew
of John Wilkes Booth, has fully identified the pic-
ture of David E. George as that of his uncle, John
Wilkes Booth.
"It has always been known by the Booth family
that John Wilkes Booth was alive, and they have
been in constant communication with him ever since
April 14th, 1865, the day of President Lincoln's as-
sassination and the escape of John Wilkes Booth.
This knowledge on the part of Junius Brutus Booth,
the actor, was what prompted him, or his brother
Edwin, to make remarks about the supposed grave
©f J. Wilkes Booth. He or they well knew that the
249
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
body in the grave was not that of J. Wilkes Booth.
"People conversant with the history of the pub-
lished capture of Booth, and with the fact that the
reward offered by the Federal government for
Booth's capture has never been awarded, many al-
ways believed him to be alive. From the time of
Booth's supposed capture, in April, 1865, until Jan-
uary of this year, J. Wilkes Booth has been in al-
most constant touch with his friends. Being an
actor, and also secluded by the wilds of Texas and
Indian Territory, and through the anxious efforts
of friends and relatives to preserve his life, it has
been an easy matter for Booth to conceal his identity.
In this he has been as smooth as was his disguise as
an old colored man moving. There are no records,
and never have been, in the Federal archives which
go to show any positive or direct proof of the death
of Booth. There has always been a lingering desire
in the hearts of the people to believe that such was
the case, but to the close student of affairs a doubt
has always existed.
"At the time of the suicide of George in Enid and
his claim to be none other than John Wilkes Booth,
25t
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
the Republican stated its belief in the confession of
the man. All the facts in the case have pointed, and
do now point, to the truthfulness of his death bed
statement For many years George, alias Booth, had
been furnished funds by his friends.,,
The following is an editorial from the Daily Dem-
ocrat ;
"El Reno, Oklahoma Territory, June 3d, 1903.-—
"From the evidence at hand there is no doubt that
the man who died at Enid last January, and who
was .supposed by some to be John Wilkes Booth, the
assassin of President Lincoln, was really that man,
he having been identified by many who knew John
Wilkes Booth before the war, during the war and
since that time.
"After the death of the man certain papers found
on his person led to the opinion that he was the fu-
gitive assassin supposed to have been killed thirty-
eight years ago, and the body was embalmed to
await a thorough investigation. It has been in an
undertaking house here ever since, and all possible
efforts have been made to verify the remarkable
claim made by the dead man's lawyer, who came
251
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
from Memphis, Tennessee, and asserted that his
client was none other than the slayer of President
Lincoln.' *
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch contained the follow-
ing:
"St. Louis, Mo., June 3d, 1903. — A special from
Enid, Oklahoma, says: & Junius Brutus Booth, the
actor, a nephew of John Wilkes Booth, the assassin
of President Lincoln, has fully identified from pho-
tographs, etc., the man, David E. George, as his un-
cle, John Wilkes Booth.
"George, or Booth, committed suicide here Jan-
uary 13th last, and in his effects was found a letter
directed to F. L. Bates, Memphis, Tenn., who came
here at once aud identified the body as that of John
Wilkes Booth, and has since secure 1 confirmation
of his statement that George is in fact Booth.' '
•The foregoing are a few of the many comments
in the various publications made at the time of the
suicide confirming the identification of the man
known as George to be John Wilkes Booth, showing
and reflecting the opinion of the disinterested masses
through the expressions of the press, the best and
252
mmmmmaammmmmmmm
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
only medium for gathering facts from expression of
opinion. I could fill this volume with press reports
supporting the identity herein given, and these have
merely been used for the secondary purpose of show-
ing how I became advised of the suicide's death.
. While I have never been able to secure the letter
referred to in the last clipping — it having been taken
from the body of the dead man as he lay in the
morgue awaiting identification by a mysterious man
who claimed to have known George in life, and who
disappeared before my arrival on the scene — still
it was seen by two gentlemen of integrity and served
the direct purpose of additional confirmation of the
identity of the body as that of Booth. I presume
that this letter was the basis of the telegram received
by me about the 17th of January, 1903, asking me
to come to Enid and identify the body of John
Wilkes Booth. In answer to this telegram I left
Memphis that same afternoon for Enid.
Owing to many washouts over the Frisco System,
which line I took to Enid, I was several days reach
ing the latter point. I missed connection at El Reno
on account of these delays, where transfers are made
S53
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE
tor Enid, and had to remain there one night. I
wired the clerk of the Grand Avenue Hotel, how-
ever, that I would reach there the next morning. I
was met at the Enid depot by Mr. Brown, the clerk
of the hotel named, who informed me that my com-
ing was awaited with great anxiety by a large and
much-excited throng of people from widely located
sections of the country, and that there was a large
number of old Federal soldiers in the city, who, it
had been whispered about, intended to take the body
into the streets and burn it, if it should be identified
as that of John Wilkes Booth. He suggested that I
register under an assumed name, and that I should
play the role of a drummer for a furniture house,
carrying as a specialty feather top mattresses, say-
ing that as T. B. Road was the password for Booth
at the Potomac bridge, so feather top mattresses was
to be the password which would make me known to
Mr. Pennaman, who was a large furniture dealer as
well as proprietor of the undertaking establishment
and morgue of the city where the body of Booth lay
in state. It was estimated that more than fifty
thousand men, women and children had viewed the
254
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
body of Booth. The crowd had grown so great that
the doors to the morgue had to be closed, as it
seemed that the place would be actually picked to
pieces by the souvenir hunters ; they had cut up the
carpets, rugs, curtains, shades, furniture and every-
thing else in the house convenient at the time.
We had plenty of time to talk on the way from
the depot to the Grand Avenue Hotel, as it seems a
part of the plan in the West to locate the depots as
far from the town and hotels as possible, to add as
much inconvenience and expense as the traveling
public can stand, I suppose. Arriving at the hotel
we found a large crowd of excited men in earnest
conversation, but scanning every passenger who en-
tered the hotel. I walked up to the desk and reg-
istered as Charles 0 'Connor, of New York City. As
I turned away from the register a tall, well-dressed
young man glanced at the name and I could not help
a quiet smile at his disgust when he read the name
I had just written. And I smile even now when I
recall the tall, dark, olive-complected, black-eyed re-
porter, who expressed such contempt in his manner
as he glanced at the insignificant man with so ex-
255
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
alted a name. He was on a hot trail, but so far away.
If he is living now I hope he will read this story and
learn how well he judged his man, and that I now
forgive him.
After being dusted off and otherwise perfecting
my toilet, I walked into the spacious breakfast room
of the hotel, where I was again met by Mr. Brown,
who joined me at a private table specially prepared
and removed from the other guests in the room.
By this time I was well on to my job — necessity
being the mother of invention — I had early made my
plans, and said to Mr. Brown, in the most familiar
ways
"Well, Brown, how did you like that last furni-
ture shipped you by my house ? "We had to ship the
feather mattresses out from Cincinnati, not having
them in stock in New York, and hope they proved
entirely satisfactory. We are anxious to maintain
our already established reputation in the West for
correct dealing. Especially do I hope those light
walnut suites, which I personally inspected before
shipment, were satisfactory, and that no fault could
be found with them, as they were of patterns a spe-
256
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGK
eialty by our leading designers. ' ' Then in an un-
dertone I asked Brown if the word " designers ' ' wan
the correct thing in this connection.
