The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-05-07
Assassination Of President Lincoln.
.Frola pouu pia., 20 Gin. Commercially
THE MIDNIGHT RIDE

I found myself in a country male
famous bv he fight OF the assassin
Booth. The people remember yet,
with the liveliest dissatisfaction, their
treatment by the Government. The
,-iid excitement that followed the
horrible event exposed an entire
countryside 20 cruel abuse. The
troops sent ont upon the track oi the
assassin might have laid waste AL cl
Charles couuty without remOnsyrance
from the power at Washington that
directed the search. That such out
rage was not done, is owing to the
cficers in immediate commando
This is the one great defect IN the
character of the most remarkable
,nan the war brought into notice.
I refer to Edwin NJ Stanton lie is
Us impulsive rs a woman, and v'B-
liclive as Satan. Tie blind wraJE
that followed the crime defeated its
own ends, and was productive OF
very sad results. 1t lett the murder
shrouded in mystery, by sweeping
down the innocent and the guilty
and thereby shutting the door To ev-
idence by hanging or intimidating
witnesses No man dared say wat
he knew, for his knowledge was con
sidered guilt, with a swift, ready
punishment in its wake.
An intelligent gentleman, living
in the neighborhoOd of DIR Mudd,
iold me that to day facts are whis-
pered about the countryside that
would have been of the gravest i'm
portance on the trial, but the wit
nesses were frightened by the indis
eliminate manner in which all were
siike condemned. And now, al
though he knew of certain event.
bearing upon the crime, if the wit
nesses were called upon they would
either deny all knowledge or fly the
country He told me OF one that ]
think ought yet to be hunted mp snd
the evidence put on record, as inter
esting in historical point OF view,
if no other.
He told me with great hesitation
and confidentially that after Booth
and his young companion left DIR.
Mudd's they wakened up lad, liv
ilg in a miserable hut on the road
side, and offered him ten dollars il
he would guide them to some point
on the Potomac where they could
find means to cross into Virginia.
Any one who has seen the country
and appreciated Its wild net work oi
roads, can understand the demand
The lad, bright enough for one OF
Is class, not knowing, of course.
the sort of work lie was contracr ng
jor, readily consented and, saddiing
his mule, rode at the head OF the as
~assins. The mule was one some
what siitfened by old age and hard
work, and the guide found himseli
crowded on 10y his two strange com
paniOus, and 50 near that lie heard
.Hnch of their conversation. Oue Of
e two, who complained Of his leg,
.:id not say much, hut the other talk
81 incessantlv. Twice during their
midnight ride they stopped, and the
Hurt man proposed ending The bnsl
hess. The other urged him on, how
ever. Whenever their talk referred
ID their fight and escape, the more
silent one cursed somebody for q
coward and traitor, in not putting
out The lights. Had that been done,
we might now be com Ortable in
Washin gton," he said, several times;
10 which his companion replied with
words of comfort and encourage
meat.
In this way, then, the three pushed
On. climbing hills, crossing brooks.
iaSsing farm houses hushed ia sleep.
urtil the broad Potomac was reachej,
and the guide received his pay and
left them.
When one considers the shattered
condition of Booths leg, the indDm.
liable will and powers of endurance,
shown in that midnight ride coIue
ont in bold relief What he must
have suffered in mind and body. de-
lies common words to indicate. But
one important fact leaks out, in the
ill-remembered and disconnected talk.
have aiways believed, from a care
fsl examination of the few ci:cum-
stances attending the crime that the
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