Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-10-03
wilkes Booth Again.
A NEW SOLUTION oP rHB MYSTERY.

A NEW SOLUTION oP THR MYSTERY.
We publish the following letter be-
cause it comes to US from gentleman
in whose truthfulness we have reason to
put confidence, and who holds posi-
ton which should be a guarantee OF his |
integrity. But the story which he tells |
isa very strange one, and he may have !
been imposed upon by the Alabama |
refugee, though he assures US that the |
said refugee was known to him as "a
gentleman of unimpeachable character.
The story is as dramatic as the topic
upon which it bears is mysterious
Editors Democrat Having heard so
much concerning this most mysterious
Of all mysteries, l am led to relate
story as it was told to me by gentle
man in the month of May 1866, who
was upwards Of fifty years old. This
man was not an entire stranger to my
| self, and feel bound to say, that so far
as my business transactions with him
were concerned, ne proved himself strict
| ly honorable. He was q refugee from
the State Of Alabama, and employed in
1864 and 1865 in the Quartermaster's
Department at Washington, D, c.
We were seated one evening eXchang-
| ing our views as to the best mode Of re-
constructing the Southern States, when
he stated "You believe J. Wilkes Booth
is dead. but | do not" and to my sur
| prise he continued-'yes | surely believe
that he was alive June lst, 1865 and my
reasons for believing so are these: l had
lust been discharged from Government
| faH in M
evening soon after the supposed Booth
had been captured and killed, when L
heart low rap at my room door and,
at the request to come in, a poor, old
beggar entered, apparently sixty years
old-gray- haired, wrinkled visage, and
bumped baCk-carrying small bundle
Of clothes. He begged me TO pity the
sorrows OF a poor old man, who had
lust lost his only son in the Union army,
and asked shelter for the night. | gave
him a bed in an apartment separated
from my own by plank temporarily
nailed upright, which had been done by
other employees, who were then dis
charged and gone home, | gave the old
beggar my lamp and retired to my cot.
From where | lay | could see all his
movements within the little room
through q knot-hole in the plank, and
noticed he was extremely particular
about g blind for the little window, and
he even took off his cost and used it for
a blind and then seated himself at q
small table and began writing with a
! pencil. | watched him closely, and he
| wrote perhaps ten minutes, and then
, walked out into my room, and asked the
way out, saying that he was sick. !
opened the,door for him and he walked
out, and | resumed my bed. He had moi
! been out long when some one asked him
t in low tone if he was ready. He re
-. piled. ayes, what news?" and was an
, | swered, None only Mr.. Johnson wish
" rs you to make haste. He says he can
: not breathe easy until you are on board
3, the vessell-"-"And no doubt he wishes
e the vessel may founder" was my guest
n reply, rather hoarsely and scarcely audi
y BILE; but he continued 81 must be off Il
the morning, so farewell jack
Il Then he returned to his room, and
n asked him if he was going across the oc
a cean, which question seemed to startl
r. him and after short pause, he replied
n that he expected to be off early in tn
| $3.50
ming came he was gone-and l hav
never seen him since.
h When sweeping ont my little cabi
le next morning, picked up from the hoo
o. six small bits Of paper nearsthe tabl
Is where the beggar was writing the nigh
I'd before, they having been torn up fror
,e some cause. | placed them togethe
ae but could see no sense In the writing
ze yet being somewhat curious to kno'
ID what it meant, put the pieces into
Of small envelope, and laid it away, an
Id never thought OF it again until recently
Id when was overhauling my old paper
ne this envelope drew my attention, and
N then pasted all the bits on a scrap
". letter paper. | could see in mome'
Ii. that it was cypher, and my curiosity WI
re excited to solve the mystery. Week aft
nd week, perplexed my brain over it. ar
We finally when about to give it up, luz
is favored me, and | stumbled upon Il
H. key, and the following translation vi
H. my reward
lie, DR.. Friend-I shall ever rememb
a. your kindness. The J. d. governme
cannot aid me now, and if fall to {
ty cape, God only knows my fate, and 20
re- arm will be powerless. If you succe
nd in your part, shall return; otberwi'
ed never. Yes, leave tomorrow. YOU
rd IN life and death.
ed wv. B.
nd "Now," continued this old man, "tf
or letter explains my reason for believi
la Booth escaped. l believed the old bt
ay gar was no other than j. Wilkes Boot
the assassin" Such was his story, VIC
FOR word, as near as can remember, a
rer such is the mystery connected with
90 terrible tragedy of April 14th, 1866.
no Aug. 90 1867. W. W. z