St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-09-05
j. Wilkes Booths Captor

TELLS THE STORY OF HIS PURSUIT AND
DEATH AFTER LINCOLN's ASSASSINATION.
Capt. Edward P. Doherty, who COM
manded the detachment of New York
cavalry which pursued and captured
John Wilkes Booth, Lincoln's assassin,
is now city contractor at New Or
Booths being still alive are all bosh,
for he knew Booth personally, saw him
die, and knows that, four years after
Booths body was buried in peniten-
tiary cell at Washington arsenal. it was
delivered to his relatives and now lies
in the family vault near Baltimore.
Capt. DOherty has given reporter of
the New Orleans Picayune a graphic
description of Booths capture, which
he accomplished with force of 25 cav
alrymen and two citizen detectives.
The captains command was stationed
at Germantown, Va, at the time, and
he was informed that Booth and his as
sociates were i'll the neighborheod of
Fredericksburg, where no troops had
been stationed for some time. But Capt.
DOherty learned after he started that a
regiment of Union cavalry had already
gone to FredeI Iicksburg, and he at once
made for the south side of the Rappa-
hammock. The captain and an orderly
proceeded ahead of the command to
Port Conway ferry, where they showed
Mrs. Rollins, the ferryman's wife, the
photographs of Booth, Harold and Sur
rat, representing them as rebel friends
who were still unaware of Lees surren-
der. Mrs. Rollins said that Booth and
Hnr hnr
them to Orange Court house the even
ing before, Lieuts. Burblidge, Ruggles
and Jett of MOsby's command going
with them. The woman said that one
of the party (BOoth) was wounded in
the leg, and as Jett was cOurting the
daughter of Hotel-keeper Goldman at
Bowling Green, 1S miles distant, all
hands had probably gone there. Capt.
DOherty at once sent the orderly after
his command, and after the last load of
horses had been ferried across, he ar
rested Ferryman Rollins and got him
to guide them to Bowling Green, sur
rounding him with guard with drawn
pistols, that his neighbors might think
that he was forced to do it.
The party rode directly to Bowling
Green, passing the house of one Gar
rett on the way, where Booth and Har-
rold were stopping and took to the
woods unnoticed. But Capt. Doherty
and his men found Lieut.. Jett at Gold
mans hotel, and, making him believe
that he knew all about his movements
for the last three days, and threatening
to hang him if he lied, the captain got
him to own up that Booth had stopped
at CARROTS. Jett was forced to guide
the command back, and when they got
within quarter of mile of the house
the captain went on ahead to survey
the premises, placed six men as patrol
in the rear of the house and stables and
surrounded the house with the rest.
Garrett said that Booth and Harold
went to the woods the afternoon be-
fore, but one of the sons was finally
forced to confess that they had return
ed and were hidden in the barn. Sergt.
Boston COrbett was at once ordered to
dismOunt the force, detail few to
watch the house and surround the barn
with the rest. The baIn was locked,
but one of the Garrett boys was found
hiding in the orchard with the key in
his pocket, and Capt. Doherty called
on those inside to come out and sur
render.
At first there was no reply, but when
the threat was made to burn the barn,
Booth called out. "Who do you take US