The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-05-04
STATEMENT OF THE MAN WHO SHOT
BOOTH.

Boston Corbett, the soldier who sho
the assassin Booth on Tuesday after
noon.
"My superior officer, Lieut.. Edward
T. Dougherty, received information
that two persons answering to the de
scription Of Booth and his accom-
plice Harold were concealed in q barr
on the place of Henry Garrett, abou
three miles from Port Royal, in the
direction of Bowling Green. There
we captured man named Jott who
ferried Booth and his companion ovei
the Potomac. At first he denied
knowing anything about the matter
but when threatened with death if he
did not reveal the spot where the as
sassins were Secreted, he told us where
they could be found and pIotcd us tc
tho place. Booth and Harold reach.
ed the barn about dusk on Tuesday
evening. The barn was at once sur.
rounded by our cavalry, and some oi
our party engaged in conversation
with Booth from the outside.
Gle was commanded several times
TO surrender, but made no reply to the
demand save that, If you want me
you must take mo. When first asked
to surrender he asked, who do you
take me for? A short time aftcrward
in response to the question as tc
whether there was anybody else with
him in tho barn, he stated that he
was the only personin the building
that his companion, Harold, had ta-
ken another direction, and was beyond
the reach of capture.
"At 3 o'clock, or q little after, the
barn was fired. Before the flames
were kindlcd, Booth had the advan-
tago of us in respect to light. lie
could sec us, but wo could not see him;
but after the tables wore turned
against him-wo could see him plain
ly, but could not be seen by him. The
flames appeared toconfuse him, and
he madc'a spring toward the door, as
if to attempt TO force his way out. AS
he passed by one Of the creviccs of the
barn, / fired at him. | aimed at his
body; did not want to kill him;
took deliberate aim at his shoulder,
but my aim was too high. The ball
struck him in the head, just below
tho right ear, and, passing through,
came out about one inch above the left
ear. | think he stopped tc pick up
just as | fired. That may
probably account for tho fact of his
receiving the ball in the head. was
not over eight or ten yards distant
from him when | fired. Twas afraid
hat if |. didn't wound him he would
kill some of our mon. After he was
was wounded, l went into the barn.
Booth was lying in reclining posi-
lion on the floor. asked him, where
ire you wounded? lie replied in
ecbc voice, his eycballs gIaring with
peculiar brilliancy, In the head
iou have finished me-, Flo was then
,arried out of tho burning building
nto the open air, where he died about
wo hours and half afterwards.
"About an hour before he brcathcd
lis last, he prayed for us to shoot him
through the head and thus end his
misery. His sutlorngs appeared to
&c intense. Booth, although he could
lavo killed several of our party, seem.
ID to be afraid to fire. Mine was the
'nly shot fired on either side. When
10 foil he had n six barrel revolver,
nd at his feet was lying a sovcn
hootcr, which he dropped after he
vas wounded. Two other revolvers
we're also near him. lie declared that
ho arms belonged to him, and that
larrold bad nothing to do with the
murder. We gave him brandy, and
our of our men went in search of
Ioctor, whom wo found about four
niles from tho scene Of tho occur.
ence; but when the doctor arrived
Booth was dying. lie did not talk
much after receiving his wonnd.-
When asked if he had anything to say,
o replied 81 die for my country
nd asked those standing by to tell
lis mother so. llO didn't deny his
rimo."
Sergeant Corbott, tho soldier who
hot Booth, tho assassin, belongs to
Il, 10th New York cavalry.
10 was born in London, England, in
S32, and came to this country at
oven years of ago, IIe has lived in
roy, Now York, where he learned
is trado as hat fnishor, and subsc-
ucntly worked in Albany, Boston,
'ichmond and New York, and en-
sted in tho latter city. Corbett is q
OCULAR Cromwelian and devout
hristian. About seven years ago he
ocamo converted, and joined the Moth
dist Episcopal Church in Boston.
lever having been baptized. he says
Q was at loss what namo to adopt, and |
o therefore made ita ubjcct of prayer,
hen ho believed himself instructed
take the name OF Boston, the place
his conversion, Ho was accord
lgly baptized, upon joining tho
hnrch, "Boston," and his name stands
pon tho muster roll of tho company
Boston Corbett His religious faith
tho present ago would almost be
allied ianatjcism. On Friday night
o visited McKendroe Chapel, and
rayed with groat earnestness that
cd would not lay innocent blood to
ur charge, but bring the guilty to
unishment, lie feels assured that
'ooth was delivered into his hands in