The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1869-06-11
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Number 2I..
: THE LINCONsr MtRDER.

A corFespenGient ,of1thes Cincinnati
Commercial has lately visited the re-
gioqIin Mary land de.fampas BY, the
flight Of Beoth.sthe assassin. He talked
with q puIaber Of the, residents aud
heard some stories, which possibly may
important facts. He says:
An Intelligent gentleman. living in
the neigaborhood of DIR. Mudd, told me
that to day facts are whispered about
the countryside that would have been. of
the gravest Importance on the trial, but
the witnesses Were frightened by the i'm
Ediscrim mate manner in which all were
alike condemned,; And now, although
he knew of certain events bearing upon
the crime, If the WITNESSES were called
upon they would either deny all knowl4
edge aeT. fly the eoaatry.ss He told me
of one think ought yet TO, be hunted
up and the evidence put on record, as
interesting IN q historical poiiit of view,
/ He told me with great. hesitation and
Econddehtislly,,. that afteE Booth and his
young companion left DIR. Mudd's they
wakened up lad, living in a misersible
Hutton the roadside, and offered him ten
dollars if he wOuid guide them to some
bpoint on the Potolpac where they could
find means to cross into Virginia. Amy
one who has seen the country and APP
preciated its wild network of roads,
can understand the demand. The lad,
bright enough fer one of his class, not
knowing, of course, the sort of work he
was contracting for. readily consented /:
and saddling his mule, rode at the head
fof the assassins. The mIlle was one some
what stiffened by old age and hard
work. and the guide found himself
crowded on by his two strange compan.
ions, and so near that he. heard much of
their conversation. One of the two.
who complained of his leg, did, not say
much, but the other talked incessantiy.
Twice during the midnight ride they
stopped, and the hurt man proposed
ending the business. The other urged
him on, however. Whenever their talk
referred to their fight and escape, the
more silent one Cursed somebody for q
coward and a traitor in not putting out
the lights. -. Had that been done, we
anight now be comfortable in Washing
ton,V he said, several times to which
his companion replied with words of
comfort and encouragement. III ,4at
IN this way, then, the three pushed
on, climbing hills, crossing brooks,
passing farm houses, hushed in sleep,
until the broad Potomac was reached.
and the guide received his pay and left
them. 49t -.;,....f..~-,..T. .,rsf..t ..
When, one considers. the shattered
condition OF Booths leg, the indom1ta-
BILE will and7powers of endurance in that
midniHhtfide come out in bold relief.
What he.smust have. suffered in mind
and body, defes common words TO in
dictate. But one important fact leaks
out in the aforementioned and discon-
nected talk.sI have always believed,
from careful examination of the few
circumstances attending the crime that
the sO-called trial gave US, that the as
sassination however long premeditated,
was hastily planned. This is evident
when we. remember. that Booth could
not, have known that Mr.. Lincoln
would attend the theater until noon on
the night he was murdered. The Sur
rattville matter of ropes and concealed
weapons referred to - previously PLAN
ned abduction that had been abandoned.
and we recognize in the great crime it.
self, three conspirators, Booth, Payne
and one unknown. IT was evidently
Booths intention TO have the gas turn
ed off on the report of the pistol. and
the unknown murderer, whose duty il
was to plunge the startled audience in
TO utter darkness, failed him in the criti-
cal moment, and so brought the chief
actor on the stage, for all to gaze upon
and recognize. ess
am inclined to the belief that John
Surratt's hand was relied on TO cover in
darkness the crime and flight of the as
sassin. He lacked the courage neces-
sary, to carry out the design, and he
subsequently lacked the courage to save
| his poor mother. He knew that she
was innocent; and he knew. moreover
that were he TO deliver himself mp. with
confession of guilt, that he would have
saved her. .s ana