Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-10-12
The Resnaino Of wilkes Booth
From the Washington Star.

The Remains Of wilkes Booth.
From the Washington Star.
Tho body Of J. Wilkes Booth. the princi
pal Of the conspirst0rs, who was killed in
the attempt 10 capture him at CARROTS
farm, near Port Royal, on the RsppahAn
mock river, on the 26th Of April, 1865. WAS
buried in what was known as the wareroom
Of the penitentiary building-tbat portion
between the part used ~ . dwelling by the
warden and the prison proper-and, in this
connection. it seems to be the proper time
now to give the following particulars, here>
tofore unpublished, concerning the secret
interment Of the remains. The body Of
Booth, with Harold and the captore. Lieut..
Col. Couger, Lieut. l.. +. Baker, Lieut.. Z.
P. Dougherty, and . detachment Of the
10th New York Cavalry. arrived At the Ma
~ Yard at q o'clock on the morning ofthe
9th Of April. when the body of j. Wilkes
Booth was placed on the monitor Montauk,
on which others charged with being con
cerned in the conspiracy were confined and
Harold was assigned to quarters on board.
No visitors ere allowed on board the mon
tor, but during the day large numbers Of
prisons visited the yard and saw the body
from the wharf. it being laid on the car.'en
ters bench. near the turrct Of the vessel
| Surgeon General Barnes, with Surgeon
Todd, of the monitor, and one or two army
surgeons, made post norton examination
| uf the body, and rcmo.ed two of the verte.
bie between which the ball which caused
the death had passed. We can positively
assert that this was the only portion of the
body removed, and that the various reports
put in circulation q. the time hat his head
vas taken off, his heart taken out, &c. were
entirely unfOunded. A pine box had been
made previously, in which to bury his re-
mains; but this was not used, and about
O'Clock on The day Of its arrival up river, the
body was wrapped in gray army blanket
and placed in . boat, in which was an Of.
Ger Of the monitor, With four sailors, Gen.
Baker. and two detectives. The boat pru>
ceeded down stream. and finally stopped At
the lower arsenal wharf, on which the body
Vas placed, after which the boat returned
to the monitor, leaving Gen. Baker and his
assistants in the arsenal grounds. Some
few persons empiored at the arsenal saw
the body lying there during the evening !;
but . report having been put out that Il
was the body of . soldier who had been
| drowned, but little attention was paid to il.
Two men, who had occasion to remove the
body, having 70. some blood on their hands,
came near spreading the report that il was
Booths body; but being admonshed to
quietly wash the blood of aud keep their
mouths shut, they did so. and but few per-
sons became aware that the body vas other
than that Of a drowned soldier, as had been
re. ortcd. The body remained OH the whasf
until after nightfall, when preparations we're
made for the intermcnt. Secretary Stan>
ton. Gen Dyer. Chief Of Ordnance, and
| Col. Benton, Commander. Of the Post. were
On the ground, as we'll a. Gen. Bakor and
his d,tectives. Three inen Of the laborers'
gang we're sent for, and they were first d.
rected TO dig grave 10 oIe Of the peniteu-
tiary cells, but. after taking up the brick
flooring, they came 70 the granite f,unda.
ton laid in cement, and they pronounced
the work inpraeticable. A spot vac then
selected in the waIereem, I've o. six feet
south Of the iron door openine into the
prison from the wasden's department, and
they we're directed to dig the grave to the
depth Of about 10 feet The grave being
ready, the body. encased in On ammunition
box. or arms case, was brought 10 By four
81 the ordnance men, in charge Of . SER
eean:. lowered into the grave, and il was
filed, the brick flooring being mostly res
placed, and the surplus earth removed to
another portion Of the room The burial
having been accomplished, tbs windows
were boarded up end the door made secure,
Secretary Stanton taking the key With bin.
This key was kept ct the War Dspsstm
until few weeks ago, when it was returned
to the arsenal officers.