New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-05-05
TlIE BOOTH HOMESTEAD.
.t,.m Our Special Correspondent.

surroundings may not prove uhhtelesling AS seen Dl
the writer some few days ago, it Impressed him simpl!
and sncly with this idea" NEGLEcT"
Ncarly one nile from Belair on the Belar and Havrt
lde Grace road rude lane leads of to what was the
khaftation Of one of the most gifted and cratic mel
that ever lived down this lane, nearly fourth of q
me from the main road, the LEFT side after leaving
Bclair for Hayre de Grace, you in view of mod
ern tnroocd cottage house. two stories high, facing
the main road, with background of forest landscape
LAT right angles with the new house and 10 the right i
the old house in which the John Wilkes Booth
was born, rude structure built of logs and pastered
with the chmines outside of the house, in the Old Do
minion style, barn again to the right few steps from
the gable end Of the old house situated down in ho
low. As far as 1 saw Of the new house (Which was
begun by the old gentleman and finished by the sons
plainly and neatly furnished, but Of the old house,
(which am told contains the wardrobe. furniture. and
books of the elder Booth. what can 1 say but the
truthi II leaks badly. and I told has ruined the
ktreasures deposited in the right wing thereof. The
sgrounds and whole place wear that Nrginan look OF
desoaton and unthrt that would lead you to suppose
an army had passed over it, i had some conversation
with an intelligent pretty young girl rose in the will
tderness who gave me the following information: As
ong she has been there the Booths have not lived
the farm the place being leased 10 Mr.. Heisler whose
tson.nlaw, Mr.. King aud family occupy the premises
She remembers John three occasions, when be
swas boarding in Belair and came 10 the farm
another time when be rushed into the new house, saving
that he had been fired on by the soldiers and meant 70
defend himself After which. he went into the old
house got bis Tae and went of in the direction of the
big woods Another time she saw him in company
with a brother, who the house with John. The
brother highly incenscd at the soldiers having cut
down taken his wood. but John very quiet; in
fact the young girl naivey said al always liked John
the best he was quiet and nice looking" 1t seems
the soldiers here alluded 10 were party of Unonists
looking after local Confederate company who eluded
pursuit by hiding in the big woods" before spoken Of
tract of forest nearly five square miles in exent-in
fact wilderness She Rebel Home Guard" concealed
in the wood and the Secession assassin John Booth
rushing into the old house. and with his rifle going to
the forest also raises doubt whether Mr. Lincoln
was the first man murdered by him. After taking leave
Of the young girl bent my steps toward hickory"
road some rods to the rear Of the old house and barn
and coming to the roaG found that in order 20 gain
/ should have to cross small branch" noticed az
extension Of the fence over this branch so. climbing
care July. just quitting the fence TO 20 up the
hickory 10 the main road, when noticed that some
trees by the side Of the branch" were covered with
initials was not long in deciphering the following
letters W. L. b., 1913; j. W. T., 40; I. b. q. The
name Booth plainly cut on the largest OF the three
trees and the initials S s. H. and l. D. laiely cut on
the smallest tree as while having the feet in the brook
the engraver had carved his fell into contcIn
plation of the letters in juxtaposition. Who was
W L. T.. 1881 Some member Of the Booth family
perhaps. j. W. b., 10 rudely cut no doubt, by the
hand Of the when but child. T. H. G. might
stand for Thomas Gof, a neighbors son. But whose
the later initials evidently cut within the year, S. S H.
and L. d. Could the first have been cut by OF the
Hanna family who live IN that locality. was il exc
cuted by Harold, one Of Booths accomplces. J.. d.
aso7 While in this train Of thought startled by
Ia sc9mpering the leaves the other side Of the
forest road and looking around saw squirrels playing
and noticed for the first time how wild The coruT!
seemed mol fifty rods from the farm. house Wakingl
but few steps down the stream birds OF every hue
were amey fitting about me, turtles Of the swapping
breed were there. and rabbits dared meriy through
the brush said l. "Whai could have induced the great
ucus Junius to purchase this wild spot wilder thirty
years AGO than nowf II must have been for solitude
and study. am taking my notes AZ so; have passed
TO the other side Of the house. where told that near
the new plowed field the graves Of some OF the family
lie see broken iron fence railing. small broken
and the elder Booths father sleep here-tis well am
told So for l should not have known it otherwise.
white man. with an immense on his lip, think
ing ne Of the detective school perhaps volunteers the
assertion that all the people about here are loyal and
that il is no wonder that "this John Booth done IT,
for none of the neghbors ever liked the family, Who'll
were tie DEVILS own play-actng people and would do
ANYTHING bad" despair OF giving any idea OF the
broene Of this specimen Of "white trash" who in
arined frat was "a Far Down Irshman," until he tod
me that lie came frols Holland defy the subtlcst imi
tator 20 speak his pqfois which harder 10 under
stand than the most cultural tones Of Africa. This
mans constant aseyeratiOn that all the people OF thai
section Of country were thoroughly loyal led me to
make further inquiries when found. to my astonsh
meut tina; the contrary actually was the case-that To-
day there are probably many bitter white washed
Rebel sympathizers in Eastern Maryland as in any OF
the Rcbenious States which Is accounted for by the
fact that these people have thrven better since the Re
sbelion than before, and that no rude army OF
either side has foraged DER their broad estates. MI
king, who occupies the place. is no doubt Union man
For what follows i am indebted 10 the neighbor'
about the farm The Booth family were always highly
Thought Of By their neighbors. John was considered
cruel and vindiciive in proof OF which, the following
told: A poor colored man who lives near the iarn
towned very nice dog. which. as my informant said
|, Poor Stephen Hooper would not have taken twenty
FIVE dollars for. poor Stephen was.' John Wilke
Booth the hero OF sensation noyelists, who wre &C
bconnts Of his dramatic death, this low-mnded fellow
sal at the gable window Of the new house and with hi
rhe or pistol for earthly reason. shot the dog dead
\ Another A SOW going near the barn on the Boot
Hproperty John fired three loads OF shot in the animal
only defending his conduct by saying that he would no
bbaye strange animals come on his ground destroying
Fittings which not the TRUTH as the hog was destroy
-. No. hinr IL Xnlnc.