The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-01-13
Is Wilkes Booth Alive

o.
ing the round Of the papers respecting
Rorbert Lincoln having recognized his
deliverer from n railway accident,
when Robert was on his journey from
Chicago to Boston, as j. w. Booth, is
not SO Wild as. many suppose. If there
be any truth in the statements of a
resident in Stark county as to the cir
cumstances he has detailed to us, there
can be no doubt of the existence of.
w. Booth somewhere in our midst.
We have great respect for u infor-
mant, and don't think he would will
ingly deceive us. If he has d .ceived
us, he has also himself been deceived.
There is plausibility in the story, at
any rate, which we now proceed to
Law before our readers.
Our informant says 81 was stand
ing on the platform at Alliance, wait
ing for the train that reaches there at
about eleven o'clock in the morning,
when my atteptie$rxas~ attrnoted to u
AstirmaM!y looking man, walking up
and down the covered way / had
read the paragraph respecting Booth
having rescued Robert Lincoln from
death, and as / looked at the traveller
felt certain he was j, w. Booth. l
had seen Booth play, some years
since, and knew the face again, even
though he had grown older. l follow
ed him a few times on the platform,
always taking Gaze to face the adven
turer when he turned, and the more l
saw of him, the more satisfied was |
that Booth was ON the platform ut AL
lance.
l felt hat 1 must speak to him.
Watching my chance, wiicn Il two
selves only were at the extreme end
of the platform. I said "you are
Booth" He looked at me half sad,
sstonished, and a little angry, and
said 'tyou are mistaken sir, my name
is Brown"
"Brown or not" I replied, 'you are
Booth to me. 1t is no use to attempt
to deny it. Have seen you play years
ago, remember you perfectly well
You are Booth.
"Hush!" he said, "I am Booth"
Il was satisfied you were before I
spoke to you"
"Do not betray me-"
81 swear / will NOT, on condition
that you tell me your history since you
murdered Mr.. Lincoln"
Il cannot do so here-it will take
too long"
(Which way are you travelling p
Going West"
"Get off first station, q little place,
I know somewhere we can stay, then
you can tell"
st cannot stay"
IF you do not, I will give the al
arm"
"Hush, I accept"
I took a seat by the side Of Booth,
watched him closely, and when the
train stopped, alighted. He followed,
and soon we were seated ia tho house
ora Htt farmer, who was asked if he
coald give us the use of a room a little
time. He consented. Soon as the
door. was properly shut and fastened,
Booth told me ofhis adventures. He
was not in the barn when the firing
took place. He had been of that party,
but had left. He had wandered in
Europe, but could not find any rest.
Had returned, been to Washington,
Chicago, Pittsburgh, New York, Bos-
,oa,sand spent a therugh wandering
life everlasthAgly beset by horror at
the thoughtM the crime he had com
mitted.
eThen you are sorry you killed Lin
coln."
"I cannot tell you the great sorrow
I have felt"
"Does President johnson know of
your existence?
81 believe he does"
"Does not his general amnesty in
clude you?
81 believe it does at any rate y
shall soon seek to take advantage of
/; you will hear more in a few week.
What Booth said more must not
tell, The publicity Of his statement
made to depend on the terms of
the. general amnesty, but he was
Booth.
TIE pale, pale face, haggard at
times with painful lines. turned to-
wards me, and I remembered how II
had loxed. Lincoln andhow I love
his memory now but for5this Cain,
this wanderer, whom the world gen
orally believes dead, I had mercy.
He wae punished enough. AT his re- l