The Black Republican., 1865-05-13
The Assassins' Conspiracy.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS.
Especial Dispatch to the Missouri Democratic

Fspecial Dispatch TO the Missouri Democrat[
WASHINGTON. April 30.-The Star of this
evening contains the following interesting
particulars Of the pursuit and capture of
Booth. There no longer remains any doubt
that Booth fractured his leg when he sprang
from the Presidents box upon the stage, it
being one OF the small bones. 1t is not
probable that he discovered the extent OF
his injury until the next day or night.
After the assassination, the Confederates
of Booth were actively engaged IN
measures to avert pursuit from the
right direction, and number OF
horses We're turned loose without any
object than to convey the impression that
| the assassins were still in the atty. The re-
port of Booth being seen in Pennsylvania
was also started by his friends. The first re
| liable information concerning Booth was
obtained Saturday morning at SurrelFs
| tavern, about ten miles from the city, on the
| road to Boydtown. The military first called
at this place, but failed to get any definite
statement till the detectives came up. The
| house is owned by Mrs. Surrell, and leased
| by the old man who keeps it. Upon close ex-
| animation, he stated that Mrs. Surrell had
| been there on Friday afternoon and left word
| that two men would arrive there during the
night, who were to be generously provided
| for. She also directed that two carbines,
suspended by a string between the plaster
| ing Of the partition, should be given them.
| Booth and Harold arrived as expected, and
| remained until some time Saturday fore
noon. On leaving, Booth declined to take
carbine, stating he was too lame to carry 1t.
Harold, however, took one OF the two and
| set out lor the lower counties. On reaching
the neighborhood of BOydtown, near Port
Tobacco Booths leg became too painful
to proceed further, and the services OF DR..
pf hGt DTOj1GHT INTO
requisition. After the fracture had been
dressed, and Booth had left, the detectives
arrested Mudd who denied all knowledge
of the character of his patient. The boot,
cut off from Booths foot, the Inflammation
rendering it impossible to draw it off, was
found and on it was written with ink j. Will.
kes, the word Booth evidently had been
scratched out with a knife. Why any pOr-
ton of the name was left is a mystery,
unless a sudden alarm hurried the party
before completion Of erasure. The next
Booth and Harold was heard from was at
the house of a DR.. Coy, and the latter, upon
being questioned, denied having seen any
such parties, but said that three paroled
rebel soldiers applied there for accommOda-
tons, and had been sent away. COX's old
servants, however, asserted that men had
stayed there over night; that their master
had entertained them in the most hOspita-
bic manner, and upon departure next day,
gave each quantity Of whisky. The detec-
tivCS next came upon the fGgltlVes near
the SaChacir SWampS, III Charles county,
where they found an old dilapidated shanty
occupied by an old c0lored woman, who
stated that on that morning two men, one
of them with q crutCh, had come out of the
woods and asked for something to eat offer
ing to pay any sum for it. She being afraid,
told them she had nothing; that there was
no white people around, and that they could
NJ NJ mo 70 n1t n 10
lame man had then inquired the direction to
the Great Swamp, which sne gave, and the
two went off. The shanty stands in a small
clearing surrounded on all sides by dense
pine woods, with the exception Of one side
bounded by the sWamps. The 8th Illinois
cavalry and regiment Of colored troops
were Immediately sent through the swamps
in every direction, searching every thicket
but without finding any trace of the assas-
SINS the latter evidently having secreted
themselves in the pine woods and made
their escape while the swamp was being
searched on Sunday p. n. Booth and Harold
crossed the Potomac at Swan Point, q short
distance below Matthias Point, and passing
through Port Royal, en- route to Louisa
Courthouse, were captured as previously
described N the stay at Garretts place
facts have come to light which show con-
clusively that Booth and his accompices
had, before carrying their plans into execu-
making their escape. Maps, understood to
be in possession Of the Government, and
which are known to have belonged to these
parties, bear distinct marks of the routes
laid out by them. Booth and Harold were
to escape to rebeldom, and seek JEFF. DaVis's
protection, who was finally to assist them in
leaving the country. Harold, in CONVERSE
ton with an acquaintance of his who re-
sides in Maryland, some time previous to
the murder of President Lincoln, made
remark that there was no eXtraditiOn
treaty between the United States aud Spain,
remark that excited no special attention
at the time, bat in the light Of sub
sequent events it would appear that
Booth and himself contemplated shelter
somwhere in the Spanish dominons.
Surprise has been expressed that
Booth selected such shallow-pated blab
mouth as Harold as the nearest accOmplice.
In so terrible & plot this mystery, we think,
may be explained III this way: Harold,
Young man Of idle vagabond habits, vas
good shot and a capital bOatsWaln, spending
much of his time in cunning and boating
excursions in The lower counties OF Mary
| land, acquiring, in this way, a thorough
knowledge of the country, especially its
by-paths, forests, sWamps and creeks,
sought only by the hunter and fisher.
on the outbreak of the rebellion this
| knowledge made his services invaluable in
| the capacity Of guide for blockade runners,
and there is no doubt that ne has been
actively engaged in that business through
out the war. Doubtless ne was recon-
mended TO Booth as q suitable guido i'll his
| fight, and that the acquaintance between
them was formed in that way. But for
the severe injury received by Booth in
| jumping to the stage, by which he was
crippled, it is possible that the well arranged
| plan of escape might have succeeded, but
| the outraged flag Of our country trampled
upon by Booth, in his exit from the box,
would seem to have been endowed with
powers of volition, seiZing him by
the spur, and causing him to fall
crippled on the stage, whereby his
fight was interrupted and his few days
| of Cain-like existence made days Of agony
| intense. It is believed that had he not
| been Immediately captured, death would
| have ensued from modification of his
| broken leg, uncared for, as it necessarily
was, and in constant use. Traces at points
| of his route indicate that he attempted to
obliteratc the tell-tale marks of his crutch
| in the earth whereby his route may be
traced, and that he hoped on one leg, at
other points not using the crutch to the
| same end.
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