* ' D if I know, ' ' he replied in a whisper. Then
in a pleasant, natural tone of voice, audible to those
present, he said: "The shipment made us by your
house, as a whole, has been entirely satisfactory,
and the feather top mattresses were by far the best
of their kind in the market. By the way, W. B.
Pennaman wants to carry those mattresses in this
market, and it would be well for you to see him."
"Thank you very much for this information, and
since I don't know his location in the city I shall
trouble you for directions as to how to find him. I
shall certainly call on him the very first thing.
"By the way, Brown, what is the meaning of all
this excitement in town? Is there a widely adver-
tised circus or an election going on?" I asked, turn-
ing to him, showing surprise in both voice and man-
ner.
"No," he said, "it is on account of the suicide at
this hotel the other day of a man who is supposed to
be John Wilkes Booth."
257
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
"Yes, I have read something of that in the news-
papers during the past few days," I said, "but did
not suppose a report of this character would create
the present state of excitement. But, from what I
read in the newspapers, I thought Booth killed him-
self at El Reno."
"No, Booth lived at El Eeno, but killed himself
in this place, Enid."
"Is this all a farce?" I asked, but at this junc-
ture Mr. Brown was called to the office and I fin-
ished my breakfast in silence and alone.
Gaining the information as to the location of Pen-
naman's place of business, I at once went to the
store of the undertaker and furniture dealer. On
entering the store I saw a number of clerks, all busy.
At the center desk was a handsome man of thirty-
five or forty; but which of these men was Penna-
man; to whom I was to talk feather top mattresses,
was my proposition. I sized up the men, walked
over to the center desk, introduced myself as Charles
O'Connor and inquired for Mr. Pennaman. The gen-
tleman before me acknowledged himself to be the
man inquired for, and I told him that I was repre-
258
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
senting one of the largest furniture houses in the
East ; that we made a specialty of feather top mat-
tresses, and I would be glad to make a date with
him to present the merits of the line of goods car-
ried by my firm, and invited him to call on me at
the commercial parlors of the Grand Avenue Hotel
at any hour convenient to him, where I would take
pleasure in presenting samples and prices, which I
thought would prove attractive. He told me he
was then quite busy, but asked that I be seated, and
unlatching the gate to the railing around his desk,
he invited me inside and pointed to the papers on
the table. This done, he excused himself and with
a polite indifference to my presence proceeded with
his letter writing.
As a matter of fact, this table and chair had been
placed there for me in anticipation of my coming.
The papers were those containing the news of
Booth's suicide, etcetera, as well as photographs
taken of Booth after death. I could only admire
this delicate way of furnishing me, unobserved, the
means of identifying the body of Booth without ac-
tually seeing it, if it should not be opportune to do
259
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
so. The recognition of St. Helen, or Booth, in the
pictures provided was instantaneous.
On the back of the pictures was written in a small,
fine hand with a pencil: "Conceal and take these
pictures with you and call my attention when you
desire. I am busy, you know, and must not be an-
noyed by you."
Having finished my inspection, I turned to him
and said: "Well, Mr. Pennaman, how are you off
for feather top mattresses V '
1 1 1 have none in stock, ' ' he replied, rising and lead-
ing the way out.
That I might be identified as a drummer for a
furniture house we continued our conversation for
the edification of others as we passed through the
store, discussing classes, prices, grades of mat-
tresses and furnitures, we walked back to a side en-
trance, commanding a view of the street on which
the morgue fronted. Seeing the way clear — no peo-
ple having collected there — we passed back through
the store, where Mr. Pennaman introduced me to the
man in charge of the morgue and the body of Booth
as Charles O'Connor, a drummer for a furniture
260
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
house. This gentleman led us through a back way
to the morgue, which we entered from a rear door
into the front room, where lay the body of John
Wilkes Booth, the man who had been called by the
people in this community David E. George. In the
presence of the attendant and Mr. Pennaman, cold,
stiff and dead, I beheld the body of my mend, John
St. Helen. After a separation of more than twenty-
six years I knew him as instantly as men discern
night, from day, as the starlight from moonlight, or
the moon from the light of day.
You ask what did I say? I don't know. Mr.
Pennaman says I exclaimed, "My God! St. Helen,
is it possible?" Then my manhood softened into
sentiment and soul into tears. Spread the veil of
charity upon the deeds of the dead, that mantle of
death cast in the loom of sorrow and woven in the
warp and woof of sighs and tears. Shaken with
emotion for my dead friend, I had no thought of the
crime that this man had committed while his body
lay at rest, seeming to sleep in pleasant repose.
In a few minutes I recovered. I realized now for
the first time that I was in the presence of John
261
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
Wilkes Booth, though I had, in fact, been told so
more than a quarter of a century before. I had the
tintype picture which St. Helen had given me at
Granberry, Texas, twenty-six years ago. I took it
out and called upon Pennaman and the attendant to
bear witness with me to the identity of this dead man
with the picture, which I showed them, when they
replied without a moment's hesitation:
"We need no picture to identify this man in your
presence. Yes, this is the same man. It is an axio-
matic fact, not debatable, they are one and the same
man."
We then compared the high thumb joint on the
right hand, the small scar in the right brow — the un-
even brow— the scar received in the accident men-
tioned by Miss Clara Morris, raises this brow to
an uneven line with the left; the right leg was ex-
amined and we found a slight indentation on the
surface of the shin bone — Booth's leg was not literal-
ly broken, there was a fracture of the shin bone six
inches above the ankle ; I should say a split or slight
shivering of the bone, for besides the identation on
the front of the shin bone there were small scars
262
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
plainly discernable, where particles of bone seemed
to have worked out through the skin (St. Helen,
Booth, told me this himself), leaving small round
scars, while the general shape of the leg at this point
seemed curved a little. His eyes, head, forehead,
chin, mustache and hair were all the same as John
St. Helen's, and compared exactly with the picture
of St. Helen, taken at the time before stated, and
given to me, the only difference being that the hair
and mustache were streaked with gray now, espe-
cially the mustache, which was quite gray at its
parting, under the nose. His complexion, even in
death, retained somewhat its characteristic olive
tint, and his beautiful neck and shoulders were yet
preserved. His weight was about one hundred and
sixty pounds, height about five feet, eight or nine
inches. His shoulders were square, while his neck
rose from his chest and shoulders as beautifully as
the most beautifully formed woman's, masculine it
is true, but with that beautiful symmetry 01 iorm.
The embalmer called my attention to this tact, say-
ing that when he began the operation of embalming
the body lie thought it advisable to make an incision
263
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
at the point where the throat enters the chest, just
above the breastbone, and showed me a slight abra-
sion there, but noticing this beautiful formation of
the body, he let it remain intact, regarding it as a
formation of art too beautiful to destroy, even in a
dead body.
