The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1876-05-10
MISCELLANY.
wHr LINCOLN wAs AssAss1sArrD.

Among the chosen friends of John Wilkes
Booths boyhood was a dashing, chivalrous
young man named John Y. Beal, whose home
was in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley not
far from Winchester, Damon and Pythias
were not more attached to each other than
were Booth and Beal. Beal was Southern in
his sympathies, and planned raids on North
Buffalo, tried for piracy on Northern lakes,
and sentenced to be hanged Bedloe's Is
land.
One afternoon, in the city of Washington,
while Beal was under sentence of death, there
aight from carriage two men, who walked
Lean Of Cincinnati, who was at the time in
Washington in the interest of his business.
These men who called were Senator Hale of
New Hampshire and John Wilkes Booth
Booth was anxious to save the life of Beal,
his chum and confidential personal friend. He
had interested Mr.. Hale in his behalf.
They importuned Mclean to go with them
as a Democrat--as friend of Booth--as a
man who had much influence with Mr.. Lin
coin, and to vouch with Mr.. Hale for any
promises Booth might make In return for
this great favor to him. After protracted
interview Mclean accompanied Hale and
Booth in a carriage to the residence of John
w. Forney, who was in bed, the hour being
late. Forney was awakened from his sleep
and told the object of his call. His sympa.
thies were enlisted as he was always ready to
serve his friends.
1t was an hour or more past midnight when
Hale, Forney, Mclean, and Booth, were
driven to the White House. The guard, at
the request of Forney, admitted the carriage
to the grounds. Mr.. Lincoln was called from
his sleep, and there, in the dead of night, he
sat and listened to the prayers of Booth and
the endorsements of those who came with him
to ask favor of Executive clemency.
This interval lasted till in the. morning.
1t was one of tears, prayers, and petition
There was not 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 mana 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 fit of passion to do some bold deed, he
had joined in a conspiracy to abduct the Pres
ident and to hold him as hostage for the re-
lease of certain military prisoners who were
Booths friends and who, it was thought,
were to be shot. He told of the meetings
they had held at the house of Mrs. Surrat,
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 or consequences. The en-
inent gentlemen who were there with him
Joined in the request that the prayer of Booth
be granted, and that Beal should be pardon
ed.
At last President Lincoln, with tears
streaming down his face, took Booth by the
hands, babe him rise and stand like a man,
gave him his promise that Beal should be
pardoned. He asked the party to depart that
he might gain rest for the work of the NOR
row, and said that the Official document that
they asked for should be forwarded at once to
United States Marshal Robert Murray, in
New York, and through him to the officers
charged to tho execution of Beal.
After breakfast Lincoln informed Seward,
Secretary Of State, what he had done or prom
Used to do. Seward said that it must not be
that public sentiment in the North demanded
that Beal should be hung. He declared that
to pardon Beal would discourage enlistments,
iengthen the war, and insult the sentiment
that called for blood. He chided Lincoln for
making such promises without asking the
advice of his Cabinet, or advising with him.