, 1876-09-09
WHY LINCOLN WAS ASSAS-
SINATED.
How JOHN WILKES BooTH AVENGED THE
HANGING OF HIS FRIEND, JOHN Y. BEAL
From Pomeroy's Dem0crat.)

Among the chosen friends Of John Will
kes Booths boyhood was a dashing, CHI
Various young man named Jno. Y. BeaI,
whose home was in the beautiful Shenan-
doan Valley not far from Winchester.
Damon and Pathias were not more attach
ed to each other than were Booth and
Beal. BeaI was Southern in his symps-
ties, and planned raids on Northern cities,
and at last was captured at or near Buff
falo, tried for piracy on Northern lakes
and sentenced to be hanged on Bedloe's
Island.
One afternoon, in the city Of Washing
ton, while BeaI was under sentence OF deaths
there alighted from q carriage two mens
who walked into the room occupied by
Washington Mclean Of Cincinnati, who
was at the time in Washington in the ln-
terest Of his business. These men who call"
ed were Senator Hale Of New Hampshire
and John Wilkes Booth. Booth wasAanx-
ious to save the life of Beal, his chum and
confidential personal friend. He had
interested Mr.. Hale in bis behalf.
They importuned Mclean to 60 with
them to the President, as a Democrat
as a friend Of Booth-as a man who had
much influence with Mr.. Lincoln, and to
vouch with Mr.. Hale for any promises
Booth might make in return for this
great favor to him. After o protracted
interview Mclean accompanied Hale
and Booth in a carriage to the residence
OF John w. ForneY, who was then In bed
the hour Being late. Forney was awaken
ed from his sleep and told the object of
his call. His sympathies were enlisted, as
he was always ready to serve his friends.
1t was all hour or more past midnight
when Hale, Forney, Mclean, and Booth
were driven to the White House. The
guard, at the request Of Fornoy, admitted
the carriage to the grounds. Mr.. Lincoln
was called from his sleep, and there IN
in the dead Of night, he sat and listened
to the PRAYERS Of Booth and the endorse"
ments Of those who came with him % ask
the favor Of Executive clemency.
This interview lasted till 4 in the morn
ing. It was one Of tears, prayers, and
petition. There was not q dry eye in the
room as Booth knelt at the feet OF Lincoln,
clasped his knees with his hands, and
begged him to spare the life Of one man
u pcISOudl ltlGuu WIN l"
he loved, had come to the door OF death.
Booth told all. He told how long
before, in a fit of passion to do some bold
deed, he had joined in a conspiracy to
abduct the President and to hold him as
a hostage for the release Of certain MILL
cary prisoners who were Booths friends'
and who, it was thought, were to be shot.
He told of the meetings that they had held
at the house Of Mrs. Surratt, and that all
Of that plan had fallen to the ground long
before. He offered his services at any time
and in any place or capacity free OF COST
or fearless OF consequences. The eminent
gentlemen who were there with him join
ed ia the request that the prayer OF Booth
be granted, and that Beal should De par
doned.
At last President Lincoln, with tears
streaming down his face, took Booth by
tho han Is, babe him rise and stand like q
man, and gave him his promise that BeaI
should be pardoned. He asked the party
to depart that he might gain rest for the
work of the morrow. and said that the
official document that they aked tor should
ho foruvardad OF onca to United States