The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1876-05-03

i7Sncn ana uOn thf14E on
thousand dollars would tempt mo t.
go through it again. - .
WHY LINCOLN WAS AssAssMATED
How John Wilkes Bossh Avengsd tn
! Hanging OF His Friehd, John z. Beal
Ft"'H romcroys Democrat.
Among tho chosen friends o
Jon Wilkes Booths boy htod was
dnshing, chiynlrous young. mar
named Jno. Y. Benl, whose home
WAS III tho beautiful Shenandoah
! Valley not far from Winchester
Damon and Pythias wore not more
attached to each other thanL wore
Booth and Boai. Boal WAS South
; ern in his sympathies, and planned
raids on Northern cities, anu al
last w"s captured at or noar Buffalo,
tried for piracy on Northorn lakes,
and sentenced to be hanged on
BodlOo's Island:
One afternoon, in tho oity OF
Washington, while Bonl was tinder
sentence OF denth, there alishted
from carriage two mon, who
walked into tho room oc coupled by
Washington Mclean Of Cincinnati,
who %na at the time in Washington
in tho interest Of his business.
ThoRe men who callod were Senator
HALE OF New Hampshire and John
Wilkes booth. Booth was anxious
to save the lilo of Bcal, his cIlurn
and confidential personal friend.
He had intorcsted Mr.. Halo in his
behalf.
They importuncd Mclean to 20
with them to the President, ~ Il
Dcmocrat-us q friend of Booth
II" IL man who Ind much influence
wish atr. lincoln, and to vouch with
Mr. Hale for any promises Booth
might mako in return for this great
flvor to him. After protracted
Interview Mclean accompnnied
Hale and Booth in carriage to the
residence OF John w. Fornoy, who
WIS then in bed, the hour being
late. Folney was awakened from
his sleep and told tho object of his
call. His sylnpathics were enlisted,
as he was always ready to sorye his
friends.
Tt was an hour or more past mid
night when Hale, Fornoy, Mclean
and Booth we're driven to the
White House. The guard, at tho
request Of Forney, admitted the
carriage to the grounds. MIR.
Lincoln was called from his sleep
and there i'll the dead of hight, he
sat and listened to the prayers of
Booth and tho endorsements of
those who came with him to ask tho
favor OF Executive cle'hcncy
This interview lasted till 4 in tho
morning: ltwas ono OF tenrs, prayers
and petitions. There WAS not cxy
eye in the room as Bdath knclt at
the feet Of lincoln, claspcd his
knees with his hands, and begged
him TO spare the Efc Of one mah-a
personal friend WHO, in serving the
ones he loved, hu0 come to the door
OF death.
Booth told all. He told how,
long before, in a tit Of passion to do
some bold deed, he had joined in IL
conspiracy to ahdnct the president
and TO hold him as IL hostage for the
release Of certain military prisoners
who were Booths friends, and who,
it waA thought, were to be shot.
llc told Of the meetings they had
held ut the house or Mrs Surra5t, and
nll OF that that plan had fallen to the
ground long before. Ho offered his
services ut any time and in any
place or capacity, free Of cost and
+ avless Of consequences. Tho
eminent gentlemen who were there
with him joined in the request thai
thn prayer of B, o h be granted, and
tl.ut Bcal should be pnrlonol.
At last President Lnc in, with
tears streaming down his face, took
Booth by the hands, babe hin rise
and stand like u man, AMI gave him
his promise that Eeal should he
pardoned. he asked the party to
depart that he might gam roat for
the "ork OF the morrow, anh snid
that the official documcnt that they
usked for should be forwarded at
once to United States Marshal
Robert Murray, in New York, AMI
through him to the officers charged
with the execution Of Beal.
After breakfast Lincoln informed
Seward, Secretary OF State. what he
had done or promised to do.
Seward said that it must not be
that public sentiment in the North
demanded that Bcnl should be
hung, He dcclured thnt to pardon
Bcal would discourage enlistmcnts,
lcngthen the wur, and insult the
sentiment that called for blood.
he chidcd Lincoln for making such
promises without asking tho advice
Of his Cabinet, or advising with
himself, Seward, on State policy,
AS the argument grew contentious,
Seward declared that If tho conduct
Of the war was to be triacd with by
appeals for humanity he should go
out Of the Cabinet AMI use his in
fucnce against the President. and
should charge him with being in