The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1867-05-31
THE BOOTH DIARY.
A True Copy of the Diary Taken from
the Body Of the Assassin.

"a iioe oopy OF tAe Diary Iaker from
the Body Of the Assassin.
New York. May 81.
Judge Advocate General Holt certifes
that the following is copy of the writing
in pencil, found in the diary taken from
the body of Booth -
EXTRACTS rkdh THE DIARY.
ssTeamo, April Is, l4-Friday, the 'ides.
Until to-day nothing was ever thought of
sacrificing to our country,s wrongs. For
six months we have worked to capture, but
our cause being almost lost something de-
cisive and great must be done, but its fail
ure was owing to others who did not strike
for their country with a heart. | struck
boldly, and not as the papers say. walked
with firm step through thousand of his
friends, and was stopped, but pushed on.
A Colonel was at his side. shouted SIC
sen,per' before [ fired. In jumping, broke
my leg. [ passed all his pickets, rode
sixty miles that night with the bone of my
leg tearing the flesh at every jump. | can
never repent il, though we hated to kill
Our country owed all her troubles to him,
and God simply made me the instrument
for his punishment. The country is not
april 1861 what it was. This forced
Union is not what | have loved l care
not what becomes of me. | have no de-
sire to outlive my country This night,
before the deed, | wrote long article,
left it for one of the editors of the Ma
t,onai Intelligencer, in which I fully set
forth the nature of our proceedings.
Friday, 2lst.-After being hunted like
dog through the swamps and woods, and
last night being chased by gunboat till |
was forced to return wet and starving, with
every mans hand against me, / am here
in despair, and why? for doing what Bru-
tus was honored for, and what made Tell
kill tyrant. Yet | for striking down
greater tyrant than ever they knew, am
looked upon as common cut-throat. My
act was purer than theirs. One hoped to
be great the other had not only his coun-
try's but his own wrongs to avenge. |
hoped for no gain. struck for my coun-
try and that at once-a country that groan-
ed beneath his tyranny and prayed for this
end, and yet now behold the cold hand
they extended to me. God cannot pardon
me If | have done wrong yet | cannot see
my wrong except in serving 9 degenerate
people The little, the very little left
behind me to clear my name, the Govern
ment will not allow to be printed. So ends
all for my country. | have given up all
that makes life sweet and holy, brought
misery upon my family, and am sure there
is no pardon in heaven for me since man
condemn me so. have only heard what
has been done except what | did myself,
and it fills NE with sorrow. God try and
forgive me and bless my mother. To night
Twill once more try the river, though |
| have greater desire, and almost mind
to return to Washington, and, in meas
ure, clear my name, as think | can do
I do not repent the blow. | tiak [ have
done well, though | am abandoned, with
the curse of Cain upon my brow, when If
the world knew my heart, that one blow
would have made me great, though | did
desire no greatness Tonight | try to es-
cape these blood hounds once more, Who
can read his fate God S will be done. |
have too great heart to die like a criminal.
Nav he spare me that and let nie die bra
vely. | bless the entire world; have
never hated or wronged any one. This
last was not wrong unless God judges it
so. and it is with him to damn Or save me.
Hard for this brave boy with me, who
often prays-yes, before and since this
with true heart Was it a crime in him
IF so. why can he pray? | do not wish
to shed drop of blood, but must fight
the course, tbs all that's left
Upon a piece Of paper found in the diary
and supposed to have been torn from it,
was written the following:
Dea--:(piece torn OUT. Forgive me, but
| have some little pride | cannot blame
you for want of hospitality. You know
your own affairs I was sick, tired with a
| broken limb and in need of medical assist
| ance. | would not have turned dog away
! from my door in such plight. However
you we've kind enough to give us some
thing to eat, for which | not only thank
you: not for the rebuke and manner in
which to-tpiecc torn out). 1t is not the
substance but the way in which kindness IL
extended that makes one happy in the ac-
ceptance thereof The sauce to meat is
ceremony. Meeting were bare without it..
Be kind enough to eccept the enclosed five
dollars, although hard to spare, for what
we have had. y
Judge Holt says,
The diary purports to be one for 1864,
and the leaves cut or torn from it probably
contained entries of that year, and were
thus destroyed by Booth himself 1t is abb
solutely certain that the diary is in all re-
spects as it was when it came into my
hands, and Colonel Conger, who was
prominent in the pursuit and capture of
Booth, after having carefully examined it
in my presence, on yesterday, declared its
condition to be precisely the same as when
he took it from Booths body when he was
shot. the writing being the same, and all
in it which it then contained
A Lively Ball in Oregon.