The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-05-04

Ipomsroy's Democrat. /

Another of the characters of the war
time was q wild, dashing, bee.brained
young man named John Wilkes Booth.
From his father he inherited certain
faint of frenzy under excitement that
was cousin-german 10 insanity. This
Booth was a reckless, handsome fellow,
whose delight was to dress we'll, feed
upon female hearts, and In mimicry
mouth utterances of men OF creative
genius. His blood was hot, and passions
quick to kindle. In his loves and friend
ships he was cratic and peculiar. He
did not try to study himself, and grew
up wild and tumultuous.
Among the chosen friends of his boy.
hood was a dashing, chivalr0us young
man named John Y. Beal, whose home
was i'm the beautiful Shenandoah Valley,
not far from Winchester, as we know
from having been there. Damon and
Pythias were not more attached to each
other than were Booth and Beal. They
rode, walked, dined, drank and in
trigued together. Beal was South
erner in his sympathies, and was to
certain extent as much martyr as was
cratic John Brown, who was taken in a
raid, hung in the jail-yard at Charles
town, Va, by order of Governor Wise,
and whose scafiold, as we write this, is
now in our Office. Beal planned raids on
Northern cities, and at last was captured
at or near Buffalo, tried for piracy on
Northern lakes, and sentenced to be
hung on Bedloe's Island, in the harbor of
New York. In prison waiting his doom,
we leayehim for n time.
One afternoon, in the city of Washing
ton, while Beal was under sentence of
death, there alighted from carriage
cupied by Washington Mclean, of Gin
cinnati, who was at that time in Wash
ington in the interest of his business.
These men who called were Senator
Hale, from New Hampshire, and John
Wilkes Booth, with whom, through the
Morgans, of Kentucky, Mclean had be-
come quite we'll acquainted.
Their errand was briefly told, Booth
was anxious to save the life of Beal, his
chum and confidential personal friend.
He had interested Mr.. Hale in his be.
half, who, from his former Identification
with the political movement that had
grown into the elevation of Lincoln to
the Presidency, had come to ask at the
Executive the favor of mercy for. brave
enemy, who had, in defense of his friends
in the South. done no more than people
in the North applauded their scouts and
adventures for doing or attempting.
They importuned Mclean to go with
them to the President, as Democrat
as friend of Booth-as man who had
much influence with Mr.. Lincoln, and
to vouch with Mr.. Hale, for any prom
Uses 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 then in bed
the hour being late. Forney was
awakened from his sleep and told the
object of the call. His sympathies 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.. Lin
coin was called from his sleep. and there
in the dead of night, he sat and listened
to the prayers of Booth and the indorse
ments of those who came with him tt
ask the favor of Executive clemency.
That interview lasted till four o'cloci
in the morning. 1t was one of tears
prayer and petition. There was not
dry eye i'm the room as Booth knelt al
the feet of Lincoln, clasped his hands
and begged him to spare the life of ONT
mana personal friend who, in serving
the ones he loved, had come to the doc
of death.
Booth told all. He told how, Ions
before, in fit of passion to do some bolt
deed, he had joined in a conspiracy t.
abduct the President and to hold him a
a hostage for the release of certain mill
tary prisoners who were Booths friends
and who, it was thought, were to b.
shot. lie told of the meetings they hat
held at the house of Mrs. Surratt, ant
that all of that plan had fallen to tn,
ground long before.
He offered his services at any time
and in place or capacity, free of cost o
fearless of consequences. The eminen
gentlemen who were there with hin
Joined in the request that the prayer o
Booth be granted, and that Beal shoul'
be pardoned.
At last, President Lincoln, with tear
streaming down his face, took Booth b,
the hands, babe him rise and stand lik
man, and gave him his promise tina
Beal should be pardoned. He asked tn
party tn depart that he might gain resi-
for the work of the morrow, and said tina
| tho pfEnioI 1Annp,ant thnxy ooHoh FL
should be forwarded at once to Unite'
States Marshal Robert Murray, in Ne,
York, and through him to the officer
charged with the execution of Beal.
After breakfast, Lincoln informe
Seward, Secretary of State, what he ha
done or promised to do. Seward said j
must not be. That public sentiment j
the North demanded that Beal should b
hung. He declared that to pardon Bes
would discourage enlistments, lengthe
the war and insult the sentiment tina
called for blood. He chided Lincoln fo
making such promises without asking tn
advice of his Cabinet, or advising wit
himself, Seward, on State policy. A
the argument grew contentious, Sewar
declared that il the conduct of the wa
was to be trifled with by appeals 70
humanity, he should go out of the Cab
net and use his influence against tn
President, and should charge him wit
being in sympathy with the South.
Lincoln yielded and Beal was executed
thus carrying out of the sentence Q
the Court. The reaction to Lincoln
nervous system was such that for days h
was far from we'll.
The effect on Booth was terrible. II
raved like mailman, and in his frenz
swore that Lincoln and Seward shoul
both pay for the grief and agony he ha
been put to. From the death of Bea
Booth hooded vengeance for that whic
he considered personal ahront. Hi
rage took in Seward, and he engages
Harold, Azterodt and others to aveng
Beal's death by killing Seward, while h
(Bootb) wreaked human vengeance o
the President.
At last came the hour. Booth kille
Lincoln. His friends and the relative
or avengers of Beal tried their best TO XII
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