Lest my presence might be discovered, we left the
morgue, and not a word was spoken until we reached
Mr. Pennaman's desk. He was almost in a state of
collapse. He held out his hand, I clasped it, it was
cold and clammy, as the hand of the dead; he was
pale to pallor, and told me that he had never under-
gone such a mental and physical experience. He
explained to me that he had formerly been connected
with the New York Sun, was one of' the city editors
of that paper; that he had written up John "Wilkes
Booth in detail, supposing him dead, and that now,
after all these years, that Booth's dead body should
fall into his hands was truly and unmistakably a
shock to him. Even the veteran embalmer looked
pale and worn, and as he stood leaning against Mr.
Pennaman's desk he remarked, "This is the expe-
rience of my life. ' '
264
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
I returned to the Grand Avenue Hotel, passing
on my way crowds of men standing here and there
in earnest conversation, with serious faces and de-
termined manner. While walking through these
groups of men I imagine I had the feeling possessed
by the man who, robed in a red blanket, passes in the
presence of a mad bull in the Mexican amphitheater.
Nevertheless I must go, and I went with the full de-
termination to say feather mattresses and all kinds
of furniture talk to the first bellow who looked ugly
and angry at me ; however, my knowledge of West-
ern customs and Western habits stood me in good
stead now. I knew who to trust, and he was there
in large force. With mimic snakes around his hat,
spurs on his boots, goat skins on his legs and quirt
in his hand he was there, and he was my friend —
one on whom I could depend — the Cow Boy.
You ask, did I belong to the Cow Boy Union?
There is no such thing that I have ever heard of.
No. The fact is, one Cow Boy is often the whole
thing by himself.
What would I say to him ? Well, I would not have
said feather top mattresses to him, as I did to Pen-
365
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
naman or hers. But in good Western style I
would have said, if pursued by an angry mob: "Mill
'em, boys. Mill 'em. Round 'em up. Keep your
eye on the lead steer." This is meaningless to you,
but to the cow boy it would have been an introduc-
tion, as a cow boy, and to be a cow boy among cow
boys is a thing to be appreciated in times of per-
sonal danger.
However, with a manner that indicated indiffer-
ence to surrounding dangers, I wended my way to
the hotel, where Mr. Brown gave me the inside facts
about Booth's, or George's, coming to the hotel. He
said :
"The press reports about George's coming to the
Grand Avenue Hotel and registering on the morning
of the 3d day of December, 1902, are correct. While
here George was a constant reader of newspapers, re-
maining in the reading room and office most of the
time. He seemed to be a man of perfect leisure,
paid his bills by the week promptly, was genial and
pleasant in his manner, had a tendency to drink a
little too much at times and remained up late at
nights, but was a reasonably early riser. When I
266
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
was on night watch he was great company to me;
he Was well read, often repeating parts of Shakes-
peare's plays and reciting other poetry, which it
seemed natural to him to know, reciting it in such
a manner as to be highly entertaining.
"At times George would become sad or rather
thoughtfully silent. In these moods his discussion
would drift to matters of the ' hereafter. ' I asked
him, 'You mean after death?' He replied, 'Yes.'
"I remember one night we were alone; he was in
what I called his ' off ' mood. He raised himself erect
in his chair, and in a tragic manner, with gestures
and expression suited to the words, he said:
'"Am I better than the dog? Oh, no. He is far
better than I ! He is capable of no sin or crime. Yet
when he is found dead his body is placed in the
garbage box. Then why not ship my body without
a crate to the potters field of the. dog ? But I, even
I, a man, am unworthy that the putrid flesh shall
be torn from my bones by the vultures that pray
upon the flesh of the dead brute. '
"These utterances were made with such strong
self-accusation that I wondered what it could mean,
267
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
and from that time on I watched every move of the
man and listened attentively to every word he said.
Whether it was what George said or the manner in
which he said a thing, I can't quite understand, but
what he said always impressed you. Of this I am
sure, in all my twenty years experience in the hotel
business I have never seen such another character.
"He was a handsome man for his age. His black
eyes, when in repose, seemed to have lost luster by
age, but in conversation or when repeating verses
from Shakespeare, or other recitations, they would
kindle, flash and sparkle as if inspired or ignited
into flame from the burning souls of the eternally
damned, while his shapely face and magnificent fore-
head paled rather from his natural olive. Sitting
or standing with a natural, easy grace, in such moods
be made a picture one felt privileged to behold, and
never to be forgotten. To my dying day the meet-
ing of this man George, or Booth, will be remem-
bered by me as an epoch in my life.
"It is true, Bates. Be this man who he may,
George, Ryan, Marr, St. Helen, Smith or Booth, he
is a man without a model. He looks like no one
268
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
else, he acted like no one else and he talked like no
one else that I ever knew or saw."
"Well, Brown, who is this man?"
"I believe him to be John Wilkes Booth, as he
stated on his dying bed. In fact, I don't think he
could be any one else."
"Did he at any time before his death intimate his
identity other than George?"
"No, he did not. In his manner he was quite un-
obtrusive and mixed but livtle with the people in
the hotel, and the scenes and recitations I have re-
ferred to would always be at a time when we were
alone, and the people in the hotel supposed to be
asleep."
"I noticed that some of the press reports state
that George committed suicide in the morning.''
"This was not the case. On the night of the 13th
of January, 1903, George came into the office and
reading room as usual and spent some time reading
and finally writing letters. When he had finished
the letters, about ten o'clock p. m., he said he was
going down to the drug store, just half a block uo
the street. He was gone only a short time^ when he
269
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
came to the desk, obtained the key to his room and
bade me goodnight, requesting to be called for
breakfast if he should oversleep his usual time. I
saw or heard nothing more of him until about half
past eleven o'clock, when I heard groans coming
from the first floor just above the office, in the di-
rection of the room occupied by George. The watch-
man came in hurriedly and we went at once to his
room. On forcing his door we found him writhing
and groaning in great pain. A doctor was called,
he pronounced the patient suffering from the effects
of poison and began vigorous treatment at once. The
pains seemed to come and go, and George seemed to
be suffering the greatest agony. After awhile I no-
ticed that the pains or spasms seemed to come closer
together, and the patient was drifting from under
the control or force of the antidotes, and witnessed
the most horrifying struggle for life I ever saw or
ever could imagine. About four o 'clock in the morn-
ing the doctor lost all hope of saving his patient, and
informed George that if he had anything to arrange
he had better do so. In the meantime Mr. Dumont,
270
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
the proprietor of the hotel, had come into the room,
the doctor having left. George said :
"r'l have only to say, my name is not George. I
am John Wilkes Booth, and I request that my body
be sent to the morgue for identification, ' when death
came and relieved the suffering of the man whose
name we did not then know, and he died at 6:20
o'clock on the morning of January 14th, 1903.
''The undertaker was notified and George's body
removed to the morgue, as j.e had requested. When
it became generally reported that the man's true
name was John Wilkes Booth neither Mr. Dumont
or myself had ever seen Mr. Booth nor any member
of his family and consequently could not affirm or-
deny the fact of the true identity of the man, though
I was ready to believe then, and do now believe, that
George, the man who died, is, in fact, John Wilkes
Booth, as he said. The truth is I would believe any-
thing he said, and I understand that he confessed
his true identity to a Mrs. Harper of this city, who
has identified the body as that of Booth."
