The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-08-10
fFrem the New York World.1
The Booth Diary-Is it Forgery?

The newspapers print what purports to
be the diary of John Wilkes Booth. Af-
ter an Examination Of the document j
have no hesitancy in pronouncing this
pretended diary forgery.
1t was probably written at the instiga-
tion Of the detective Baker, by some news.
paper correspondent. 1t bears in every
line the marks Of invention. In some
places this is ovordoue. Booth is made
to say: IL shouted sic sepaper' before
fred" 1t is absurd to suppose that the
real Booth would have written such a
thing. Again 'In jumping broke my
leg | rode sixty miles that night with
the bone Of my leg tearing the flesh at
every jump" Then, the bone Of his leg
still tearing the flesh, enemies on every
side, all the crossings guarded, the fatal
circle Of foes steadily closing in. every
second Of time Of incalculable value, the
necessity Of deyoting every faculty to the
business Of escape matter Of absolutely
vital Importance, Booth sits down to write
several hundred words OF maudln non
sense. There is hardly scmblance Of
reality in that "diary" Ii is just such q
work as an ingenious sensational CORES
pondent might have produced.
But what necessity for forging a diary?
One Of two things is true. Either Baker
and his associates killed the wrong man,
or killing the right man, they forged this
diary in order To magnify the Importance
Of thciV deed and the importance of the
supposed plot which resulted in assassina.
ton, If ono supposes that they killed
tho wrong man, dozen circumstances
arc explained. Then one understand
why tho story that Booth is still alive il
so frequently re.afErmed why men, ap
Parcntly responsible, deliberately an
nounce that they have seen him wbj
the corpse Of the supposed assassin VA
so mysicriousIy hurried into concealed
pit why even the clothing Of the sup
posed Booth was destroyed why theri
was everywhere a labored attempt 4
prove that Booth had indeed been killed
Tt Is reasonably plain that there was ~
f':piot." 10 the trne meaning Of the term
for the assassination OF Mr.. LIncolu. 4
great deal Of party capital has been mad
out Of the supposition that there was
gigantic, far reaching, carefully elabora
ted conspiracy. But no evidence in sur
port Of the assertion has been produced
To be sure, Baker says there was plot
but Baker forged the ridicnlous stor
about the attempted suicide of Wirii
Conover says there was plot; but Cor
over has been convicted Of perjury. s
Marie says that Surratt has said there wa
n plot: but II is the opinion of the mas
Of thinking men that ST. Marie is anotI
cr Conover; the officers of the eoveir
ment evidently think So IT suits th
the purpose of Radical politicians to kee
mp the sensation about vast conspiracy
. II suits Secretary S;anton's purposes. Br
there is not an atom Of proof that an
such conspiracy has ever had existence.
/ Secretary Stanton and Baker know wh
forged that diary, If forged il is. Stanto
says the book was brought To his hons
by Baker a few days after the death {
Booth. Baker got it-whcre? Did h
, not procure it to be written, as he procui
J ed the Wirtz story TO be written, by
newspaper correspondent? IF 50. why
But what is the necessity for forgery
These are questions that must be ar
. swered sooner or later