Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-12-14
aNistellaneous.
SURRATT'S STORY.


Booth, the assassin of President Lincoln.
''In the fall of 1864, | was introduced to
John Wilkes Booth who, | was given to
understand, wished to know something
about the main avenues leading from
Washington to the Potomac. We met sew
eral times, but as he seemed to be very
retcent with regard to his purposes and
very anxious to get all the information out
of me he could. ] refused to tell him any
thing at all At last | said to him, 1T is
useless for you, Mr.. Booth. to seek any in
formation from me at all. know who you
are, and what are Your Intentions He
hestated some time, but finally said he
| would trust me on the promise of secrecy.
| | replied, i will do nothing of the kind.
| You know well that am southern man.
| If YOU cannot trust me, we will separate.
! He then said: 4 will contide my plans to
! YOU, but before doing SO | will make
| known to you the motives that actuate me-
| In the northern prisons are many thousands
| of our men whom the United States gov
| ernment refuses to exchange. You know
as well as |, efforts that have been made
| to bring that desired exchange about
| Aside from the great suffering we are COM
PEELED to undergo, we are sadly i'll want of
| them as soldiers We cannot spare one
man, whereas the United States govern
ment is willing to let their own soldiers
| remain in onr prisons because she has no
need of them. | have a proposition to
! submit to you, which | think if we can
carry ont will bring about the desired eX-
change There was long and ominous
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 doorway and the passage, and then
said. we will have to be careful walls
have ears. He then drew his chair close to
me, and in whisper said, 1t is to kidnap
President Lincoln, and carry him off to Rich
moud 'kidnap President Lincoln?' said,
confess that stood aghast at the propo-
sition. and looked upon it as foolhardy
undertaking. To think of successfully
seizing Mr.. Lincoln in the capitol of the
| United States, surrounded by thousands Of
his soldiers, and carrying him off to Rich
mond, looked to me like "A foolish idea.
told him as much. lie went on to tell with
hat 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 to his summer residence
| lie entered into the minute details of the
proposed capture, and even the various
parts to be performed by the actors in the
| performance | was amazed, thunder
! struck, and, in fact, | might also say
| frightened at the unparalleled audacity of
this scheme. After two days reflection
told him l was willing to try it. | believ-
ed it practicable at that time, though | now
regard it as foolhardy undertaking. i
| hope YOU will not blame me for going thus
| far. / honestly thought an exchange of
prisoners could be brought about could we
| have once obtained possession of Mr..
Lincoln's person. And now reverse the
case where is there young man in the
North with one spark of patriotism in his
heart who would not have with enthusias-
tic ardor joined in any undertaking for the
capture of jefferson Davis, and brought
him to Washington. There is not one who
would not have done so, and so was led
on by sincere desire to assist the South
in gaining her independence. l had no
hesitation in taking part in anything hon
| orable that might tend towards the accom-
plishment Of that object. Tremendous
applause Such thing as the assassiua-
ton of Mr.. Lincoln | never heard spoken
bv any of the party, never. A sensation.
Upon one occasion | remember we had
called meeting in Washington for the
purpose of discussing matters in general,
as we had understood that the government
had received information that there was
plot of some kind on hand. They had even
commenced to build stockade and gates
on the navy yard bridge--gates opening
towards the SOUTH as though they expect
ed danger from within and not from with
out.
At this meeting explained the construc-
ton of the gate, &c, and stated that |
was confident the government had wind of
our movements and that the best thing we
could do would be to throw up the whole
project Every one seemed to coincide in
my opinion, except Booth, who sat silent
and abstracted Arising at last, bringing
down his fist upon the table he said, "Well
gentlemen, il the worst comes to worst. !
shall know what to do" Some hard words
and even threats then passed between him
and some of the party. -Four of us then
arose, one saying: ''lf | understand you
to intimate anything more than the cap
ture Of Mr.. Lincoln, | for one will bid you
good-bye.' Every one expressed the
same opinion, We all arose and COM
menced putting on our hats. Booth, per-
cclNlS prODdDIy tHdl uc Hau Sonc too iai,
asked pardon, saying he had drank too
much champagne. After some difficulty
everything was amicably arranged, and
we separated at O'Clock in the morning.
Days, weeks and months passed by with
out IN opportunity presenting itself for us
to attempt the capture. We seldom saw
one another, owing to the many rumors
afoat that a conspiracy of some kind was
being concocted in Washington, We had
all the arrangements perfected from Wash
ington for the purpose. Boats were in
readiness to carry us across the river. One
day wereceived information that the Presi-
dent would visit the Seventh Street hospi-
tai ior the purpose of being present at an
entertainment to be given for the benefit
of the wounded soldiers. The report only
reached us about three quarters OF an hour
before the time appointed, but so perfect
was our communication that we were in
stantly in our saddles on the way to the
hospital. This was between one and two
o'clock in the afternoon. 1t was our in