STATEMENT OF MESSRS. DUMONT and BROWN
"Enid, Oklahoma Territory, Jan. 21st, 1903.
271
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
"To Whom It May Concern: We, S. 6. Dumoni,
proprietor, and B. B. Brown, clerk, of the Grand
Avenue Hotel, in the city of Enid, and Territory
of Oklahoma, declare that we, and each 01 us, knew
a gentleman who registered as a guest of said hote!
on the 3d day of December, 1902, under the name
of D. E. George, who on the 13th day of January,
1903, committed suicide in said hotel by taking fif
teen grains of strychnine or arsenic, and died from
the effects of said poison at 6:30 o'clock a. m., on
the 14th day of January, 1903, and that we have this
day been shown by F. L. Bates, of Memphis, Ten-
nessee, a small tintype picture, together with a pho-
tograph, and we say that said tintype picture and
photograph are the same and perfect pictures or
likenesses in each and every feature of the said D.
E. George, the only difference being that George,
or whomsoever he was, was older at the time of his
death than when the pictures were taken.
(Signed) "B. B. BROWN.
S. S. DUMONT.
272
PRESS COMMENTS ON SUICIDE OF DAVID E. GEORGE.
" Sworn to and subscribed before me this, the 22d
day of January, 1903.
(Signed) "GUY S. MANOTT,
(L. S.) "Notary Public.
"My commission expires October 22d, 1906/ '
273
CHAPTER XVII.
THESE ARE PICTURES OF JOHN
WILKES BOOTH.
At the conclusion of my interview with Messrs.
Dumont and Brown I left the confinement of the
hotel for the fresh air and scenes of the street. It
was about four o'clock in the afternoon, the streets
were thronged with people, as they had been in the
morning, while men, women and children were hur-
rying to and fro on the sidewalks. But the crowds
seemed to have in a measure left the public square,
where the whole surface of the earth had been worn
perfectly smooth by the press of human feet. In
the rear, to the north and west of the little city of
Enid, could be seen many camps and covered
wagons, near which staked and hobbled horses
browsed on the outlying commons. Small camp fires
burned slowly and watch dogs lay silent on the camp
grounds, near or under the front wheels of the
wagons, keeping guard while the master, mistress
and the children walked the streets of Enid or stood
274
THESE ARE PICTURES OF JuHN WILKES BOOTH.
in groups around the camp grounds. Everywhere
was that expression of hard, intense feeling that I
had never seen before at any time, and never expect
to see again. Why was this? It was said that the
body of the man who had assassinated President
Lincoln lay in the morgue in Enid. It was expected
that this body would be identified by a man who
should have arrived in the morning. If the body
was pronounced to be that of John Wilkes Booth
it was planned to make a great bonfire and burn
it in the public streets of Enid. Yes, the body was
to be tied to a shaft and burned while surrounded by
men, women and children, hooting, shouting and
chanting triupmhant songs of revenge for the death
of President Lincoln. And when the savage deed
was done the flickering flames from the burning
body of the assassin would have lighted the pathway
of the avengers as they homeward trod.
And I, the man expected and looked for with such
anxiety, walked among them, and they knew it
not. I stood there, not in fear, not in awe, but in
bewildered horror as imagination conjured up be-
fore me the contemplated scene. And as I gazed
275
THESE ARE PICTURES OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
about me at these people I asked myself: What
manner of man was Abraham Lincoln that his mem-
ory should be thus entombed in the hearts of these
people, so far removed from him and the scenes of
his life and death — many of whom, in fact, were
born long years after he had died? How wonderful
was this strange appreciation of the man. It was
a lesson to me, a living proof of the truth that "the
good men do live after them.,, About me were men
and women bowed with age, shaking with palsied
limbs, earnest men and women in middle life, ordi-
narily busied with its duties and demands, and
bright youth, girls and boys, flushed with its dreams
and hopes, and tender children, all treading the
paths and streets which led from camp and home
to the threshold of the morgue, where lay the sup-
posed body of John Wilkes Booth, silent in self-in-
flicted death, his own hand avenging the crime it
had committed.
Strange, indeed, was this spectacle ! I moved here
and there among them, watching, wondering, my
heart beating in unison with the hearts of the strange
human concourse about me, until twilight came and
276
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JOHN WILKES BOOTH, AGED 64.
(11 Days After Death.) In the Morgue at Enid, Much Swollen
From the Poison He Had Taken.
THESE ARE PICTURES OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
the darkness was starred by electricity as the cur-
rent reached the arcs that light this beautiful city.
Then I turned and walked back to the hotel, ac-
knowledging the pleasant greeting of Mr. Brown as
I entered the dining room.
Shortly after dinner Mr. Pennaman called for a
consultation with respect to the disposition of the
body of Booth. The first conclusion reached was to
perfectly preserve the body, if it could be done,
which was much doubted by the embalmer, Mr.
Ryan, though he promised that his best efforts,
would be put forth to this end. The only defect at
that time existing was a small black splotch on the
right cheek just under the eye, which was puzzling
the undertaker, who said it might be due to coagu-
lated blood, which would be a bad sign ; then, again,
the same condition might be brought about by the
large amount of poison taken, which might or might
not be conducive to the preservation of the body.
This question being settled, the second proposi-
tion was likewise disposed of by Mr. Pennaman, at
my suggestion agreeing to take out letters of ad-
ministration on the estate of the dead man, which
277
THESE ARE PICTURES OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
would include the body, and this he did. Mr. Ryan
immediately left us to begin his efforts at absolute
preservation of the body.
Mr. Pennaman remained with me, going to the
depot and saying good-bye. For, my mission being
now completed, I paid the bill of Charles O'Connor
of New York and took the 'bus for the depot. On
arriving at the depot we found the train would
be on time, in fact, over the undulating prairie the
beacon light of the engine could be seen rising like
a star above the horizon; it grew larger and larger,
then rushed onward until the ponderous engine and
heavy train slowed down to stop at the station. Un-
like the Arab, I did not fold my tent and quietly steal
away, but boldly took the southbound cannon ball
of the Rock Island. On this train there was much
discussion of the tragic affair at Enid; every pas-
senger had his or her own theory as to the suicide
and proper identity of David E. George, while some
wise men asserted that it was all a fake on the part
of the citizens of Enid to advertise that little town
and let the world know there was such a place.
These and kindred expressions were heard on all
THESE ARE PICTURES OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
sides. There was an old man on the car who had
evidently belonged to the Federal army, for I over-
heard him saying something about belonging to
post so-and-so of the G. A. R. 's, a man who had dis-
tinguished himself, in my mind, for having more
brains and less tongue than the majority of the
others. He said : "Well, boys, if the man who killed
himself at Enid is Booth, he has not yet been so
identified, and it's reported that he left considerable
of an estate, and judging others by myself, I would
say, if he had been a dear, misguided dead relative
of mine, with an estate of thirty or forty thousand
dollars, I surely would have looked him up and been
chief mourner, and shed tears like our crocodiles
on a sandbar in the sunlight of an August midday
on a Southern beach. My sorrow would have found
vent like unto the sound of foghorns at sea. Then,
too, I would not have been particular as to the char-
acter or appearance of my very dear relative, the
main point being was he dead, very dead; did he
have the property and was it mine. Then, too, I
understand that this man confessed to his identity
as John Wilkes Booth, and that he has never been
THESE ARE PICTURES OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
identified as David E. George, therefore he must be
John Wilkes Booth, for in God's name what had this
man to gain by such a confession? Could it add to
his pleasures, or could it profit the dead ? And
since by his own hand he died, notoriety could not
have been his purpose. No. For what good does
notoriety do the dead? No, as to me, I had rather
be a living private than a dead general."
