Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-11-27

messenger had come from the White
House to the theater to say that the
President and Gen. Grant, with Mrs.
Lincoln and Mrs. Grant, would visit the
theater that evening. At that hour when
the messenger came with this announce
ment. Booth must have been about getting
out of bed or at breakfast; and as Booth
had already seen Mrs. Surratt, and as she
was then bowling along in buggy toward
Surrattsville, 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 trial-that
she went to SurrattsvilIe on Booths er-
rand, with foreknowledge Of his purpose
to undertake the assassination at the
theater that evening-collapses in the
first place. Booth had no possible means
of knowing, nor is it supposed that he
knew, anything about the purpose OF Mr..
Lincoln to attend the evening perform
ance until he visited the theater at this
time, and heard the news from Harry
Fo-d's tongue.
The writer then goes on to give the
movements of Booth after leaving the
theater. He first went to the Kirkwood
House, walking much faster than was his
usual custom. Here, it is supposed. he
met Atzerott, who, with Payne and Har-
old. are known to have been in the pre-
yious plot to abduct the President and
carry him to Richmond. After this visi
to the Kirkwood House, Booth was mo-
seen on foot during the afternoon. !!
was there the plan was probably arranged
Atzerott was to take the life OF Wee
President johnson; Payne was to slaugh
] ter Secretary Sew ard and Booth under.
took to attend to both the President ano
I General Grant.
I Booth whereabouts between his leav
ing the Kirkwood House and his second
4. appearance at Ford's Theater at NIGH
were never conjectured. One clue alone
! has been afforded to them. Payne stated
| in prison before his execution that they
| met again; that some doubt arose, and
that it was not till eight o'clock that
night the fnal resolve was made. Har-
old was appointed to conduct Booth
along the route beyond Washington.
The visit to DR.. Mudd was made solely
at the suggestion OF Harold, to have
Booths broken ankle set and tied will
splits. The doctors house was consid
erable distance from the direct line o.
escape. Booth and Harold arrived late
at night, when Booth explained to tn
doctor that he was hurt by being throw
from his horse. He remained after th'
doctor had attended to his ankle to hav'
crutch made, and then left. When n
had finished with his patient, DR.. Nude
Quilted the room, and did not see Bootl
near enough to speak with him again
but observed him at distance leaving
the place with Harold.
Arnold (now under sentence for life]
was, at the time of tho assassination, ant
had been for weeks, employed in sut
ler's store at Footress Monroe. There II
no trace of any correspondence and ne
evidence of an interview between Arnolt
and Booth during the month OF April
O'Laughlin (now dead), whom barber
at the trial of Surratt, swore Booth hat
called "Mac," was employed in Balti
more, but was in Washington, on busi
ness, the day of the assassination. Hi'
movements were perfectly accounted to
by some officers of the navy. Spangle
was at and about the thester. His ADM
ration for Mr.. Lincoln and his innocen,c,
of completely or knowledge in Booth
plan are firmly believed in by everybod,
who knew him. He was not even ar
rested for several days.