The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-04-08
Visit 70 DR.. NIudd.
HIS RETURN HoNE-A TALK WITH H1A-HIs
REMINIsCENCEs OF BOOTHS vIsIT-AN
INTERESTING PERSONAL SKETCH.


he now lives after his marriage. owned
wsli-stocked farm Of about thirty acrCs, and
was in the enjoyment of a pretty extensive
practice up to the time of his arrest in 1865.
The world went well and smoothly with
him previous to that unhappy event. His
house was furnished with all the comforts of
a country gentleman's residence. He had
his horses and hounds. and in the sporting
season, was foremost IN every fox hunt and
at every manly outdoor sport. He hal ro-
bust health, and vigorous, athletic frame
in those days, but it is very differnt with
him now
Above the middle hsighth, with reddish
mustache and chin whiskers. high fore
head and atteuuated nose, his appearance
Indicates a man of calm and slow reflection.
gentle in manner, and of very domestic
turn. He says he was born within few
miles of his house, and has lived all his life
in the county. His only desire now is to be
allowed to spend the balance of his days
quietly in the bosom of his family. In his
sunken, lustreless eye, ralid lips, and cold.
ashy complexion one can read the words -
DRY Tortugas." with a terrible significance.
In the prime of his years, looking prema-
turely old aud care-worn, there are few in
deed who could gaze on the wreck and raw
age in the face of this man before them
without feeling a sentiment of sympathy
and commiseration. ~ have come home"
said the Doctor, sorrowfully, "to find moth
ing left me but my house and family"
No money, no provisions, no crops IN the
ground, and no clear way before me where
to derive the means Of support in my pre-
sent enfeebled condition" There was no
deception here. In the scanty furniture OF
the house, and in the pale, sad cJunte; aUce
of the speaker, there was evidence enough of
poor aud altered fortune. 1t was now even
ing and growing rapidly dark. A big fire
blazad on the ample hearth. and Mrs. Mui1
an intelligent and handsome lady with one
of her children, jlined the ID 'ctor and our
selves in the conversation over the events Of
that memorable April morning after the
sassination.
Did you see Booth, Mrs. Mudd p we
inquired, with feeling Of intense interest
to near her reply.
Yes she replied. 'sI saw himself and
Harold, after they entered this parlor.-
Booth stretched himself out on that sofa
there, and Harold stopped down to whisper
something to him"
"How did Booth look ?''
Very bad. He seemed as though he had
been drinking very hard. His eyes were
red and swollen and his hair in disorder"
''Did he appear to suffer much 2"
Not after he had laid down on the sofa
In fact, it seemed as if hardly anything was
wrong with him then"
What kind of a fracture did Booth sus-
tain 2" we inquired, addressing the Doctor.
well, - said he, latter he was laid down
on that sofa, aud having told me his leg was
fractured by his horse falling on him, dur
ing his journey up from Richmond. took
knife and split the leg of his boot down to
| II IL. 81
it. ! then felt carefully with both hands
down along his leg, bnt at first could dis
cJver nothing like crepitatiol, till, after a
| second inves tigation. | found on the out
side, near the ankle, something that felt like
! in iurated flesh, aud then. for the first time
! couc.u led 1t was direct ami clean frac
ture OF the bone. ] then improvised. out
| Of paSteboard, a sort of hoot, that adhered
close enough to the leg to keep it rigidly
| straight below the knee, without at ali in
| terfering with the hexure of the leg. a
| low cut shoe was substituted for the leather
boot, and between FIVE and SIX o'clock in
the morning, Booth and his companion
started off for point on the river below.
"How did Booths horse Look after his
| long ride 2" we inquired.
THE boy, after putting him in the sta
ble," the Doctor replied, reported that his
saddle was raw and bloody. Th;s circum-
stance Tailed with Booths account that he
had beer riding all day previous from Rich
mond, and no suspicion arose in my mind
for one instant that the man whose leg
was attending to was anything more than
what he represented himself"
''You knew Booth before, Doctor ~
yes" replied the Doctor. Il was first
introduced to Booth ip November, 1864. at
the church yonder, spoke few words to
him. and never saw him afterwards until a
little while before Christmas, when l hap
penei to be in Washington making few
purchases, aud waiting for some friends
from Baltimore, who promised to meet me
at the Peuusylvania House, ard come here
TO spend the holidays. l was walking past
the National Hotel at the time, when per-
son tapped me on the shoulder, and, on
turning round, discovered it was the geu-
tleman | was introduced to at the church,
about six weeks previously. He asked me
aside for a moment, and said he desired an
introduction to John Ii. Surratt, with whom
he presumed was acquainted. SAID that
| was. Surratt and became almost neces-
sarily acquainted from the fact of his living
on the road l travelled SO often on my wav
to Washington, and having the only tavern
on the way that cared to visit. Booth and
l walked along the avenue three or four
blocks. when we suddenly came across Sur
ratt and Weichman, and all four having be-
come acquainted. we adj to the Ma
tional Hotel and had rouHd Of drinks
The witnesses in my case swore that Booth
and l moved to a corner of the room and
were engaged for an hour or so in secret
consultation. That was barefaced lie.-
The whole four of US were in loud and open
conversation all the time we were together,
and when we separated we four never met
again.
''You told the soldiers, Doctor, the course
the fugitives pursued after leaving your
house7'
''I did. told them the route that Booth
told me he intended to take; but Booth, it
seems, changed his mind after quitting here,
aud vent another way. This was natur-
al enough yet was straightway accused