Mexico weekly ledger., 1881-05-19
"Gash" In the Cincinnati ENQUIRER.

An Actors "Reminiscences Of the Crazy
sAssassfn of Lincoln,
''Gsth" Ia the Cincinnati Enquirer.
John Matthew, the actor, has CIV
en- me some interesting points about
John wilkes Booth. Matthews was
the person to whom Wilkes Booth
gave his confession in a sealed eaveI.
ope Is he rode about the streets OF
Washington on the day Of Liheola's
murder. Matthews, agreed not to
open the envelope till he had heard
from Booth. That night the unfort-
unate Matthews found THAT Lincoln
was murdered and Booth was the
murderer. In the greatest appre-
hension he went to his lodgings and
read the confession and destroyed it.
He said TO me: f+ jooi
II BECAME acqnsinted; with John
Booth in Baltimore. We were boys
together, l may say. He was such
a generous, affectionate fellow-so
brave for q friend. so thoroughly
agreeable to know and be with-that
he probably had some influence over
me ; but I have always thought he
vas cracked in the upper story. His
father, whom I never saw on the stage
was always reputed to, be cracked.
aud I think d little insanity is in the
whole family. Mrs. Booth, the moth
err, was q delightful woman-so fond
of her children, so beloved by every
body. They lived in High street,
Baltimore, in = good house.. You
may not know that Abraham Lincoln
died in my room at the house oppo-
site the theatre. It was a pleasant
room, with two windows looking back
on q yard. John Wilkes Booth often
used to come over there from the
theatre and lie on my bed and talk
to me by the, hour. The same walls
which have echoed to his laugh.
sounded Liucoln's dying means.
81 remember one day, the most
dismal day in the winter, that a man
called to see me and was shown up
to my room. John Booth laid on
the bed wish his boots off, and l only
got up when the stranger came to the
door. The man was miserable to be
SEEM He was q soldier In the Union
army, I suppose, for he had on mill
tary shoes, but he was walking on
his uppers. He had been in the
slusd and snow, and looked like a
regular tramp. You are MI. Mat
thews, Of Baltimore he said. Il
went to the theatre, as I am from
Baltimore myself, and asked if there
were any of the actors there, and,
they gave me your name, and told
me where you lived, so / came to see
you. You e the condition I am in.
Mr.. Matthews. l have nothing to.
eat or drink, no place to sleep, and
hardly shoes that will stay on my
feet. thought if I could see some
of the actors they woald fit me up a
little said to myself: There is a
poor soldier who has gone off into the
army, and got enough of it, and
wants to get back home.' So 1 told
the man to sit down and take off his
shoes and what socks he had left, and
wash his feet in some fresh water /
had just poured out.
Gas he was washing his sore, grimy
feet, / looked In the glass opposite
the bed, and saw John Booth look
ing down at the man with an express
sion Of interest and pity. l said,
Now, my good fellow, l have a pair
Of shoes here that will meet your case
I think so l gave him the socks and
q pair of shoes that would hold water
and out of odds and ends made him
up q comfortable suit, and gave him
q drink out of a bottle that had not
been opened before, and started him
on his road. When he had gone out
John Booth said to me: What a |
compliment that was to actors. John
ny! Did you mark, that my boy? He
went to the theatre and asked for the
actors,' said Booth. He didn't 90 to
one of those Bible thumpers, did
Matthews said that he and Booth
were DOM, as boys, runner to fires
In the tail of some engine or fire
company of Baltimore. He added
with much good sense "The aboli-
ton of the Volunteer Fire Depart
nent has saved the young men in the
from general ruin. In my day
. year Of two before the war, the
Sons of the best men in Baltimore
loved TO be rowdies and fire-runners.
Every engine and hose company had
its cohort of young, well-dressed ruff
ians, who carried weapons and we're
ougilists, and generally meant to
light when they started out to put
Town a fire, and very often lighted
he fires they we're called on to sub
lue. The Blue Dicks were with
he Newmarket Hose. The plug
the Cock Robins and the
Killers were other organization ="