The New York herald., 1869-03-31

fields lie All around while fences the rule and
| mornins. in the year 1885, when Booth and Harold,
| with their guilty. souls stepped In the blackest N
fanny and eternal despair staring mem a ~ a ,s ,aee
| TO the doomed doniice OF Mudd. In Inc neantlLhc
we can tell our own story: Guessing III tne absence
| standing over In the leds was the one we were In
quest OF, we drove across, and having hitched me
horses fence took lesurey survey oi the ground
noting especially the beauty and seclusion of lhe
| situation. There were several outhouses, one
barn, the other stable, standing at distance OF
few hundred feet nom the dwelling. garden Ia
| which nothing appeared TO be growing, sen-clr-
cnar area in front OF the house planted IN low Wus
spreading cedars. extensive strip on one SIDE of
rolling meadow land and on the other long lfrogu
lar line OF pine uees constituted the chiei features
We Knocked for admission at the same door that
Booth did after his six hours rde--t TOOK US right
| and were promptly answered by pale ana serious
looking gentleman, VINO, answer 10 our inquiry u
| he We're Dr.. Mudd, replied, "Ihars my name" IL
| was gratifying alter 50 long journey to ind the
| man you sought directly OH hand and apparently
| prepared TO furnish you with the anpiess stores
Of Information regarding MS connection wi. Win
| that the HERALD iet an interest IN learning some
| particulars of ms experience IN the Dry Iortnsas
and his recoections the assassination consplra-
| tors--hs face grew extremely serious and ne an
swered that OF all things he wished 10 avoid was
| newspaper publicity, simply because nothing was
| ever printed III connection with his name tha6
| did not mlsrepresent him.
a burned child breads the fire." he exclaimed
sand have reason 10 be suspicious OF every one 10
was In this way Booth came 70 my house, represent
ag hse as being on Journey M ro on S pr 70
ing his leg and Otherwise inurlng him. SIX months
or SO from nov, when my mind Is more settled and
when understand what changes have taken place
IN public opinion regarding me, shall be prepared
to speak freely and July on these matters you are
anxious to know about At present, ior The reason
stated, would rather not say anything"
Having, however, convinced the DOCTOR that It
that we paid him this visit and that between Bootns
case and ours there was no analogy, he Invited vs.
to pass the evening at mis- house aud postpone our
rain m Vloa on ma mi taff
for while Ia the parlor, an ample, square apart
nent with folding doors separating y from the dn-
ing roon We began 10 feel an irresistible lnclinagl0n
to imagine two strangers on horseback riding up to
the door IN the dim gray o. an April morning. the
younger OF the TWO lftng the other from ms saddle
aud both ike evil stars crossing the threshold OF an
innocent and happy household TO blast It's peace tor
The Doctor says he Is thrty-1ve years Of age, mar
red IN 1860, bulit the house IN which ne now lives
after his marriage, owned well stocked farm OF
about thirty acres, ana was IN the enjoyment OF
pretty extensive practce up 10 the time OF ms
III 1865. The world went well and smoothly with
him previous TO that unhappy event. His house was
furnished with all the comforts OF country gentle
mans residence lie had his horses and hounds, and
in the sporting season was foremost at every fox
hunt and at every manly outdoor sport. He had
robust health and vigorous athletic frame Ia those
days, but 1t is very dinereat with hun now Above
the middle height with a reddish mustache and
chin whlsxer, nigh forehead ana attenuatcd nose,
his appearance indicates man Of CAIN and slow re-
lection, gentle IN manner, and Of y very domestic
turn. lie says lie was born within a few miles
OF this house. and has lived all his life in the country.
Ills whole desire now 10 Uc allowed 10 spend
balance of his days quietly III the bosom his laniy.
la his sunken, lnslreess eye, paid lips aud cold,
asny complexion one can read the words "Dry Tor
tugasn with terrible significance la the prime OF
his years, locking prematurely old and carewofn,
there are few Indeed who could gaze on the wreck
and rayage Ill The lace or this man before them
without 1eeng sentiment oil sympathy and COM
miseration. II have come honie,n said the Doctor,
sorrowiulIy s'to lind nothing lett me but my house
and family. No money, no provisions, no crops in
tue ground anu no clear way before me where 10
derive the means OF support IN my present
niedC Ann lar
Ia the scanty furniture OF the house and
IN the pale, sad countenance OF tue speaker
there was evidence enough OF poor and altered for
lune lt Was now evening and growing rapidly
dark. big fire blazei the ample hearth, and
Mrs. Mudd, an intelligent and handsome lady, with
Of her clildren joined The Doctor and ourselves
III the conversation over The events OF that memora
be April morning after the assassination.
