The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-04-23
A Vtsu 10 Dr.. Msdd.
ICorspondence Of .he N. Y. Ierald.l

owned wcll-stOcked farm or about thirty
acres, and was In the enjoyment Of q pret
ty extensive practice up to the time Of hi
arrest In 1866. The world went well and
smoothly with him previous to that un
happy event. His house was furnished
with all the comforts of country gentle
mans residence. He had his horses and
hounds, and In the sporting season was
foremost ut every fox hunt and at every
manly outdoor sport. He had robust
health and vigorous, athlectic frame In
those days, but Il Is very different with
him now. Above the middle height. with
reddish moustachc and chin whlskers, q
high forehead and attenuated nose, his mp.
pearance indicates man of calm and slow
reflection, gentle In manner, and ofa very
domcst tic turn. He says he was born with
In few miles of this house, and has lived
all his life In the country. His whole de
sire now Is to be allowed to spend the bal.
ance Of his days quietly In the bosom OI
his family. In his sunken, lustreless eyes
paid lips, and cold, ashy complexion one
can read the words Dry Tortugas' with a
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 ravagc In the face ofthls
man before them without feeling senti-
ment Of sympathy, and commlseration.
have come home, said the Doctor, sor-
rowfully, ito find nothing left me but my
house and family. No money, no provl.
slons, no crops In the ground, and no clear
way before me where to derive the means
Of support In my present enfeebled condi-
tion.' There was no deception here. In
the scanty furniture Of tho house and In
ehc pale, sad countenance of the speaker
there was evidence enough Of poor and a.
teied fortune. It was now evening and
growing 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 our
selves In the conversation over the events
of that memorable April morning after the
assassination. ....... ...
Did you see Booth, Mrs. Muddr we In
qulred, with feeling Of intense interest to
hear her reply. -... .s r
Yes she replied. Il saw himself and
Harold, and after they entered this parlor.
Booth stretched himself out on that sofa
there, and Harold stopped down to whls-
per something to him.
How did Booth lookT
Very bad. He seemed rs though he had
been drinking very hard. His eyes were
red and swollen, and his hair In disorder
Did he appear to suffer much?'
Not after he had laid down on the sofa.
In fact, 1t seemed as II hardly anything
was wrong with him them ....
What kind of a fracture did Booth sus-
talng g'wc inquired, addressing the doctor.
'well said he, 'after he was laid down
on that sofa, and having told me his leg
was fractured by his horse falling on him
during his journey up from Richmond. /
took knife and split the leg Of his boot
down to the instep, slipped 1t of and the
sock with It. l then felt carefully with
both hands down along his leg, but ut first
could discover nothing Ike crepltation, till
after q second investigation, found on the
outside, near the ankle something that
felt like induratcd flesh, and then, for the
first time, concluded that It was direct
and clean fracture OF the bone. Ithcn I'm
proyised out of pasteboard sort Of boot
that adhered close enough to the leg to
keep IL rigidly straight below the knee,
without ut all interfering with the fexure
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 of for point ON the
river below.
'IIow did Booths horse look aftcr his
long ridcT we inquired.
The boy, aftcr putting him In the sta
blc,' the Doctor replied. reported that his
back underneath the forward part Of the
saddle was raw and bloody. This clrcum-
stance Tailed with Booths account that
he had been riding all day previous from
Richmond, and no suspicion rose In my
mind for one instant that the man whose
leg was attending to was anything more
than he represented HIMSELF
you knew Booth before Doctor!'
Yes replied the Doctor. Twas first
introduced to Booth In November, 1864. Mt
the church yondcr. spoke few words to
him and never saw him afterwards until
n little while before Christmas, when ]
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 out
here to spend the holidays. was walking
past the National Hotel at the time, when
a person tapped me on the shoulder, and,
on turning round, discovered Il was the
gentleman was introduced to ut the
church about six weeks previously. He
asked me aside for moment, and said he
desired an Introduction to John II. Sur
rati. with whom he presumed was ac-
quaintcd. I said that was. Suratt aud
I became almost necessarily acquainted
from the fact Of his living on the road I