The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-31

Inc new 1OIk H6UOS correspondent ma
been conversing with DR.. Mudd since his liberia
ton from Imprisonment on the Dry Tortugas.
He gives The following interesting account ot
the interview
The Doctor SAYS he is thirty-dye years of age,
married in 1860, built the house in which he
now lives after his marriage, owned we'll.
stocked farm of about thirty acres in Virginia,
near the Potomac and was in the enjoyment OF
pretty extensive practice up to the time OF his
arrest in 1865. The world went well AID
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 sport
ing season was foremost at every fox hunt aud
al every manly OUTDOOR spor'. lie had robust
heath and vigorous, athletic frame In those
daIs; II is very different with bin now. Above
the middle height, with a reddish moustache
and chin viii, ker, high forehead and attenu.
ated nose, MS appearance indicates a man OF
calm and slow reflection, gentle in manner, and
OF a very domestic turn. He says he was born
within few miles OF this house, and has lived
all his life in the country. His whole desire
now Is to be allowed 10 spend the balauce Of his
days quietly in The bosom OF his family. In his
sunkeD lusreless eye, paIlid lips, aud cold, ashy
complexion one can read the words DRY Tor
tugas" with terrible significance. In the prime
OF his years, looking prematurely old and care
worn, there are few indeed who could gaze
on the wreck and ravage in the face of
this man before them without feeling
sentiment Of sympathy aud com mtssera
tion. IL have come home" said the Doctor,
Horro wfully, ITO find nothing left me but my
wife 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
present enieebled condition." There was no
deception here. In the scanty furniture OF the
house, and in the pale, SAD countenance OF the
speaker, there was evidence enough Ofpoor and
altered fortune. 1t was now evening, and
gro wing rapidly dark. A big fire blazed on the
ample hearth, and Mrs. Mudd, an intelligent
and handsome lady, with one of her children,
joined the doctor and ourselves in the converse
tion over the events OF that memorable April
mo ming after the assassination.
Ibid you see Boo:h, Mrs. Mudd :" we in
quired, with feeling of intense interest to
"Yes." she replied, ''I saw himself and Harold
after they entered this parlor. Booth stl etched
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 air in disorder"
did he appear to suffer much?"
mot after he laid down on the sofa. In fact,
tseered as If hardly anything was wrong with
'What kind OF fracture did Booth sustain ?"
we inquired, addressing the Doctor,
! well, said he, safer he was laid down on
tured by his horse falling on him during his
journey up from Richmond, toek knife and
split the leg of his boot down to the instep,
slipped it off, and the, sock with 1T; thea felt
leg, but at first could discover nothing like
crepitstion til, after second investigation,
] found on the outside, near the ankle,
something that ielt like indurated flesh,
and then, for the first time, l con-
cluded it was direct and clean fracture of the
bone. then improvise1 out OF pasteboard
sort of boot that adhered close enough to the
leg to keep it rigidly straight below the knee,
without at all interfering with the hexure OF
the leg. low cut shoe was substituted for
the lea. her boot, aud between and O'Clock
lxx Ahn itN,K
starred OH for point on the river below"
How did Booths horse look alter his long
rider" We inquired. .
"The boy, after outing him up in the stable,'
the Doctor replied, reported that his back
underneath the forward part OF the saddle was
raw and bloody. THIS circumstance tailed
with Booths account that be had been riding
all day previous from Richmond, and no sus-
picion arosein nv mind for one Instant that the
man whose leg was attending to was anything
more than he represented himself."
you knew Booth before. DoctorW
"Yesn replied the Doctor. 81 was first iu'
troduced 10 Booth in November. 1864, a. the
church yonder, spoke few words to MIN. and
never saw him afterwards until little while
before Christmas, when l happened to be in
Washington making few purchases, and
waiting for some friends from Baltimore, who
promised to meet me at the pennsylvania House
and come ont here to spend the holidays. was
walking past the National Hotel at the time,
when person tapped me on the shoulder, and,
on turning round, | discovered 1t was the gen
bIeman was Iuuouuceu W az sno ohu,Sn
about six weeks previously. He asked me aside
for moment AID said he desired an
introduction to John II. 6urratt, with
whom ne presumed | was acquainted. !
said that i was. Surratt aud became almost
necessarily acquainted from the fact OF his
living on the road i travelled 80 often on my
way 10 Washington, and having the only tavern
on the way thas l cared to visit. BoOth and
walked along the avenue three or four blocks,
when we suddenly came across Surrau and
Weichman, aud all four having become &C
Quainted we adjourned to the National Hotel
aud had a round OF drinks. The witnesses In
nv case swoTe that Booth and moved TO q
corner of the loom and were engaged for az
hour or so in secret consultation. That was
bafe'aced lie. The whole four OF us were In
loud and open conversation al the time We
were toeeiher, and when we separated we foui
never met again ,
You told the soldiers, Doctor, the course the
fuRtIyes pursued after leaving your houseT
II die told them the route that Booth tolC
me he intended to take; but Booth, 1t seems
changed his mind alter quitting mere ana wen
anotheT way. This was natural enough; yet
was straightway accused OF seeking 10 set tn'
soldiers astIay, and 1t was 9reed agalns. IN, ln'
a3 proof positive OF Implication ln the con
"You must have felt seriously agitated o.
being arrested in connection win this matter Z
mo, sir. / WAS just as self possessed as ! au
now. They might nave hanged me at the Tim
and l should have faced death Just as com
Dosedly as smoke this piDe"
"What did you think OF the military comm's
sion Y' an
Suffice II to say that not man OF them sat OF
INV trial with an unbiased mind. Beforea wor
ofeyidence was heard my case was preJudgeo
and was already condemned on the strengt
Of rumor and MISREPRESENTATION. Ihe WI
nesses perjuTed Themselves, aud whiie wa
sittiog there in that dock, listening TO incl
ois.SH foIeeh ,oda I felt ashamed OF IN