The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-12-30

/ 10 HIS PURPOSES, anu very duAlOuS W
get all the Information out of me he
could, refused to tell him anything at
all. At last I said TO him, at is useless
for you Mr.. Booth, to seek any informa-
tiOn from me at all i know who you
are, and what are your inten tons" He
hesitated some time, but finally said he
would make known his views to me
provided | would promise secrecy. l
replied, 81 will do nothing of the kind.
You know well / am Southern man.
If you cannot trust me we will sepa-
| rate.n He then said: "I will cOnide
my plans to you but before doing so l
will make known to you the motives
that actuate me. In the Northern pris
On5 are many thousands of our men
| whom the United States Government
refuse to exchange. You know as well
as | the efforts that have been made to
bring about that much desired ex-
change. Aside from the great suffering
they are compelled to undergo, we are
sadly in want of them as soldiers. We
cannot spare one man, whereas the
United States Government is willing to
let their own soldiers remain in our
prisons because they have no need of
the men. l have a proposition to sub
init to you, which l think, If we can
carry it out, will bring about the de-
sired exchange" There was long and
ominou5 silence, which l at last was
compelled to break by asking, "Well,
sir, what is your proposition ?" He sat
quiet for an instant, and then, before
answering me, arose and looked under
the bed, into the wardrobe, in the door
way and the passage, and then said:
ave will have to be careful walls
have ears" He then drew his chair
close to me and in a whisper said: sit
is to kidnap President Lincoln, and
carry him off to Richmond" " "Kidnap
President Lincoln !" l said. | confess
that | stood aghast at the proposition,
and looked upon it as foolhardy un-
dertaking. To think of successfully
seizing Mr.. Lincoln in the capital of the
United States, surrounded bythousands
of his soldiers, and carrying him off to
Richmond looked to me like foolish
idea. | tod him as much. He went
on to tell with what facility he could be
seized in various places in and about
Washington as, for example, in his
various rides to and from the Soldiers
Home, his summer residence. He en-
tered INTO the minute details of the
proposed capture, and even the various
parts to be performed by the actors in
the performance. | was am dZed-thun-
derstruck-and in fact, / might also say
frightened al the unparalleled audacity
Oh tulS Scileule. AlteI tWo udyS' reHeC-
ton | told him | was willing to try it,.
believed it practicable at that time,
though | now regard it as a foolhardy
undertaking. | hope you will not
blame me for going thus far. honest
ly thought an exchange of prisoners
could he brought about could we have
once obtained possession of Mr.. Lin
coins person. And now reverse the
case. Where is there a young man in
the North with one spark of patriotism
. in his heart who would not with enthu-
5iastic ardor have joined in any under
taking for the capture of Jefferson Da-
a Wis and brought him to Washington
> There is not one who would not have
. done so. And so 1 was led on by sim
f cere desire to assist the South in gain
5 ing her independence. l had no hesi-
+ tatiOn in taking part in anything hon
orabe that might tend towards the ac.
complishment of that object. Such a
thing as the assassination of Mr.. Lin
$ coin I never heard spoken of by any of
the party. NeUer! Upon one occasion,
: | remember, we had called meeting
- in Washington for the purpose of dis
/ cus5ing matters in general, as we had
I understood that the Government had
q received Information that there was a
- plot of some kind on hand. They had
even commenced to build a stockade
and gates on the navy yard bridge
: gates opening towares the South, as
r though they expected danger from
a., within, and not from without. At this
meeting | explained the construction
of the gates, &C., and stated that | was
n confident that the Government had
o wind of our movement, and the best
o thing that we could do would be to
e throw up the whole project. Every
b one seemed to coincide in my opinion
; except Booth, who sat silent and alb
: stracted Arising at last and bringing
t down his fist upon the table, he said
e "Well, gentlemen, if the worst comes
y to the worst / shall know what to do"
g SCme hard words and even threats
a then passed between him and some OF
= the party. -Four of us then arose, one
l. saying "If | understand you to init
Y mate anything more than the capture
| of Mr.. Lincoln | for one will bid you
Y good bye" livery one expressed the
! same opinion. We all arose and com
l menced putting our hats on. Booth
: perceiving, probably, that he had gone
o too far, asked pardon, saying that he
: chad drank too much champagne. >
y After some difficulty everything wa,
IS amcably arranged, and we separated
a at 1--WE O'clock in the morning. Days,
If weeks and months passed by without
e an opportunity presenting itself for Il.
|, to attempt the capture. We seldom
e saw one another, owing to the many
!. rumOrs aflOat that conspiracy of some
:, kind was being cOncOcted in Washing
y ton. We had ali arrangements perfect
g ed from Washington for the purpose
is Boats We're in readiness to carry uS
Is across the river. One day we received
h information that the President would
l. visit the SeVenthS street HOsnital fol
) the purpose of being present at an en-
Ie tCrtainment to be given for the benefit
e of the wounded soldiers The report
A. only reached Us about three quarters o.
e an hour before the time appointed, bu
'e SO perfect was our communication tha
r. we were instantly in our saddles on oul
lr way to the hospital. This was between
.e one and two O'clock in the afternoon
] 1t was our intention to seize the car
. riage, which was drawn by Il splendid
n pair of horses, and to have one of ouI
N men mount the box and drive direc
le for Southern Maryland, via Benning'l
Of bridge. We felt confident that all th'
la cavalry in the city could never over
{ haul US. We were all mounted OF
swift horses, besides having a thorough
as knowledge of the country, it being de
Il termiued to abandon the carriage afte
re passing the city limits. Upon tn,
IN suddenness of the blow and the CELEBRITY
n- Of our movements we depended for sue
le cess. BY the time the alarm cOulC
as have been given and horses sadded, W.
q, would have been on our way through
D. Southern Maryland towards the Potom
of ac river. To our great disappointment
IN however, the President was not there
v but one of the Government officials
IS MIR Chase, if | mistake not. We die
~ not disturb him, as we wanted bigge
to chase than he could have afforded us
n 1t was certainly a bitter disappoint
of ment, but yet, think, most fortunate
i one for US. 1t was our last attempt
O. We soon after this became convinced
e, that we could not remain much lOnge
Y. undiscovered, and that we must aband