Smyrna times., 1865-05-04
CAPTURE AND DEATH OF BOOTH
Arrest of his 4ccomnEcc HorroH

Herald, which was given by the officers en-
gagged in the arrest:
ABOUT one O'Clock on Monday last Colonel
Baker asked for detail oftwenty-fye cavalry,
which were sent to him, undcr command Qt
Lieutenant D0chGrty. lie then detailed Lieu
tenant Colonel f. j. C0nger and Lieutenant
Baker. Colonel Conger and his party left
Belle Plain on Monday night at ten o'clock.
They reached Port Conway, on the Rapahan-
mock, about one O'Clock p. NJ. on Tuesday.
At this point it was asscrtaincd from man
named Rollins, that on Monday two men, an
9werlng exactly the description of Booth and
l1arraoI ha1 offered him ten dollars to take
| them 10 Downing Green, which he agreed to; but /
Afterwards the one answering to the descrip- :
ton OF Harold came to him and said they did |
not need his services, as they had found friends |
who would do all they desired They left Port
Royal, at about five o clock j, NJ. on Tuesday. |
When half way to Bowling Green they were
informed by some woman that the party Of five
who had passed down the road on Monday had
returned that day, except one, and that mo
lame" man had come back.
Having heard that Booth was lame, and
suppOsing that he had been left at Bowling
Green, the party Of pursuers went on to that
place, and surrounded the hotel about eleven
O'Clock p. NJ. Here they captured rebel sol
dicr, who had fcried the culprits across the
RappahannOck. They were informed by this
prisoner that Booth had stopped at Garrett
farm, three miles from Port Royal as they
went down on Monday, and that Harold had
gone back on Tuesday evening to Join him.
Leutenant-COlo Conger's party then re-
turned to Garrett 5, and surrounded the dwell
ling and outhouses. They were told by Gar
t rett' son youth that there were two men hid
Ill the barn. This was about two o clock A. Nj.
on Wednesday. Proceeding to the barn, Lieu
tenant Baker was sent forward, and called upon
r Booth to come out, give up his arms and sur
: render, and that young Garrett would come
into the barn to receive his arms. Upon his
entering the barn Booth said to the young man,
Get out Of here; you have betrayed me- "
Under the direction Of Col. Conger, col
loquy then took place between Lieutenant Ba-
: ker and Booth, of which the following is the
; substance
r lieutenant Baker-You must give UP your
e arms and surrender. We have come to take
ID you prisoner, and will treat you as prisoner.
le We will give you five minutes to surrender or
we will burn this barn.
Booth-WhO are you, and what do you
want?
e. Instructions had been given to Lieutenant
I'd Baker not to disclose the character Of those
Il. who were i'll pursuit
y. Lieutenant Baker-We want you. We in
tend to take you prisoner.
Booth-This is hard case 1t may be thai
Is | am to be taken by my friends.
~ ~ After some further cOllOquy Of this sor
a Booth, seemingly convinced that he was i'll tht
n tolls Of Federal soldiers, said: Give me
chance for my life | am a cripple, with one
of leg. Withdraw your men one hundred yard
IN. from the barn, and | will come out and fgh
to you.
to Lieutenant Baker-We did not come her
ID, to fight, but to take you prisoner. You mus
give up your arms and surrender.
U.s. BoOth-Let me have time to consider
MS \ conversation in the barn between Boot
OF aud Harold then took place, which was no
'ar overheard BY the party outside. In abou
nc fifteen or twenty minutes Booth called out
IH nu "Who are you? could have picked off hal
'O' a dozen of your men while we were talking
an | could have shot you two or three times, bU
lio | don't want to kill anybody.
,he Lieutenant Baker-Than give up your arm
ore and surrender. We have come here to tax
his you.
her BOOTH will never surrender. will nevC
be taken alive.
an, Lieutenant Baker-If you don't do so in
A. mediatey we will set fire to the barn.
for Booth-Well my brave boys, prepare
s. stretcher for me.
th. After this a conversation took place insiC
'm- between Booth and Harold, during whiC
Booth was heared to say, You damned COY
an ard will you leave me now? But go-gO.
icsT, don't want you to stay with Inc.
e'n said, There is man here who wants to con
REF out.
" Lieut.. Baker-Let him hand out his arm
and come out.
;. Another talk here occurred between Boo
V and Harold, in which it appeared that the la
:. ter was begging to be allowed to take out son
lis. arms with him, and Booth was heard to sa
5. Go away from me. | don't want anythil
-ols more to do with you"
Is. Harold then came to the door, and ask
to be let out. Iieut Baker said, mo hal
out your arms" Harold replied g | ha
none.
Lieut. Baker-Yes, you have; you carri
a carblne when you came here. You mt
hand it out.
Booth--IIe has no arms They are all mir
Upon my word as gentleman, he has no arm
All that are here belong to me.
tate Lieut.. Baker then approached the u0C
rom Harold thrust out his hand, and was pull!
the from the door, tied, and placed IN charge OF
hey guard. r., r.
day When Harold had come out, Vol. Gong
told was satisfied that further parley with BOO
re- was vain; that he would not surrender; an
gar passing to the other side of the barn, he pu
ow- ed out whsp of hay from one Of the ere
irds ces, and lighting it by a match, thrust it ba
of among the hay. Within few minutes t
hey blazing hay lighted up the inside Of the baI
tiles Booth, who was at first discovered leani
upon Il IuISW II uOhIl, anu Will
,.u carbine in his hands, came towards the 81
yer whore the FIRE had been applied. But t
HOn light of the fire inside prevented him frc
l.als mar seeing who was on the outside He pause
'". looked at the fire for moment, and then ST;
;n.r ;naul ted towards the door.
t1n t;' When about the middle of the barn, he W
tshe Ing shot by Sergeant Corbett, who had, meanwhi
tho crept up to the barn, and fired through crC
t;nG ice of the boards. 1t is the opinion of Color
Rakar' OffloarS that &c tbic Cbot had NOT he
" fired they would in few minutes more ha
=, had the assassin in their custody alive.
the Booth fell on the floor of the barn. {
the COnger and Lieutenant Baker Immediately
nlsts tered, and with the assistance of two sodie
asst removed the wounded man and placed him
leet- the grass outside of the barn. He appea,
S IN to be insehsbe, but in few minutes parts
lred revived and made efforts to speak. BY 7
ltelv cling his ear close to Booths mouth Colo
rmer Conger heard him say, "Tell mother die
i To my country"
? ~ Ho was then Carried IN the norch Of &