Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-12-13
BOOTHS DEFENSE.
THE MOTIVE WHICH PROMPTED
THE ASSASSINATION OF
LINCOLN.
Reproduction Of the Letter Written to
the National Intelligencer.

A hitherto unpublished and very in.
teresting story of Lincoln's assassination
| appears in the Press tomorrow, and in,
cludes acts Of the assassin just previous
to shooting the President, with his let.
ter of justification, Entrusted to John
Matthews, the actor, just before the
deed, to be delivered to John +. Coyle,
editor Of the National Intelligencer.
The story is told by John L Ford, the
theatre manager, and Mr.. Matthews.
After stating that it is morally certain
that Booth never thought of the murder
until the day it was committed, Mr..
Ford said:
Until Booth came to the theatre that
morning he had no knowledge that the
President intended visiting the theatre
In the evening. That afternoon he
wrote the letter justifying the assassina-
ton. This letter he gave to John Mat
thews, who now is engaged in New
York. He was then playing at my the
atre. The letter was intended to be
published in the National Intelligencer,
and it was well toward night when he
gave 1t to- Matthews. He was riding
down Pennsylvania Avenue toward the
National Hotel, when he met Matthews
and handed him the letter. Matthews
destroyed the paper Immediately after
the shooting, and no one ever saw it but
him. Finding that all his plans for alb
duction had failed, and the end of the
war was growing nearer and nearer. he
at the very last moment determined to
take the desperate chance of assassina-
tion Booth was very gifted young
man, and was q great fayorite in society
IN Washington. He was engaged, it
was said, to Young lady of high posi-
ton and character. / understand that
she wrote to Edwin Booth after the as.
sassination telling him that she was his
brothers betrothed and would marry
him, even at the foot of the scaffold.
My God My God | have 10 longer
country This is the end of constitu-
tlonal liberty in America These were
the words spoken with startling empha-
sis on the evening of the 14th of April
1865, by John Wilkes Booth. He was
passing down Pennsylvania Avenue, in
Washington, and near the corner of
Thirteenth street had met John Mat
thews, fellow-actor, and boyhoOd
friend, whom he thus addressed:
'" lie was pale as ghost when he ut
tered those words said Mr.. Matthews
10 me day or two since. There were
qnite q number Of Confederate prisoners
along the avenue as he spoke, and when
he said, "This is an end to constitutional
liberty in America" he pointed feeling
y toward them. He looked at them o
moment, after they passed, and was
thoughtful. He then turned to me
quickly and said: ~ want you to do
ne q favor" Anything in my power,
'ohn," replied. He thrust his hand
nto his pocket, and drawing out let
er, said: "Deliver this to Mr.. Coyle. |
II the National Intelligencer, tonight,
y II o'clock, unless ] see you before
hat. I'll do, | can attend to it myself"
took the letter, saw that it was sealed,
ut 1t into my pocket, and walked on.
'ooth, who was ON horseback, rode rap
lily down the street, and l never saw
i'm again until he jumped from the box
! Ford's Theatre to the stage after
hooting the President.
! was then playing at Ford's, the
iece being "Our American Cousin.
aura Keene was the star. Booth al
lost ran against me as he leaped across
le stage on bis way to the door, There
as, OF course, great commotion, and
at once went to my dressing-room and
cked up my wardrobe, passed under
Re stage out through the orchestra and ,
10 auditorium to the street with the ,
ldience. My room was directly oppo- +
te, at Mr. Peterson's, the house at 9
hich Mr.. Lincoln died. | walked r
lickly across, locked the doors and be. /,
IN at once to change my clothes. In d
cking up my coat, the letter Booth h
ii given me upon the street before the a
eatre opened dropped out of my pock- i,
ION the floor. had almost forgotten :
in my excitement. I quickly picked O
up, tore it open, and read it very care D
Ily. ''My God" thought /. "This
f-condemnation Of my friend shall a
t be found in my possession !" and / il
rev 1t into the fire, watched it until If A
rned to cinders, and then mixed the la
'ms with the coal ashes. In the ey- IL
ement and horror which followed the N