Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1868-11-20

tHdTkiuS III Careless SoII VI souo W. ~ :
they haven't got Lee prisoner; they .rtaln-
u wouldn't bring him to Washington"
+ 1t was emily an hour or two before mes
senger had come from the White House to the
theatre to say that the President and General
Grant, with Mrs. Lincoln and Mrs. Grant.
would visit sthe theatre that evening. AT
that hour, when the messenger came With this
announcement, Booth must have been about
getting out of bed at breakfast; and as
Booth had already seen Mrs. Surratt. and as
she was then bowling along in a. buggy to-
wards Surrattsvile, and as she was not to,
and did not return to Washington till nearly
or after dusk, the case endeavored to be made
out against her on the tria-that she went to
Surrattsyille on Booths errand, with fore
knowledge of his purpose to undertake the as
sassinatior at the theatre that evening-col-
lapses in the first place. Booth had no. pos
sibe means Of knowing, nor IS it supposed
that he knew, anything about the purpose OF
Mr.. Lincoln to attend the evening perform
ance, until be visited the theatre at this time
aud heard the news from Harry Fords
tongue.
The writer then goes on to give the move
ments of Booth after leaving the theatre
He first went to the Kirkwood House, walk
ing muct, faster than was his usual custom
Here, it is supposed, he met Atzerot, VITO
with Payne and Herod, are known to have
been 10 the previous plot to abduct the Presi-
dent and carry him to Richmond. After this
visit to the Kirk wood House Booth was moi
seen on foot during the afternoon. 1t was
there the plan was probably arranged; Atze.
rodt was to take the life of Vice President
johnson; Payne was to slaughter Secretary
Seward, and Booth undertook to attend t.
both the President and General Grant.
Booths whereabouts, between his leaving
the Krkwood House and his second appear
ance at Ford's Theatre at night, were never
conjectured. One clue alone has been afford.
ed to them. Payne stated in prison before
his execution that they met again that some
doubt arose, and that it was not until o.
clock that night the final resolve was made
Herold was appointed to conduct Booth along
the route beyond Washington. The visit t,
Dr. Murld was made solely at the suggestion
of Herold, to have Booths broken ankle sci
and tied with splnts. The doctors house
was a considerable distance from the direct
line of escape. Booth and Hernld arrived
late at night, when Booth explained to the
doctor that he was hurt by being thrown from
his horse. He remained after the doctor hao
attended to his ankle, to have crutch made
and then left. When he had finished witt
his patient, Doctor Mudd quilted the room
and did not see Booth near enough to speak
to him again, but observed him at distance
leaving the. place with Herold.
Arnold lnow under sentence for life) was a
the time of the assassination, and had beer
for weeks, employed, in a suffers store a
Fortress Monroe. There is no trace of any
corresp ondence and no evidence Of an inter
view between Arnold and Bnoth during tn.
month of April. O'Laughln, .tnow dead
whom barber at the trial Of J. II. Surratt
swore Booth had called /" Mac" was employed
in Baltimore, but was in Washington on bu.
siness the day Of the assassination. Hi'
motehnents were perfectly accounted for b,
some officers of the navy. Sparsler was a
and about the theatre. His admiration fo
Mr.. Lincoln, and his innocence Of COMPLETELY
nrr1fy De-
lieved in by everybody who knew him. H.
was not even arrested for several days. z
The World, in referring to the letter OF
its correspondent says: e. b.
President johnson. not less certainly than
every other fair minded citizen, must be deep
y interested in seeing that the one reparation
which can be offered to persons so infinitely
wronged is promptly made. He cannot have
forgotten that, on the morning of the fatal 7th
of July, 1865, young girl, Anna Surratt'by
name. came a suppliaut to the White House
and threw herself prone upon the steps be-
meath its portico and vainIy besought permits
sion to enter and plead to him for her meth
er's lfe. He cannot forget how his enemies,
who did not hesitate in the passion Of that
time to brtiit the fonl-hardy but terrible in
situation that he, the Vice President, had "a
betted the assassin who made the Presidents
chair his seat, also openly charged that his re-
fusal of mercy to Mrs. Surratt and these pris-
oners was inspired by personal fear. Nor
can he forget that his best friends regretted
at the time, and have never ceased to sorrow,
that his magnahimity did not at once impel
him to stay the course Of slaughter and in-
justice which swept an innocent woman off
the scaffold and four innocent men into dis
graceful servitude. What is there now to
prevent President johnson from instituting
an inquiry into matter so notorious as this,
and indicating this womans memory for her
chidren's and the nations SAKE. and giving
these men their rights as citizens2 For his
own sake, as well, we call upon him to do
justice, and release these prisoners"