Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1867-06-06
vIRGINIA FREE PRESS.
Grave of J. wilkes Booth.

Simultaneously, almost, with the publication
of the mysterious diary ef j. Wilkes Booth,
comes forth book of what purports TO be the
experience Of the notable Lafayette l.. Z. Ba-
ker, chief detective Of the War Department
during the war, and who was finally dismissed
from his general "-ship at the instance Of the
President, for having undertaken TO dominate
the White House In this book Baker, or
those who got it up for him, essays to solve the
mystery that attended the final disposition Of
the remains of John Wilkes Booth. Stories
were afloat that the body was strangely mutt
lated, that the head was removed, the heart Ia
ken out, and that finally the poor corpse was
mysteriouIy buried with a number Of other
felons, and the ground smoothed over, so that
the grave might never again be recognizet.-
The facts, according to Baker, lwho ought to
know,l are that,
In order to establish the identity of the
body Of the assassin beyond al! question, the
Secretary of War directed me % Summon num-
Der of witnesses residing in the CITY Of WASH
ington, who had previously known the murder
er. Some two years previous to the assassina-
ton of the President, Booth had had tumor
or cdrJuncle cut from his neck by a surgeon.-
On inquiry, ascertained that Dr.. May, we'll
known and very Skil1ll surgeon, Of twenty
FIVE years practice in Washington, had per-
formed the operation"
Accordingly, called on DR.. May, who,
before seeing the body, minutely described the
exact locality of the tumor, the nature and
date Of the operation, &c. After being sworn
he pointed to the scar in the neck, which was
plainly visible Five other witnesses were ex-
amined, all Of whom had known the aSsssin
intimately for years The various newspaper
accounts, referring to the mutilation of Booth 5
body, are equally absurd Gen. Barnes, Sur
geon-General United States Army WAS on board
the gun-boat where the post murtern examina-
tion was held, with his assistants. General
Barnes cut from Booths neck about two inches
If the spinal column through which the ball
had passed this piece OF bone, which Is now
ON exhibition in the Government Medical Nu-
scum III Washington, is the only relic Of the
assassins body above ground. and this is the
only ,nutilation Of the remains that ever oc-
urred Immediately after the conclusion oi
the examination, the Secretary OF War gave
orders as TO the disposition Of the body, which
had become very offensive, owing to the condi-
ton in which il had remained after death; the
leg, broken in jumping from the box to the
stage, was much discolored and swollen, the
blood frum the wound having saturated hisun-
der-cluthing. With the assistance of Lieut.. H.
b. Baker, took the body frum the gunboa'
dire,t to the old Pelitentiary. adjoining the Ole
Arsenal grounds The building had not beer
used as prison for some years previously. =
The Ordinance Department had files. tiegrount
moor cells with fixed aInmuIIitiorI--Uhe OF tb,
largest of these cells was selected as the buria
place Of Booth--the ammunition was removed
large flat stone lifted from its place. rud'
grave dug, the body was dropped III, the grave
iilcd up, the stone replaced, and there rests g.
this hour all that remains Of John Wilke
Booth"