Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-10-19

CES FROM TIE GARRETT FAMILY.
| a correspondent of the Cincinnati Cone
moyciaJ writes an interesting account of a
recent trip over the route of Booths flight
after the assassination, and a visit to the
scene of his death. We extract from it the
following:
| thought, on that spot, and at that time,
how forsakcn of home and God Booth must
have felt, limping up on his crutch, cinging
| to his carbne, full of his deadly secret yet
with the lustian claim that he deserved the
! last crust of the South for the revenge he
! had achieved for them. There is no place
| for contemplation like a. theatre when the
audience is gone This gate Wilkes Booth,
as | did, passed in, limping. When ho
went out again his feet were sore no more.
| A dog barkcd as | went down the lane,
! through second gate, and turning up to-
ward the locust grove and dwelling, steps
came down the porch. | climbed the wood
en- steps and asked the old man if | could
| buy some supper.
lie said that he did not keep hotel, but
| that it did not become him to dismiss pco-
| pie hungry on the road. Come in and
share. | went through the same portal, my
horse to the site Of the same barn the assas-
sin made memorable. 4 table was already
spread, and sat down to Virginia sup
! per- | knew all the people around me.
| The son, who had crcpt into the barn, and
demanded the surrender of the tugiuves,
sat at my side, 4 quiet, countrytied lad
| The sisters, who had spongcd Booths mouth
when he was dying, and heard alone, OF all
women, his last words, were passing in and
out with relays Of warm bread. The ola
man, who had been stricken dumb by u
! pistol presented at his head, ere he was well
awake, was wheezily munChing at the food.
Here were the same prints on the wall, and
among them an illustrated papers depletion
| Of the shooting of Booth in the barn. 1t
gave me an opportunity to say: "Times arc
less troublous, and guests, hope, OF surcr
| character
1--WE can't say the last, altogether, sir.
/ There's been so many summons to go to
( court, and so many inquiries about us, that
we don't feel quite secure yet. In fact, we
got bad visitor once, and the ghost of him
don't seem to quit us. Our barn was good
one, and we felt the loss of it. Nobody
ever paid Us for it. The officers tore up our
bed linen, and got one of our horses. We
never received cent in pay. For good
while, people roamcd around our house
without permission. They dill say we were
! party Of the assassination for awhile. 1t
was lust an accident, as | may say, that sad
died us with Booth. Why, bless you, he
was desperate enough to compel us to give
him bed and food
Further, | cleaned these impressions of
the final hours of Booths life lie was in
q sort of wild state after lie entered the
house. His limb panied him very much,
and he slept on settec, brokenly and NUT
teringly. lie was polite however, but very
nervous, and greatly desirous of having
Harold come 30 him. His manner altcrna-
ted between the darkest dies pOndcncy and il
sort of ecstucy lie spoke OF his mother
once in a sort OF childish dependence. He
wcs feyerish and drank much water, looked
well TO the road, and kept his carbinc close
to him. Some of the family suspected him
of being one of the conspirators, but had
little idea that he was the head of the trag-
cdy. Once or twice his manner changed
from the conversational to the threatening,
and hc succeeded in keeping the whole
household tolerably well alarmed The
younger folks believed him merely a dis
charged soldier, wounded and tlighty.-
Once he said: "Men are all selfish, North
and South. You might as well die for q
nation of Yankees as of Virginians."
, Another time he cried, out of silence =
Good Cod to be dying, and going away
from home all the time !" lie asked ques
lions with regard to the murder OF Mr.. Lin
! coin, and said that he was the worst tyran'
that ever lived. His pain Of BODY was the
, CHIEF theme lie had. All were kind to him
: but when Harold came back they conferred
together and resolved to hide III the barn
to the relief of all in the house.
: Booth had not slept wink when the
place was surrounded Although it was
! ! then near morning, he had been hearC
groanng and grumbling in the straw al
night, so much SO that it was said IN the
: house he was as great nuisance as howl
ing dog.
After he was shot his hour or two Of lif,
: was pitiable paralysis. He could neither
, say nor motion anything eloquent. iii:
face got to be oXpressiyclcss of any sort O
: intelligence; and, though once very hand
some, it looked almost like ncgro's wheI
> hc died.
; The sentiment of the Garrett house is o
= pity for his personal sufierinSs, without re
gard to the question of his deserts. One o
! the women said to me:
. "If he had been Judas, and talked 81
: about his home would have pitled nm.
/ went out in the night and stood Oy th'
= site of the old barn. They have bullI
II second shelter for their hogs and teams, bu
| mere inc SIOullNl 10 bulS uh'' p'NS''N -
:, 1t is n scorched place. After the Ire wen
q out, and incendiarics and assassins were al
gone, the old folks grumblcd much at tn
: loss of the structure, for it was good barn
&c though an old one Then one Of the deteo
&c tiyes came back and found in the ashes som
y relics of Booth; the neighbors came IN an'
!. got nail or bolt apiece, as relic.
c could not find one charred omber to carr
{; away only the ground is burnt dry, rs
y with lightning.
Here | could hear the mules munich /
IS their stalls near by All the cries OF tn
4 night came from the woods. A dog and
u negro followed me out from the house, til
= latter to get my horse.
"a "Did you ever see Booths ghost, Tom
ie 'No, sab No gose neba visit me but q
&c rosc oh hard cash Folks in the neiGhbo
le hood believe in Boots comm back. som
Us ob dem sec him, but guess dey look ic
= him."
| got a saddle, and stood moment Il
- king a last winkful of the scene. Du
es enough for the birthplace of Richard Ba!
'h tor-it seemed strange place for vii
IL actor to die in. There never was hle
o. crime, committed for fame, so disappontir
as Booths lie died like gypsy, and h
only illumination was that Of the poor SHE
al ter he found blasted for his sake.
in - -
Ct Southern Missouri is especially adapted