What this old man said put me to thinking, look-
ing for the motive a man could have in taking his
own life and the confession of a crime on his dying
bed which he did not commit, which could only
bring upon him the contempt and condemnation of
all men. On the other hand, if this man had been
George, the fake, it would have been his glory to
have impersonated Booth while he lived, to have
masqueraded as a notorious murderer, that he might
have enjoyed while he lived a character akin to the
village bully, the red-eyed-gentleman-from-Bitter-
Creek style, a personal character usually as cowardly
as it is contemptible. And today I find no reason
so satisfactory to nature as that Booth, burdened
with the crime he had committed, conscience-
I
280
THESE ARE PICTURES OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
whipped and at bay, ended his life by his own hand,
willing that his taking away should be deliberate,
that he should yet have time and opportunity to
confess his crime; for I can conceive the horror of
men who die without the opportunity to confess, for
remember we have prayed from our infancy up, "De-
liver us from sudden death."
The man who commits suicide does so from a mo-
tive, for a purpose, being insane does not change the
purpose, the motive, death preferred, superinduced
by sorrow of heart or insanity of mind or a desire to
die as a punishment to one's self, or in reparation
of our wrongs to others.
Who can so well take his own life as the man who
takes the life of another by assassination? It is the
man of deliberation who assassinates. It is the man
of deliberation who suicides. The acts are kindred
of purpose — the immediate taking of life by vio-
lence, premeditated and deliberate as a wicked and
depraved purpose, or for a wrong, imaginary or real,
by the assassin.
281
THESE ARE PICTURES OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
In truth it can be said that the man who sheds
blood with the assassin's hand, by his own hand his
own blood, will most likely be shed.
While on our train plunged as if mad with fright,
the engine with her five-foot driving wheels meas-
ured the length of her burden over tracks of steel
on time that must soon land us at El Reno. Then
I felt the pulsation of lessening momentum, I heard
the signal cry of the air brakes, the touch of assum-
ing power and the echo of the wings of the wind as
they wound us within their folds, when motionless
we stood, while the engine was throbbing with its
pent-up power and hissing from its cylinder heads
as if angered at this intrusion and delay. I looked
and we were at El Reno, in the midnight hours. Then
I was off for the Kerfoot Hotel, for a few hours of
rest.
I retired with orders to be called for a ten o 'clock
breakfast. Going upstairs, I found that by incident
I had been given room sixty-four, the very one oc-
cupied by George, or Booth, the greater part of the
past two years, during his residence at El Reno, he
having left this very room for Enid just forty-one
282
THESE ARE PICTURES OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
days before his suicide. Ketiring, tired, restless,
worried, yet rewarded, I pillowed my head with its
feverish brain to enter the land of sleep, an exile
from the cares of life.
Rap, rap, rap soundea on the door, and I was
awake. The night was gone and the morrow had
begun. First to breakfast and then on the street
I looked with interest on each thing because it was
to me a city new and strange. Then, too, an addi-
tional interest was lent because it was the last known
home of John Wilkes Booth, the murderer, the as-
sassin of President Lincoln. I looked with wonder
and astonishment at the evidence of wealth, civili-
zation and refinement around me. I passed the
banks with their hoarded wealth. I passed the mer-
chants who held their wares behind plate glass
fronts. I passed the homes of the press, from which
were issued the daily papers. I looked upward to
see the towering churches and cathedrals with spires
which point to the dial of heaven, builded by the
hands of reverent men«
El Reno then can not be the home of soulless peo-
ple, of murderers and assassins alone, for I met and
283
THESE ARE PICTURES OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
intermingled with its people, its bankers, its mer-
chants, its editors and its ministers, and all I found
to be just, honorable and God-fearing people, who
spurned, as you do, the murderer, and would punish
as you would the assassin. Men who would turn
pale and women become agitated at the realization
that they, in fact, had known am? associated with
John Wilkes Booth for more than two years without
ever knowing his identity.
I shall never forget my meeting with Mr, Grant,
then the proprietor, publisher and editor of the Re-
publican, a daily paper of El Keno, who when I
called on him, requested to see my pictures of John
Wilkes Booth, and who recognized them to be like-
nesses of David E. George. When told that George
was, in fact, John Wilkes Booth, Mr. Grant expressed
great astonishment and indignation at the idea that
George could possibly have been John Wilkes Booth.
Finally, putting his head forward for a moment, as
if in thought, he said: "I tell you what I will do.
If you will go with me to the El Reno State Bank
and show these pictures to Mr. Bellamy, one of the
officers of that bank, and when you show the pic-
284
THESE ARE PICTURES OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
tures to him don't say who they are, and if he recog-
nizes them, as I have done, as being true likenesses
of David E. George, then I am ready to admit that
John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Lin-
coln, has been a citizen of our town in the person of
David E. George.' '
His proposition was accepted, and over to the bank
we went, some few blocks away. Walking to the
desk of Mr. Bellamy, I was properly introduced and
handed him. the tintype picture which St. Helen had
left with me in Texas, as well as the photographs
which had been taken for the identification of D.
E. George as Booth. On handing the pictures to
Mr. Bellamy I asked him, "Who is this man in the
picture V9 Without hesitation he replied, "Why,
this is David E. George in his younger days. ' ' Then
followed the recognition of the pictures as those of
David E. George by the other officers and employes
of this and other banks, as has been heretofore men-
tioned.
Mr. Grant accepted the situation and said, with
some emotion, "I shall write this matter up fully in
285
THESE ARE PICTURES OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
my paper tomorrow morning." Whether the publi-
cation was ever made I am not advised.
I next found myself with Mr. Hennley, owner, ed-
itor and publisher of the Daily Democrat, of El
Reno, who had known David E. George well, and
readily identified him from the pictures which I
have just mentioned as having been identified by
Mr. Grant, Mr. Bellamy and others.
The city editor of the Democrat, a gentleman
whose name I believe was Brown, and who had re-
moved to El Reno from some Western city a short
time before to enter the employment of Mr. Henn-
ley, became interested in our conversation and was
handed the pictures by Mr. Hennlej^. He instantly
said:
"I never saw David E. George, and I know noth-
ing of him, but these are the pictures of John Wilkes
Booth."
"Did you know John Wilkes Booth personally?"
I asked him.
"I did, and I knew him well, personally and on
the stage. I regarded him as the greatest actor of
his day on the American stage, and never missed an
286
THESE ARE PICTURES OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
opportunity to see him. I saw him and heard him
in Baltimore and New York often, and in Washing-
ton also, where I was connected with the Federal
army, and saw him on the streets, frequently meet-
ing him and speaking with him as a personal ac-
quaintance. I remember that I saw him for the last
time on the street only a short time before the as-
sassination. I also know other members of the
Booth family and could not be mistaken about this
.picture.
