The Xenia sentinel. [volume] (Xenia [Ohio]) 1863-186?, 1865-05-19
An Evening with the Assassin Booth.

As any information regarding the ac-
tions and conversations Of the murderer of D
President Lincoln, during the last few .
months of his career, must be Of special in
terest to the public, I have thought proper
to furnish you with few "reminiscences of
an evening I spent in his company some
few months ago. Since the occurrence of E
the tragic event have foreborne any allu-
sion to. the flets here stated, either in pub
lie or conflentialiy, though the announce
ment of the murder, associated with the
name Of Booth, REQUIRED to mind as fresh D,
as a recollection of yesterday but now
that the misguided AMI WFetched man has,
met his doom, statement Of the eirGum-
stances can affect nothing nor misdireet
the pursuit Of justice.
On an. evening during lastBll, believe
in the early part of October l was intro
duced to J. Wilkes Booth at the st. Law z.
renee Hall in Montreal, and INDUCED in So
friendly contest at billiards with him in
the saloon of that establishment, which
was continued to late hour in the evening.
My opponent seemed to have been -indUl- l
ging freely in stimulants, not appearing to .l
be intoxicated at all, but Iremember that
the wandering character Of his cOuversa-
tion, and the wild ideas that he expressed,
struck me at the time as Indicating rather
immOderate dissipation, and slight men ed
tai deraDgement or excitement, In the
course Of the recreation peculiar "run'
drew forth a remark touching my partial
ity for the 'pockets," and thereupon a
sudden thought seemed to fash upon his 2
mind, and raising his cue, he oOutinusd-in
a manner somewhat excited: u.- s.is
do you know have got the sharpest
play laid out ever done in American l
can bag the biggest game this side Of;
just remember my address; you'll hear Of 81
a double carom one Of these days. 1N
paid little regard to his remarks at
the time, supposing them to proceed from
the ordinary fallacy of a person in his con-
dition. In the course Of the evening some
allusiOn- occurred to the Presidential can-
vass then progressing in the United States.
Booth seemed to be inspired With great
feeling on the occasion, and among other
observations, said at made damned little
difference, head or tail-Abe's contract
was nearly up, and, whether re elected or 81
not, be would get his goose ceoked.'T At
one time my opponent, IN jocular turn,
clapped me familiarly upon the shoulder,
with this remark: ''By'-, like your
Canadian style; I must pest myself in fE
Canuck airs; for some of us devils may
have to settle there yeti
These. remarks formed buta smallpor-
ton of the. conversation of the evening; -r
but recall them particularly as probably
Indicating designs then entertained by Q
Booth, and the same which in their exc
cutiou has so recently startled the world.
My impressions Of Booth we're that be was
a young man of means, given to gay
rolGcking life, aud that his nature was not
calculated to distinguish him beyond the
sphere of fashionable blade in society.
The photographs commonly circulated at
present are evidently very correct as they
serve to replace his appearance on that
evening very wildly in my mind, We
parted at the hotel at the conclusion Of
our recreation, and I did not meet him af-
terwards butt well remember hisaddress, 81.
as he suggested, and believe that now n
can comprehend the character of the
double carom" contemplated by my q.
riendly opponent on that evening, render
d memorable in my experience at bill
iaFds.-T Correspondence Hamilton Can,
ada Tunes.