Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1876-05-06
WHY lincoln was Assassinated.
HOW JOHN WILKES BOOTH AVENGED THE
HANGING or Ills FRIEND JOHN \.
DCNi-

Beal, whose home was in the Shenan-
doah Valley not far from Winchester.
Damon and Pythias were not more at
tached to each other than were Booth
J and Beal. Beal was southern in his
sympathies and planned raids on tho
. Northern cities, and NJ last was captur-
/ ed at or near Buffalo, tried for piracy
on Northern lakes and sentenced 10 be
hanged on Bedloe's Island.
One afternoon in the city OF Wash
/ ington, while Beal was under sentence
: of death, there alghted flom q carriage
two men, who walked into the room
occupied hy Washington Mclean, Of
Cincinnati. who WAS at the time IN
Washington in the interests Of his busi
ness These men who called were Sen.
ator Hale Of New Hampshire aud John
Wilkes Booth. Booth was anxious u
save the life OF Bcal, his chum and con-
tidential personal friend. lie had in
tereSted Mr.. Hale in his behalf.
They importuned Mclean to 60 with
them to the President as a Democrat
rs friend of Boolh-as u man who had
much Influence with Mr. Lincoln. and
TO vouch with Mr.. Hale tor any prom
ses Booth might make in return Tor tins
great IA, or 10 him. After protractcd
interview Mclean accompanied Hale
aud Booth in a carriage to the residence
of John W. Forney. who WAS then ia
bed, the hour being late. Forney Was
awakchcd from his sleep aud told the
object OF his call Ills sympaIhirs were
enlisted. as he was always ready 10
serve his friends.
/ 1t was an hour or more past midnight
when Hale, Forncy. Mclean aud Booth
were driven 10 the White House Tho
! guard, at the request of forney, admit.
ted the carriage 10 the grounds Mr..
/ Lincoln was called from his sleep, aud
/ there, in the dead ot night, he sat aud
/ listened 10 the prayers OF Booth and
/ the endorsements of those who camu
| with him TO ask the favor of Executive
clcmency.
This interview lasted till lour in the
morning. 1t was one o! tears, PRAYERS,
/ aud petition. There was not a dry cvu
in the room rs Booth knelt at the feet
of Lincoln, clasped his knees with his
! hands aud begged him TO spare tho lifc
OF one man--a personal friend who, in
serving the ones he loved, had come To
the door of death.
Booth told all. He told how, long
before, in a lit of passion TO do some
bold deed, lac had joined in con.pira.
cy to abduct the President aud to hold
him as hostage for the release of Ger.
tain military prisoners who were Booths
friends, and who, it was thought, werc
To be shot. He told of the meeting,
they had held at the house of Mrs. Sur.
raft, aud that all of that plan had fallen
to the ground long before. lie offered
his services At any time aud in any place
or capacity free of cost or fearless OF
consequences. The eminent gentlemen
who were there with him joined in tho
request chat the prayer of Booth be
granted, and that Bcal should be par
doned.
At last President Lincoln, with tears
streaming down bis face, took Booth
by the hands babe him rice aud stand
like man, and gave him his promise
that Beal should be pardoncd. llc
asked the party to depart that he might
gain rest for the work of the morrow.
aud said that the official document that
they asked should be forwarded at once
to United States Marshal Robert Muir
ray, in New York, and through him TO
the officers charged with the execution
of Beal.
After breakfast Lincoln informed
Seward, Secretary of State, what be-
had done Or promised To do Seward
said that it must not he thIt public
sentiment in the North demanded that
Beal should be hung. lie declared that
to pardon Beal would discourage enlist
ments, lengthen the war, aud insult tho
sentiment that called for blood. lie
chidcd Lincoln for making such prom.
ises without asking the advice oi his
Cabinet. or advising with himself Sew.
ard, on State policy. As the argument
grew contentious, Seward declared tia,
If the conduct of the war was To be Fri.
fled with by appeals for humanity, he
should 90 out of the Cabinet and use
his influence against the President. aud
should charge him with being in sym.
pathy with the South. Lincoln Yielded
aud Beal was executed The reaction
to Lincoln's nervous system was such
that for days he was far from well.
The effect on Booth was terrible. lie
raved like a madmaD, and 10 his frenzy
swore that Lincoln and Seward should
both pay for the grief and agony be had
been put TO. From the death cf Beal,
Booth brooded vengeance for that which
he considered persona! shrrout. Ills
rage took on Seward, aud he engaged
Harold, Atserodc, and other TO ayenyc
Beal's death by killing Seward, while
be, Booth wreathed human vengeance
OH the President.
At last came the hour Booth killed
Lincoln. Ills friends or relatives or
avengers of Bcal tried their best 10 kill
Seward, and when they left him stab.
bed, bleeding and limp as cloth, as bs
rolled over behind the bed whereupon
they found him, they supposed their
work was completely done.
Our story is told. We have given
the truth OF history, and told exactly
why Abraham Lincoln, the humane
PresiseDt Of the United States was kill
ej.-POmtroy's Democrat.
!