The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-04-09

the lives of the men who were surrounding
the building. Harold begged and entreated
in the most piteous manner to be let out, and
the Lieutenant ordered him to put his hands
out of the door, which was partly ajar. He
stuck his hands out, the Lieutenant caught
hold of them, pulled him out and immediate
ly closed the door. Harold was then turned
over to two soldiers, He kept making asser-
tiOns that he knew nothing about Booth, and
Colonel Conger threatened to tie him and
gag him if he did not stop his noise. This
had a quieting effect. It had been decided
to fire the building, so that Booth would be
driven to the small door, where it was thought
he could be easily captured.
Another parley ensued. Lieutenant Ba-
ker again made the demand for his surrender
Booth said, 'Who are you, and what do you
want of me? 1t may be that | am being ia
ken by my friends" The Lieutenant said
''That makes no difference we know who
you are, and want you. We have fifty men
armed with carbines and pistols around the
barn, and you cannot escape" After a
pause he said, Captain, this is a hard case,
swear. Give a lame man a chance. Draw
up your men twenty yards from the door,
and l will fight your whole command %
The Lieutenant replied, 81 did not come to
fight, but came to take you have got you,
and you had better surrender" Booth re-
piled: "Give me little time to consider"
The Lieutenant said every well, take time
You can have five minutes" He was heard
to come forward to the door, or near the
door. As he came he said Captain, l be-
lieve you are a brave and honorable man. l
have had half a dozen opportunities to shoot
you, and have a bead drawn on you now, but
don't want to do it. Withdraw your forces
a hundred yards from the door and 1 Will
come ont. Give me a chance for my life,
Captain, for l will not be taken alive"
Lieutenant Baker said owe have waited
long enough Now come out or we viii fire
the barn" Col. COnger then said eve
had better fire the barn - and to this Lieu
tenant Baker gave his consent. Booth said,
in his peculiar stage tone, ''Well, my brave
boys, prepare stretcher for me, then"
After pause Of about half minute, he was
heard to say: zone more stain on the glo-
rious old banner"
Just as he ceased speaking Colonel Con-
ger applied match to some hay which he
drew through crevice, and in an instant the
inside of the building was blaze of light
The Lieutenant then opened the door to
give him a chance to come out, and from his
position on the outside could see every move
mcnt made by Booth. He seemed to be
leaning against the haymow, supported by
his crutches, with his carbine in his hand.
He sprang forward toward the fire, with the
seeming intention of shooting the man who
touched the match. But the intense light
inside the building prevented him from see
ing objects in the darkness without. He
then turned and with the aid of one clutch
came rapidly in the direction of the door
but halted about the centre of the floor Here
he drew himself to his full height, and seem
ed to take a survey of the terrible situation.
He looked first at the roaring flames, and
then his glaring eyes rested upon the open
door. He resembled an iEfuriated wild
beast at bay. A cloud of smoke rolled to
the roof, swept across the room, ther came
down to the floor on the other side, and he
appeared to be standing in an arch of fire
and smoke. He remained but an instant in
this position, and then dropping his remain
ing crutch, with his carbne in one hand and
n pistol in the other, he dashed for the door.
When within about ten feet of the opening
the crack of a pistol was heard from the rear
of the barn. Booth reeled forward, threw
up one hand dropped his carbine, and fell
face downward on some hay which was scat
tered on the floor.
Lieutenant Baker rushed in followed by
/ Colonel CoEger and young Garrett. The
/ Lieutenant, not knowing how fatal the shot,
seized him by the arms intending to Sc
I u in
/ On turning Booth over, Lieutenant Baker
/ found a pistol in his left hand, which he still
held with a vice-like grip, and it required
/ great strength to wrench it from him. a
/ leather belt was around his body, with a
/ bowie knife and nOtherrevolver in it. Lieu
tenant Baker then accused Colonel Congel
of shooting him, which the Colonel denied
and said 'Booth shot himself" This the
Lieutenant claimed was impossible, as he
saw him every moment from the time The
hay was fired until he fell. Colonel COnge1
. said: "The man who did shoot him shall z,
I back to Washington under arrest" UpOI
further inquiry it was found that SeTgean
Boston Corbett had fired the shot from
navy revolver through a cTevice in the rea
of the barn. This was a most difficult fea
to perform, for the ball struck Booth on tn
side of the neck, a little back of the centre
anG passed entirely through, breaking th
spinal column. The fire was making sue
progress that Booth was taken out of tn
building and carried a short distance an
placed under tree. He began to shoy
signs of life. Water was dashed in his fac
: and a little poured in his mouth. His lip
began to move, and lie family whispered
"Tell mother-tell mother" He seemed
gain further strength, and then in a MOI
distinct vaice, said, "TeI mother 1 died fC
my country"
Day was breaking, and the heat from tn
, burning barn was sointense that tho wounC
ed man was removed to the piazza of til
, house The young ladies brought out ma
= row straw bed, and on this Booth was laiC
, 4 cloth soaked in ice water and whisky Wa
E placed in his mouth which revived him. II
+ opened his eyes, seemed to take in the situi
ton at once. and said ''kill me Oh, Ii
I me quick p The Lieutenant said: IN
Booth, we do not want to kill you, and hoI
\ you will recover. You were shot against o
. deTs." He then was unconscious for sever
. minutes, when he again revived. His che
0 heaved, his chin dropped he put out h
? tongue and seemed to wish to know if the
' was blood in his mouth. He was assur,
/. there was none, and then said "Tell moth
y I died for my country. | did what thong
e best" He showed no signs of life in |
| body below the wound, with the exceptit
: of the action of the lungs. He said: IN
e IL