"I was in Washington City at the time of the as-
sassination and later, when the body of the man
claimed to be Booth was brought there, and owing
to the secrecy and the mysterious manner of handling
that body after it reached Washington there was
a belief, quite general among the members of the
Federal army with whom I came in contact, that the
body held was not that of John Wilkes Booth. These
recent developments in the discovery and identifica-
tion of John Wilkes Booth have been no surprise
to me."
I next went to the Anstien Hotel and met the pro-
prietors of this house, where David E. George first
287
THESE ARE PICTURES OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
put up on moving to El Reno. On showing the pic-
tures to them they at once identified them in the
following authentic manner:
"El Reno, Oklahoma Territory, Jan. 23d, 1903.
"To Whom it May Concern: We, N. J. Anstien
and G. F. Anstien, proprietors of the Anstien Hotel,
situated in the city of El Reno, after examination
of the tintype picture and photographs shown us by
F. L. Bates, of Memphis, Tenn., say that the same
are true and correct pictures of one D. E. George,
or a man who claimed to be of that name. This man,
George, boarded at this hotel for a long time. We
knew him well, and do not hesitate to pronounce
the pictures shown us to be those of this man, and
we fully corroborate the statements of Messrs. Du-
mont and Brown, as fully as if incorporated in this
statement.
(Signed.) "N. J. ANSTIEN.
"G. F. ANSTIEN.
"Sworn to and subscribed before me this, the 23d
day of January, 1903.
(Signed.) "FRANK MEYER.
(L. S.) "Notary Public.
"My commission expires 6-12-05."
288
THESE ARE PICTURES OF JOHN WILKES B(J nH.
The Messrs. Anstien said: "It was plain to be
seen that the man who called himself George was
not a painter ; that, in fact, he did not know how to
properly mix paints or to spread it after it was
mixed, but Jiis taste was good, his idea of the ar-
rangement of colors with respect to blending them
into harmony was splendid, and as a paint talker he
was a success, but as a practical labor painter he
was a dismal failure. We supposed this to be the
reason why he did not work at what he claimed to
be his trade. Then there was the further fact that
he always had plenty of money and was prompt at
the payment of his bills, whether he worked or did
not work, which made it a matter that, in fact, did
not concern others.
"When George, or Booth, bought the cottage for
thirty-five hundred dollars he lacked a small amount
of having enough money to pay cash for it. He
came to the office and requested this amount as a
?.oan for a few days. The money was handed him
without a question or a note, and promptly on the
day agreed upon for its return he came in and paid
the money. Where it came from was a mystery,
289
THESE ARE PICTURES OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
but that did not concern us, so long as he kept his
word. And during the long time that he boarded
at this hotel he met all his bills with equal prompt-
ness and satisfaction. He was regarded as the soul
of honor by those with whom he came in contact,
personally or in a business way, and while he was
queer, or what we would commonly call cranky,"
and as the elder man said, "always spouting poetry,
everybody liked him. I told him that he knew much
more about Shakespeare and other books than he
did about painting and paint brushes.
" 'If you (Mr. Anstien) could spread and display
it in certain places as well as I can you would not
need to keep a hotel,' Booth had replied on one of
these occasions. (Do you catch his meaning — to
spread and display paint on the actor ?)
The elder Anstien says that "after these little un-
pleasant sallies, " Booth seemed to take a dislike to
him, which was regarded as the principal reason for
his changing his boarding place.
The cottage which Booth bought was sold by him
about a year before he committed suicide, after he
went to the Kerfoot Hotel.
290
THESE ARE PICTURES OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
There is one fact that has struck me with great
force respecting the identification of Booth, and
that is, he affected the same style of dress during his
entire life. It will be noticed that his dress at twen-
ty-seven, thirty-eight and sixty-four are practically
the same. He always wore a black semi-dress suit
style, of the best fabrics, always with the turndown
Byron collar and dark tie. His dress at the time he
committed suicide was of the same character, his
suit being tailormade, new and well pressed, his
pants well creased, his shoes new patent leather and
his hat a new black Stetson derby. This style of
dress, it seems, being a physical characteristic of
John Wilkes Booth.
*,91
— —
CHAPTER XVIII.
READING THE PALM OF JOHN
WILKES BOOTH
After remaining in El Reno about forty-eighV
hours, having completed my investigation of Booth's
identity, I returned to my home in Memphis, Ten-
nessee, without further incident. Scarcely had I
reached home, however, when I was recalled to Enid
by the administrator of Booth's estate. On my re-
turn I found public sentiment in Enid much quieted
down and it was no longer necessary for me to im-
personate the character of another. I found that
two men supposed to be in the secret service of the
United States government — which fact they did not
deny— had requested and been permitted to view
the body of Booth. They were provided with pic-
tures of John Wilkes Booth, which they compared
with Booth's body, and having satisfied themselves
that the body was that of Booth, they appealed to
the Territorial legal authorities to compel the bur-
ial of the body, without denying at any time that
292
READING THE PALM OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
the body was that of John Wilkes Booth. But be-
fore I reached Enid the matter had been satisfactor-
ily arranged, in what way I did not at that time
learn, and I found the body unburied and in a state
of perfect preservation, still being held for further
identification, challenging, as it were, those in au-
thority, or those of contrary opinion, to show that
this body was not that of John Wilkes Booth.
During this visit I learned that Mr. L. Treadkell,
who had employed Booth as a teamster, as hereto-
fore mentioned, was then living within nine miles
of the city, I at once communicated with him and
he came in. On being shown the tintype picture of
St. Helen, so often referred to, he readily identified
it as the picture of Jesse Smith, his teamster in the
early part of the year 18670 He also identified the
picture of Booth at the ages of twenty-seven, thir-
ty-eight and sixty-four as being pictures taken from
one and the same man, the only difference being the
matter of age.
During this visit Bentley Sage, the well known
palmist, made the trip to Enid for the express pur-
pose of examining the palms of the now notorious
293
I
READING THE PALM OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
character, whose body lay in the morgue at Enid,
known as George, and identified as John Wilkes
Booth. The reading follows :
"I discover this hand to be of the spatulate type,
from which I learn that the subject was emotional,
erratic and governed almost entirely by inspiration.
Persons who have this hand are controlled by im-
pulse and are carried to extremes by the impressions
of the instant. They are what science might term
impractical. Of bright purpose and brilliant prom-
ise, they almost invariably fail to materialize their
ideas. They are etheriai and poetic. Their hopes are
rarely fulfilled and they are not only a disappoint-
ment to themselves, but they disappoint their
friends by their failure to accomplish the real and
material things of useful and practical life.
"This subject was no exception. His intellect was
keen and wide awake and took in the details and
peculiarities of everything he saw, but he lacked the
faculty of applying his mind toward the execution
of his ideas. Like all those of a spatulate type, his
vivid reason was the admiration of his associates;
294
HEADING THE PALM OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
because of his effervescent enthusiasm and opti-
mism, but he never came down to earth from the
heights of imagination, and remained pleasure-lov-
ing, jovial and incomprehensible, was subject to
moods of melancholy and morbidness. These latter
characteristics, however, belong to those of the
spatulate type. It is the non-fruition of hope to
which this moodiness is due in the spatulate hand.
