The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-08-05
lInC0LN'S ASSASSINATION.
A Review of John Wilkes Booths
Conspiracy.

"A tSeVloW OI OOnh w LINUS Dooch
Conspiracy.
Booth spent nearly the whole of the
war time about Washington is dissipa-
ton, flirting and hotel society, and that
streak of insanity remaining In his fam
ily, set on fire by dramatic ambition and
romance, led him to contemplate the
greatest personal act of the war, if he
could find the proper tools to help him.
Probably, if he could have obtained
some of the reckless Missourians with
Ouantrell, or even some of Morgan's
men detailed to him from the Confed-
crate army, ne might have succeeded in
taking off Lincoln either alive or dead.
He might have gagged the President, to
render him, to all intents, a helpless
piece OF freight, though yet alive, and,
by tearing up bridge somewhere, or
giving false scent, have got a. start of
half an hour to an hour, and let the
shades of night shut in himself and his
prisoner, and then they would have ten
or twelve hours of work.
AS long rs there was n Confederacy In
tact and offensive the problem of capt
uring Lincoln would stop at the Potomac
river. There was but one obstacle on
the road, and that was the eastern
branch of the Potomac, in the fork of
which lies Washington city. This
stream, Immediately opposite Washing
ton, has two bridges, both guarded !;
but five miles above Washington the
eastern branch was fordable. On the
night of the murder Booth had no
trouble Ill passing the most important of
these bridges as late rs II o'clock.
Both he and Harold were allowed to go
over and neither gave pass, bat the
livery stable keeper. hunting for the
horse on which Harold rode, was stopped
and told he could go over, but could not
come back Booth had TO fall back on
the Maryland element around him, as
the Confederate Government did not
entertain such an irregular proposition
as his. About the last of October, 1864,
Booth went to the house of DR.. Queen,
several miles from Bryanstown, with a
letter of instruction from Martin in Can
ada. Martin had been a blockade-run-
ner in conjunction with Keith of Thorn
assen, who, years afterward, blew up a
steamer at Bremen, Germany, with an
internal machine. Booth told DR.. Queen
and DIR. Queens neighbors that he was
going to buy land in Lower Maryland.
He was referred to Henry Mudd, father
of DR.. Mudd. This was Saturday, and
the next day, Sunday, DIR. Queen and
his son-in-law, John G. Thompson, took
Booth to the Catholic Church at Bryans-
town. DIR. Samuel A. Mudd was stand
ing in front of the church with others,
and Booth was introduced to him by
Thompson. Thus began the conspiracy,
nearly six months before its finale.
Booth went back to DIR. Queens that
night, and stayed there till the next
day, Monday. About the middle of De-
-cember following he returned and STAYED
-one night with DR.. Queen, and went
away the next morning How often he
went to DIR. Mudd's only that person
knows. Bryaustown, where DIR. Mudd
resided, is about twenty-seven miles
from Washington on the regular stage
road leading to Leonardstown and Point
Lookout. Mudd's was four miles north
Of Bryanstown. From Bryanstown to
the nearest crossing on the Potomac, at
Matthias point, is about sixteen miles.
In the early part of the war around
Bryarstown was portion of rebel State
guard. which, being run down by the
Union forces, hid in the vicinity of DIR.
Mudd's house. Mudd was stakeholder.
He, Booth and Surratt were intimate at
the National Hotel in Washington as
early as January. 1867.
David G.. Harold was vagrant drug
gist's clerk in Washington, who was
fond of cunning through Lower Mary
land, and knew Surratt. Surratt
had employed Atzerodt to cross to Vir-
ginia in q row-boat from below Port To-
bacco.
Late in 1864, somewhat after Booth
had met DIR. Mudd, Mrs. Surratt rented
ier tavern at Surrattsville and moved
to Washington and opened boarding
house. She had an interesting daugh-
ter, and was herself q rather comedy
widow about 40 years old. The ladies
never had such an elegant acquaintance
as Booth, and he soon got power over
them and over their country friends.
yohn Surratt was Kept In Lower Mary
land running the blockade, carving the
rebel mail and picking up little money,
and indulging In some visions of wealth
to he got through Booths genius. Sur.
raft made one or two visits to Rich.
mond. and the rebel Secretary oil
State intrusted him with packages &c
Canada.
Booth was native OF Hartford coun-
ty, Maryland, and had it's local patriot
ism. He was an actor in Richmond 81
the time John Brown was hung, and
went up to see the execution. There he
met John T. Beall, who was afterward
hung on Governors island, and theil
acquaintance was very confidential
Booth labored hard to have Beall par
.doned by Lincoln, but Intellectually
Beall had been pirate about the mouth
of the Potomac ut the beginning OF thu
war. and afterward on the lakes, ant
was one of the set of young desperadoe.
On Canada, and he was hung on the 24tl
of February. 1866. on Governors island