The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-05-01


ALI the rest, with cooked pistols at the
young mans head, followed on tothe barn.
1t lay hundred yards from the house, the
front ba door facing the west gable, and
was Rn old and spacious structure, with
hoors only 8 trife above the ground level.
SURROUNDING THE BARN.
The troops, dismounted, we're stationed
at regular intervals around it, and ten yards
distant at every point, four special guards
placed to command the door, and all with
weapons insupple preparation, while Baker
and Oonger went direct to the door. It
had paddock upon it, and the key OF this
Baker secured at once. In the interval Of
silence that ensued, the rustling of planks
snd straw was heard inside, as of persons
rising from sleep.
A FARLEY.
At the same moment Baker hailed:
'fTo the persons in this barn. have q
proposal to make; we are about to send
In TO you the son of the man in whose Gus
tody you are found. Either surrender to
him your arms and then give yourselves
up, or We'll set fire to the place. We mean
to take you beth, or 70 have bonfire and
3 shooting match.
No answer came TO this of any kind.
The lad, John NJ. Garrett, who was in
deadly fear, was here pushed through the
door by a sudden opening of it, and imme-
dIstely Lieutenant Baker locked the door
on the outside. The boy was heard TO
state his appeal in undertone. Booth re-
piled:
"Dsmn you. Get out of here. You have
BETRAYED me-"
At the same time be placed bis hand in
bis pocket IS for pistol. A remonstrsnce
followed, but the boy slipped on and over
the re-opened portal, reporting that bis
errsnd hsd failed, and that he dared not
enter again.
The collOquy that followed, in which
Harold gave up his arms, and Booth, after
proposing to f. ht the party at fifty yards
distance, declared thst he would die rather
than surrender, has already beentrsnsmit-
ted by telegraph. The barn was then fred,
in order to drive Booth out from it.
Behind the blaze with bis eyes to q crack,
Conger saw Wilkes Booth standing up
right upon 8 crGtch. He likens him at
this instant TO his brother Edwin, whom he
says he so much resembled that ne half be-
lieved for the moment, the whole pursuit
TO have BEEN mistake. At the CLEAN of
the FIRE Wilkes dropped his crulch and
csrbine, dnd on both hands crept up to the
spot to espy the incendiary and sh )ot him
dead. In vain he peered with vengeance
in his lot k; the blaze tina made him visi-
BILE concealed his enemy. A second he
turned glaring al the fire, IS ifto leap upon
it and extinguish it, but it had made such
headwsy that this was a futile impulse and
he dismissed it. As calmly SIS upon the
battlefield 8 veteran stands amidst the hail
of ball and shell, and plunging iron, Booth
turned at mans stride and pushed for
the door, csrbine in poise, and the last "a
solve of death, which we name despair,
set on his high, bloodless forehead,
DEATH.
As 30 he dushed, intent to expire not
unsccompsnied, disobedient sergeant at
an eye-hole drew upon him the fatal bead.
A shock, shout, gathering up of his
splendid figure as if to overtip the stature
God gave him, aud John Wilkes Booth
fell hesdlong TO the floor, lying there in q
heap, little life remaining. But no.
"He hiss shot himself" cried Baker, un-
hWhAb VI t44b vi kAO AOpD4tJ hAu
rushing in, he grssped his arms to guard
against any feint or strategy. A moment
convinced him that further struggle with
the prone flesh was useless. Booth did
not move, nor bresthe, nor gasp. Conger
and two sergesnts now entered, and taking
up the body, they bore it in haste from
the advancing fame, and laid it without
upon the gates, all fresh with heavenly
dew.
"Water," cried Conger, "bring water"
When this was dashed into his face, he
revived q moment and stirred his lips.
Baker put his ear close down, and heard
him say:
"Teil .mother-and die-fOr my cOun-
try"
They lifted him again, the fire encrosch-
ing in holiness upon them, and placed him
on the porch before the dwelling
upon q msttrsss and given brandy and
water. Meantime the fire, which had
nearly destroyed the barn, was prevented
from spreading to the corn-cribs. When
he was able to srticulate again, he muttered
to Lieutenant Baker the same words, with
country. 1 thought 1 did for the best"
Baker repeated this, saying at the same
time, "Booth, do repeat it correctly"
Booth nodded his head. Twice he was
heard to say, "kill me, kill me" His lips
often moved but could complete no appre-
cisble sound. He made once motion
which the quick eye of Conger understood
10 mean that his throat panied him. Con-
ger put his finger there, when the dying
man attempted 10 cough, but only caused
the blood ut his perforated neck to flow
more lively. He Dled very little, although
shot quite through, beneath and behind the
ears, his collar being severed on both
sides.
A soldier had been meanwhile despatch
ed for doctor, but the route and return
was quite six miles, and the sinner was
sinking fast. Still the women made efforts
TO get TO see him, but were always rebufed,
and all the brandy they could find was
demanded by the assassin, who motioned
for strong drink every two minutes. He
made frequent desires to be turned over,
not by speech, but by gesture. and he was
alternately placed upon his back, belly and
side. HIS tremendous vitslity evidenced
itself most mirseulously. Now and then
his heart would cease to throb, and his
pulses Woulu De rs cOld hs QehQ man s.
Directly life would begin anew, the face
would flush up efficiently, the eyes open
and brighten, and soon relspsing, stiffness
would again be dispOssessed by
the same magnificent triumph of man over
Finally the fussy little doctor
arrived in time to De useless. He probed
The wound to see if the ball were not in it,
and shook his head ssgely, and talked
learnelly.
A LAST REQUEST.
Just st his coming Booth had asked to
have his hands raised and shown him |
They were SO psralyzed that he did not |
Know their location. When they were |
displayed he muttered, with sad lethargy
useless" These were the las,
words he ever uttered. As he began TO |
lie the sun rose and threw beams into all |
he tree-tops. 1t WAS of q mans height
when the struggle OF death tWitched and
fingered in the fading brsvo's face. His
sW drew spssmodically and obliquely
downward; his eyebSlls rolled toward his
ees, and began 10 swell; hVidness, like q
lOrrible shadow, fastened upon him, and,
With sort of gurgle and sudden check, he
tretched his feet and threw his head back
nd gave up the ghost.
BACKWARD.