'.Dld you Booth Mrs. Mudd ~ we inquired,
with feeling OF intense interest 10 hear her reply
.'ies," she replied, Il saw himself and Harold
after they entered this parior Booth sire ched him
self out that sofa there and Harold stopped down
TO whisper something to HIM"
ssHow did Booth lookup
"very bad he seemed as though he had been
drinking very hard; his eyes were red ana swollen
and ms iissr In disorder"
..Did he appear to suffer muchs"
"Not after he laid down on the sofa. In fact IL
seemed Us If hardly anything was wrong with him
tnen.n
.What Kind OF fracture did Booth sustain ~ we
inquired, addressing the Doctor.
..welln said ne ''alter he Was laid down on that |
sofa and having t0ld me ms ies was fractured by ms
horse falling on MIN during his journey up from |
Richmond, took xnie ana split the ley Of ms boot
down to the insiep, slipped II or and the sock with
it, then elt carefully with botn hands down along
his leg Dut at Irst could discover nothing Ike cIepl
tatlon tiI aiter o second investigation found on
the outside the ankle, something that Iet like
indurated flesh. ana then Tor the FIRST time
cuded Ii was direct anu clean fracture Of the bone.
then inpros lsei out OF pasebOard sort OF boot
that adhered close Enough 10 the leg TO keep II |
rgdy straight below the Knee without at oil inter-
lerIng with tue Eexure Of the leg. low cut shoe |
was SUBSTITUTED FOR the leather boot, and between
five and six O'Clock In the morning Booth and his l
companions started on for point on the river |
Delow.p
"How did Booths horse look after his long r'def'
we inquired.
'.Ihe boy, after putting him up in the stable" the
Doctor replied, reported that s back underneath
the forward part OF the saddle was raw and bloody.
This circumstance tailed with Booths account that
he had been riding all day previous from Richmond
and no suspicion arose IN my mind Tor one instant /
any thing than what he represented hmself.u
.'lou knew Booth before, U0ctor"
.'ies,m replied the Doctor. III was first intro |
duce1 to Booth In November, 1854, at the churcn L
yonder. spoke a few words 10 him aud never saw |
him afterwards until little While before Christmas,
lew purchases aud waiting Tor some freads IRON
baltimore who promised 10 meet me ut tue Penn
sylyaaia House ang come out here TO spend the
holidays. was walking past the N9tiona Hotel at L
the time, when person. tapped me the shoulder
ana, ON turning round. discovered 1t the gen
tlenan was introduced to at the church about six |
weeks previously. lie asked me aside for moment |
and said he des red an introduction to John n. Sur.
ad na, m %a ne ana was Dscas
necessarily acquainted from the fact OF his living On
the road travelled 50 often on my way to asning-
ton, and having the only tavern on the way that
cared TO visit. Booth aud walked along the ave.
nue. three or four blocks, when we suddenly |
came across surratt and wechman, and all four |
having become acquainted adjourned to the |
National Hotel and had a round or drinxs, |
Tue witnesses In my case swore that Booth |
and moved To y corner OF the room and were en- |
gagged ior an hour or 30 in secret consultation. That
was bareiaced 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.
''iou told the soldiers Doctor, the course the fug
tiyes pursued after leaving your house ~
II did. told them the route that Booth told me-
he intended 10 take; but Booth, it seems changed
ms mind after quitting here anu went another way.
This was natural enough; yet was straightway ac-
cused OF seeking to set tine soldiers astray and il
was urged against me as proof positive VI iinpca-
tion Ia the conspiracy
"fou must have felt seriously agitatcd on being
arrested In connection with TINS matterfr
mo slr. was lust as sell. possessed AZ am now