It is the sensitive hand that is easily repulsed, espe-
cially is this true of this individual hand. He was re-
pelled by a gross nature, but still he had a large
faculty for friendship and a strong desire for intel-
lectual and genial companionship.
"Let it be understood that the foregoing is a
study of the whole hand, which, owing to its peculiar
class, being that of the spatulate, is weak in many
respects. In order to correctly understand through-
out the balance of this disquisition it will be neces-
sary to take the hand in subdivisions and describe
each division.
"I will begin with the thumb, which is of unusual
length. All thumbs show the possession of or lack
^ 295
READING THE PALM OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
of leadership, will power, control, integrity, reason-
ing, planning, logic and stability.
"In this thumb I find a man of unbending nature,
one who is set in his opinions and ideas, and one
whom facts impress strongly, but who did not ana-
lyze them carefully, generally depending on obser-
vation and the acts of others. At the base of the
thumb is the mount of Venus — Venus was the
mother of Love — Venus indicates the desires of life
acting upon the line of heart. His mount being full
and broad at the base, indicates the emotional and
sentimental. The mount of Jupiter at the base of
the index finger shows pride, ambition and self-
esteem. This man had great ambition and great
aspirations. He was sensitive to a fault, and the
crosses and triangles found upon this mount indi-
cate that his ambitions were never realized. His
life was materially affected by disappointments and
hopes that were never realized. At the base of the
second finger is the mount of Saturn, which indi-
cates the talents and gifts of the individual. His
would have been literature, music, art and imitat-
ing. Being full of inspiration he could have devel-
296
READING THE PALM OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH.!
oped the talents of art and imitating which, together
with an entertaining disposition and gestures that
were smooth and appropriate, he possessed the fac-
ulty of making every movement pleasant to those
in his society. He was a man of elegance and charm.
"The mount of Apollo, located at the base of
the ring finger, indicates the success of past, present
and future, and in this particular case I find the
mount to be undeveloped, showing that he had not
reached the height of his ambitions, and showing
that he had lived under many heavy strains, due to
past failures and excitements.
'The mount of Mercury at the base of the little
finger indicates the domestic nature of the individ-
ual. This man was loyal to true companionship, but
he could love but one.
"The line of heart at the base uf the fingers, start-
ing at the index finger, signifies marvelous powers
of the occult and spiritual intuitions. It also indi-
cates honor, wisdom and lender devotion, and in
this case proves one worthy of nature's divinest
gifts. His head line turns quickly downward across
the line of destiny into the regions of harmony, imi-
297
READING THE PALM OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH,
tation and romance, showing him to be of a senti-
mental and impractical nature. The line of life indi-
cated around the base of the thumb, which is clear
and well denned, shows he would have lived to reach
a ripe old age under favorable circumstances. In
the illustration of this hand is shown many fine
lines spraying downward from the life line, which
denotes loss of vitality and mental force. And the
end of the line turning upward to the region of vi-
tality is a fatal sign with serious reverses in health.
From the location and broken line of the face he
appears to have been a person during his life who
Aad a great deal of trouble and went through many
trying experiences, and who could not rely upon
friends for help, but who had to shape his own
career.
"The most interesting element in the study of
palmistry is that of dates at which important events
in the life of the individual have taken place, or may
be expected to take place. And in the reading of
this hand, to go into all of the events of his past life
would take more than three pages of this paper,
for under favorable conditions he would have lived
to a ripe old age."
298
CHAPTER XIX.
JOSEPH JEFFERSON IDENTIFIES JOHN
WILKES BOOTH.
Being a constant attendant at the theaters at El
Reno, Enid, Oklahoma City and Guthrie in the early-
part of December, 1900, Booth was much struck by
the genius of the leading lady of one of the com-
panies then playing in these towns, beginning at
Enid. In fact, Booth regarded her as a genius and
sought an introduction through her manager, claim-
ing at the time to be a correspondent of the Dra-
matic Mirror of New York, and giving his name as
J. L. Harris. This young lady is a woman of the
highest type and character, and finally the relation
of pupil and instructor was established between
them, Booth, the supposed correspondent, going
with the company from Enid to El Reno, Guthrie
and Oklahoma City for the purpose of coaching,
watching and training the young actress after his
own peculiar manner of acting. Being satisfied ,vith
299
JOSEPH JEFFERSON IDENTIFIES JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
the capability of this actress Booth, or Harris, as he
was known to her, made her a proposition, saying
that he (Harris) was writing a play to be put on
the stage for the seasons of 1903 and 1904, entitled
"A Life Within the Shadow of Sin" (Booth's life),
and desired that she, the actress of his choice, should
play the leading role in the presentation of this
play; and that he himself would take an active part,
as manager and actor. This agreement having been
reached, preparations were being made in 1902 for
the proper staging and putting this play before the
American people, but some unforseen occurrence
over which neither of them had control rendered it
impossible to put the play on for the season of
1903-4. This was learned and understood between
them through correspondence, and the matter was then
given no further consideration. Mention is made of
this fact to show the bent and inclination of George,
Booth or Harris, the actor, and as a further incident
in the identification of Booth.
Believing that if any living man would recognize
John Wilkes Booth from the tintype picture of John
St. Helen that man would be Joseph Jefferson, of
300
JOSEPH JEFFERSON IDENTIFIES JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
whom I had heard St. Helen so often speak when
discussing the successful peoples of the stage, and
I sought this best authority at the first opportune
time. Mr. Jefferson, who had known John Wilkes
Booth since his boyhood and from the time Booth
first went on the stage at the age of seventeen, was
in the same stock company with him. Among the
members of this company being Mr. Jefferson, Ed-
win Adams and John Wilkes Booth, at the age of
seventeen playing Hamlet, Mr. Adams playing
Laertes, and Mr. Joseph Jefferson, then being
twenty-nine years of age and playing the grave dig-
ger. Learning that Mr. Joseph Jefferson was play-
ing in Nashville, Tennessee, and that the next day
he would reach Memphis, together with his com-
pany for the same purpose, I wired him at Nash-
ville for an interview on his arrival in Memphis,
which was accorded me. And as per arrangement
I called on Mr. Jefferson at the Gayoso Hotel, in the
city of Memphis, on the 14th day of April, 1903,
just thirty-eight years to the day from the assassi-
nation of President Lincoln. We had a long and
most interesting interview, and when I handed Mr.
