The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-03
HIKES BDOTH's PURSUER.
A Petty Lawsuit Recalling the AssnssinRtion
or Abrnham Lincoln.

dispute lasting Ovcr two years, bctwccn
Samuel Churchill OF 1876 East Fifteenth strcet
and Joseph B. Stewart n lawyer Of IS Broad
way. in regard TO a bond valued ut 1875 result
ed last Monday in the arrest OF tho latter. Ho
promptly furnished the 5000 ba required. two
OF his clients. wcllknown business men. be-
coming his sureties.
MIR. stcwar, is six feet and nvo inches high.
bu, so well proporlloncd that he seems TO be
hardly moro than six feet. He Is the man who
lcapcd on tho stage Of Ford's Theatre in Wash
ington on tho night Of April II, 1856. and fol-
lowed John Wilkes Booth behind the scenes
into tho alley whore tho saddled horse was In
whiting Everybody else in the theatre was
dazcd with what had occurred. or WIS thought
ful only Of the wounded man.
Mr.. Stewart sat with his family next TO the
orchestra rail TO the right Of the middle aisle.
To his right In tho prosconium box Of the
second tier was President Lincoln. Mr. Stow
art heard tho fntal shot and. looking up. saw
the Presidents head fall forward on his bosom.
Tho stage was empty. Tho noNt instant Booth
etcppod on the balustrade OF the box to leap
down % the stage A. be- stood poised win a
dagger in his hand. Stewart, who had had u
slight acquaintance with him. recognized him.
and at q glance took in tho situation.
Booths spur was cnught in somo of tho
drapcry and ns be fell 10 the stngc his back
was toward the spectators Tho words sic
scmper tyranni5 wero uttered before his feet
|
dishing the dagger. sru ie edingonully across tho
stage to tho opposite side. As he. arose Mr..
& spfqE TO- 81 ti errn1Trn H. rad
! Ing hia hold. and then lcapod over tho lntcr-
! voning space T. the fpOtlights. Had he known
the pc. lon u the rear cnirancc TO tho thcnlrg.
! he could have reached II ny soon rs Booth did
| A. it was he wns compelled 70 follow tho fugi-
| tiv, diagonnlly 10 the In and then back across
! the stngc hChind tho scenes.
Tho door was shut IN his facc. and he could
not readily opeu It. When he did. he saw booth
/ Afft Il. midi Is hn HnY hfHu
| wus toward n brick wall. Stewart sprang for
! ward t. grasp the left roin. A. he did 40, Booth
| turned tho animal 10 the right. and backing Il
ns i turned. its rump throw stewart against tho
| hnl. Then came y race across ihe court yard
toward z sharP turn mat lea TO the alley oprn- ,
| lopel IN tis yard. and Stewart nearly caught
| up with II on s left side. but WA again crowded
against n wall. He was between the horse and
| tho wall.
Booth mnlc ono stroke at his pursu9r with
| anxious 10 get away without shedding more
| blood.
While tho latter was yet struggling for the
bride rein Booth arrived at the mouth OF tho
alley. and putting his horse into gallop coon
| rQiicd out ~ slRit.
Subsequently Stewart was asked ty a friend
why he WAS so anxious to get hold Of tho bride
| Because - the ginnt said. knew exactly
! whatto doll got hold ot the bit ! would have
| thrown tho horse over on his back. Yet
| think" he added. " II was very fortunate that
| did not catch him. The theatre was filed with
| soldiers The feeling after the first momont OF
|
| came pouring over tho stage and out OF the
stage door II Booth had boon there he would
have been shot into small pieces. Many o
Themselves would hnye accidentally fallen vic:
tins TO their reck less fury. suppose that II
| had stood there holding him when they came
out my virtues would now be proclaimed TO q
careless world on piece OF marble. Besides Il
Scsn Rqdi ed hen 9s the bot for the cTa sssass%
alton would mover have been discovered.
During the Inst term Of John Kelly rs sheriff
Mr.. Stewart had Daniel Drew arrested, and Mr.
Drcw. in turn. had him arrested, Each fur
nshed slQo,OOd bail, and thus avoided impris
| onmont The trouble between them grew ou
OF the failure Of n Baltimore bank.
Tho affidavit OF Mr. Churchill. on which th'
recent order OF arrest was granted by Judg
DAILY OF the Court Of Common Pleas, ayers tina
he loaned to Stewart q $500 coupon bond, wOrtl
1915. Of the Portage Lake and Lake Superio
ship Canal Company. short time preyiousl'
that 1t should be- returned the Same day
When. however, he wns asked 10 rcturi
the bond on the following day or sooi
aitcrward. Churchill alleges that ho dit
| not do SO. giving MS IN eXcusH that n friend VIII,
had possession of II had locked i NJ and hg'
gone ont Of town. llo promised Churchill &
get Il Tor him thnt afternoon or the next morn
ing. He did not do 80, and ti' plaintin aver
that he repeatedly 0skol him in vain to roturl
the bond. At length. Churchill alleges tht n
learned from William Mrredith. n Wall stree
| banker. that the bond hrl boon pledged to hin
by Stewart nhout June "a. 1870, for borrowr'
money. and that he had sold II with Other col
lateral paper. because the loan had not bcel
| paid.
Following those allegations Churchill avcr
! that Stewart obtained possess of tho bond b.
fraud and far the purpose Of deiraudnG. M
affidavit Of William Meredith agrees IN sub
stance with that Of Mr., Churchill
| II is alleged in behalf Of stewart that IN
charge OF fraud. so far as hn is concerned. i
| ridi uOus. and that IL he beloved the claim a
the plaintiff Just he could easily have settled 7
| The order Of arrest WAS mHde on the two am
davts. No copy Of the complaint has bee
served upon Mr.. Stewart