Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1870-12-16

- L Wv L ODLAOOOS
most fortunate one for US. Itwas our las
attempt We soon after this became con
d WINGED that we could not remain mucl
longer undiscovered, and that we mus
gabandon our enterprise. Accordingly,
lseparatiou finally took place, and neve
after saw any Of the party except one. ant
;]fh2t was when I was on my way fron
7fRichmond to Canada on business of quit,
a different tnature-about which presently
Goes to Richmond.
[ again went to Richmond. and arrived
there safely on the Friday evening before
the evacuation Of that city. On my arri
val l went to Spotswood Hotel, where
was told that Mr.. Benjamin. the ther
Secretary of War of the Confederate
States, wanted to see me. accordingly
sought his presence. He asked me if
would carry some dispatches to Canada
for him. l replied Yes" That even.
ing be gave-me the dispatches and 5000
in gold, with which to pay my way tc
Canada. That was the only money l ever
received from the Confederate Governmen,
or any Of its agents. 1t may be well to
remark here that this scheme of abduction
was concocted without the knowledge or
the assistance of the Confederate Govern
ment.
After Getting Mr.. Lincoln.
In fact, we were jealous of our under
taking and wanted no outside help. I
have not made this statement to defend
the officers of the Confederate Govern
ment. They are perfectly able to defend
themselves. What have done myself
am not ashamed to let the world know
[ left Richmond on Saturday morning
before the evacuation of that place, and
reached Washington the following Mon
day at O'Clock P NJ, April Sd, 1865
As soon as | reached the Maryland shore
| understood that the Detectives knew of
my trip South and were on the lookout for
me. had been South several times be-
fore, but had never been caught.
At that time I was carrying the des-
patches Mr.. Benjamin gave me in book
entitled The life of John Brown" Dur
ing my trip, and while reading that book,
l learned, to my utter amazement, that
John Brown was martyr sitting at the
right hand of God. succeeded in reach
ing Washington safely, and in passing up
Seventh street met one of our party, who
inquired what had become of Booth. /
told bin yhsEe J had been thai a. I Vas
not seen or heard anything of Booth since
our separation.
He Gives Some Good Advice.
In view of the fact that Richmond had
fallen, and that all hopes of the abduction
of the President had been given up, ad-
vised him to 60 home and 60 to work.
That was the last time I saw any of the
party Invent to hotel and stopped over
that night. as detective had been to my
house inquiring of the servant my where
abouts. In the early train next morning,
Tuesday. April 4, 1865. left for New
York, and that was the last time l was
ever in Washington until brought there
by the United States Government cap
tive in irons.
The United States, as you will remem-
ber, tried to prove my presence in Wash
ington on the 10Th of April. the day on
which Mr.. Lincoln met his death. Upon
arriving in New York, I called at Booths
house, and was told by the servant that
he had left that morning suddenly, on the
ground of going to Boston to 6l6l an en-
gagement at the theatre.
Goes to Montreal.
In the evening of the same day [ took
the cars for Montreal, arriving there the
next day. I put up at the St. Lawrence
Hotel, registering myself as John Harri-
son. such being my two first names
Shortly afterwards saw General Edward
G. Lee, to whom the dispatches were di.
rected. and delivered them to him. Those
despatches we tried to introduce as evi
dence on my trial, but his Honor Judge
Fisher ruled them out. despite of the fac
that the Government had tried to prove
that they had relation to the conspiracy
to kill Mr.. Lincoln. They were only ac
counts of some money transactions-no
thing more nor less.
A New Conspiracy.
A week or so after my arrival there
Gen. Lee came to my room and told M
be had plan to release the Confederate
prisoners then in Elmira, N Y He sait
he had sent many parties there, but the.
always got frightened, and only half exc
cuted their orders He asked me if
would 60 there and take sketch of th
prison, fpd out the number of prisoners
also minor details in regard to the cum
Der of soldiers on guard, cannon, small
arms. &c. [ readily accepted these nes
J labors, owing to the fact that could no
return to Washington for fear of the de
} tectives. The news of the evacuation Q
, Richmond did not seem to disturb tn
General much in his plan. as be doubles
thought then that the Confederacy wante
? men more than ever, no one dreaming tha
! it was virtually at an end. l was muc
D amused at one expression made use of b
9 an ex-Reb. with regard to the suddennes
e of its demise: ''D-n the thing, it didn
: even flicker. but went right out. -
e Laughter and applause. In accordane
e with Gen. Lees order l went to Elmirs
y arriving there on Wednesday. two day
a before Mr.. Lincolu's death, aud register