301
JOSEPH JEFFERSON IDENTIFIES JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
Jefferson the tintype picture, so often mentioned
herein and recogniezd as John Wilkes Booth, he
took the picture in his hand, saying:
"This is John Wilkes Booth, if John Wilkes
Booth was living when this picture was taken." He
continued to hold the picture in his hand and in
front of his eyes during the entire interview, which
lasted more than two hours. I should not say, and do
not mean to convey the idea that Mr. Jefferson kept
the picture constantly before his eyes, but that he
held it the entire time, making long studied examina-
tions of it during the interview and finally said:
' ' This, sir, I should say, is John Wilkes Booth, but
he is older than when I saw him last. I have not
seen him since a short time before he killed President
Lincoln, at which time I think he was about twenty-
seven years of age." After this Mr. Jefferson gave
me the history of John Wilkes Booth, from his boy-
hood up as well as the history of John Wilkes
Booth's entire family. And in this connection as a
matter of history I deem it my duty to say that I
was impressed with the idea that Mr. Jefferson was
by no means surprised to see a picture of John
302
JOSEPH JEFFERSON IDENTIFIES JOHN WILKES BOOTH
Wilkes Booth at the age of thirty-eight, and gave
expression to no more surprise than to ask, "Where
did you get it?" My explanation to that inquiry,
which was quite extended, was listened to with
seeming great interest and approval by Mr. Jeffer-
son.
303
-.—--.-
CHAPTER XX.
JUNIUS BRUTUS BOOTH IDENTIFIES HIS
UNCLE, JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
While Mr. Junius Brutus Booth was in the city of
Memphis, playing an engagement at the Lyceum
Theater in support of Mrs. Brune, I sought an intro-
duction to him, and by pre-arrangement was ac-
corded an interview at my office, which lasted for
several hours, being of much interest to myself as
well as Mr. Booth. At this meeting, because of my
former meeting and friendship for and close associ-
ation with John St. Helen, I was enabled to recount
to him much of the private history of the Booth
family, which was enjoyed by Mr. Booth with an
interest equalled only by his astonishment.
After conversing with Mr. Booth for some mo-
ments I handed him the now famous tintype of John
St. Helen and asked him*
".Who is this man?"
304
to
JUNIUS BRUTUS BOOTH IDENTIFIES HIS UNCLE,
Mr. Booth took the picture, held it in his hand
several minutes, looked at it critically, walked over
to the window to get a better light on it and looked
at it long and earnestly, finally to my intense sur-
prise he suddenly exclaimed, wringing his hands in
rief and excitement :
Was my father's confidence in me a lie, and did
he indeed die with the secret that my uncle still
lived untold on his lips?"
After several minutes he controlled himself with
great effort and said to me :
' 'This is a picture of my uncle, John Wilkes, Mr.
Bates, and the best one of him that I have ever seen.
There is much that I want to say to you, many ques-
tions I must have answered, but this discovery has
so astounded and shocked me that I must leave you
low. I want to talk the whole matter over with my
wife, who is with me in this city. She will under-
stand me and my feeling in this matter. To have so
nearly met my uncle, and to find that he has been
dead less than a month is very distressing. ' '
Being again overcome by his feelings, Mr. Booth
ended the interview, we separating with the promise
to meet again the next morning.
The following morning promptly at the time ap-
pointed Mr. Booth walked into my office. We
talked long and earnestly. I told him again the
305
JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
•»•-•••-... ' $
story of John St. Helen's long life in the West, of
the story he had told me of himself, his crime,
and his wanderings. Mr. Booth listened, intensely
interested, with excitement and often with tears in
his eyes, to the ricital, for the first time hearing the
whole story, just twenty-eight days after the self-
inflicted death of the uncle whom he had never seen,
and had always believed to have been killed years
before by Boston Corbett.
After much further conversation Mr. Booth re-
quested me to call a stenographer, that he might
furnish me a voluntary statement of identification of
the picture as John Wilkes Booth. I called Miss F.
Wolf, who took down the following interview, which
was signed and delivered to me by Mr. Booth, whom
1 count it a pleasure and a privilege to have met,
and shall remember with great kindness.
MR. BOOTH'S VOLUNTARY STATEMENT OF
IDENTIFICATION.
"Mr. F. L. Bates : 'I hand you, Mr. Junius Brutus
Booth, a tintype picture which was taken at Glenrose
Mills, Hood county, Texas, on or about June, 1877,
and which was handed to me by one John St. Helen,
as a means of at some future time identifying John
Wilkes Booth. Will you kindly examine this picture,
and in your own way identify the same ? ' '
306
.JUNIUS BRUTUS BOOTH IDENTIFIES HIS UNCLE,*
"I, Junius Brutus Booth, of the city of Boston,
Massachusetts, recognize the likeness of John Wilkes
Booth, not only in comparison with other photo-
graphs and pictures of said John Wilkes Booth, hut
I can also trace a strong family resemblance and a
likeness to different members of my family in the
said tintype.
"I am the oldest son of John Wilkes' brother,
Junius Brutus Booth, was born in Boston January
6th, 1868. Those now living having any direct re-
lation to John Wilkes Booth are first, myself and my
brother, Syndey Booth, 16 Grammercy Park, New
York; Creston Clarke, 16 Grammercy Park, New
York; Wilfred Clarke, New York; Dollie Clarke
Morgan, Vendome Hotel, New York; Adrienne
Clarke, Brighton, England, children of Asia Booth,
the sister of John Wilkes. Marion Booth, daugh-
ter of Junius Brutus, said John Wilkes ' brother, also
being my half sister, New York.
"The family of John Wilkes Booth's father,
Junius Brutus Booth, the elder, and his wife, Mary
Booth, consisted of my father, Junius Brutus Booth
the eldest, Rosalie Booth, Asia Booth, Edwin Thomas
Booth and Joseph Adrian Booth. Subsequent or
prior to my father's birth there was another son,
who died in infancy.
307
JOHN WILKES BOOTH,
"The Clarkes mentioned are connected with John
Wilkes Booth by the marriage of his sister, Asia
Booth, to John Sleeper Clarke.
(Signed) "JUNIUS BRUTUS BOOTH.
«'« TTTTVTTTTC" T5TDTTTTTQ T3r*nTTT '
"Witness": F. L. BATES.' '
"I, a stenographer, wrote the above on the type-
writer at the dictation of one signing himself as
above, Junius Brutus Booth.
(Signed) "MISS F. WOLF."
"Personally appeared before me, a notary public
in and for the county of Shelby and State of Ten-
nessee, Miss F. Wolf, who after being duly sworn,
made oath that she was the stenographer who wrote
this hereto attached typewritten instrument at the
dictation of one who signed himself as above, Junius
Brutus Booth.
' ' Signed at Memphis on this 21st day of February,
1903.
"H. C. SHELTON,
"Notary Public, Shelby County, Tennessee.,,
Mr. Junius Brutus Booth is the oldest living
nephew of John Wilkes Booth.
By the authority of these identifications of the tin-
type picture of John St. Helen as being that of John
Wilkes Booth by his nephew, Junius Brutus Booth,
and the late Joseph Jefferson, the veteran actor and
the world renowned Rip Van Winkle, supplemented
308
JUNIUS BRUTUS BOOTH IDENTIFIES HIS UNCLE,
with the evidences contained in this book, I an-
nounce it as a physical fact that John Wilkes Booth
was not killed on the 26th day of April, 1865, at the
Garrett home in Virginia, but that he escaped, spent
a roving life in exile, principally in the western
part of the United States of America, and died by
liis own hand, a suicide, at Enid, Oklahoma Terri-
tory, on the morning of the 14th day of January,
1903, at the hour of 6:30 o'clock a.m.
And thus the story of the life and fate of John
Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Abraham
Lincoln, is told.
FINIS.
309
~7l £C09. 0%^ 01316
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