National Republican., 1882-01-14
BOOTHS WILD RIDE
ACROSS THE uNtonrowA BRIDGE
Down Into Maryland and Across Into Virginia
How the Guards on the Bridge We're
Foolcd-Dr. Mudd Dressing
Booths Injured Limb.

on cool, cloudy day IN March, 1869, drove
with team Of horses over the ground covered by
Booth In his wild flight from Washington the
night he assassluated Lincoln. followed the
exact route Booth pursued for distance OF nearly
forty miles, TO the house Of Dr. Mudd, near the
village Of Beantown, Charles County Nd,
where he had his broken ankle set Amer this he
and HIS companion Herold rode seven miles fur.
ther, where they struck the ferry on the Potomac
TO Virginia, crossed the river, and penetrated as
far as CARROTS farm, where the one was subse-
quenty shot and killed and the other made q
prisoner. The object OF my mission was an inter.
view with DR.. Mudd, one of the alleged oonspira-
tors In the murder of Lincoln. lie had returned
TO his homo from the Dry Tortugas, where he had
been banished for life, but was pardonedb by presl-
dent johnson of(er four years confinement. on
the trial Of the consplrators he came within ace
OF being hanged-in fact II was as close shave of
the moose as Rny ever remember, and yet, pruc-
tically, Mudd had no more 10 do with the assas-
snation Of Lincoln than the cb'ld unborn. Booths
original intention 10 abducS President Lincoln
and carry him down TO Virginia, over precisely :
tho same route that he took when he attempted TO
make his escape, and deliver him over to the
rebels.
PREPARING FOR IIScoLN's ABDUCTION.
For six months before the fatal Good Friday
evening, April IA, 1865 Booth had frequently tray
cled ever this route between Washington aud
Virginia via Maryland and had made himself ac-
quainted with every house, every tree, and every
turn on the road. He visited the houses Of the
people, paid attention 10 tho girls, stood unlimited
whisky to the men, 'nnd made himself generally
popular, All this time lie was preparing for the
abduction of Lincoln, and Il Is understood by
those who know the facts Of the best the idea
of assassination never came into his head, and
was never hinted at until the surrender Of Gem
eral Lee, less than week before the awful crime
was committed. Among those whose acquaintance
i gt1ltyf aIaIy nR MtNI1 hstN 60 NNtth
whom he sought to ingratiate himself did he
| breathe the purpose he had in view lie pre-
tended TO be very fond Of hunting and fowling
| aud as Charles County, Maryland, Is famed for
| It's wild game and sportsmen, no suspicion of his
motives was ever entertained There was n nu-
merous Catholic population in, the county, and
Booth was on the best Of terms with Father Flana-
gan,
PARISH PRIEST OF BEANTowN,
and was well recommended TO his congregation.
At place called by two letters, \ b, was tavern
where Booth was well known, and where hundreds
Of dollars were spent by him drinks for the rus
tic frequentors. With these predatory remarks so
as to enable the reader to understand the story
better, propose TO describe Booths mad ride for
| life that night Of April IA, 1865. At the moment
when Booth shot Lincoln, Spanglcr, the stage car
| penler of Fords Theatre was standing In the lane
| back OF the rear entrance to the stage holding
| Booths horse fine, well-groOmcd blOoded
| bay. 10 took less than three minutes from the
| Tune Booth Jumped on the stage from inc PfCSl-
dents box after doing the fatal deed, until he
wasmountedo on his horse and breaking away down
the co6he paved lane with the speed of the
| wind, the sparks flying from his horses hOOfs as
they struck the Uneven paving stones From the lane
he turned into street. continued along TO Four
and.a Half street aud then down TO Pennsylvania
avenue wheeling to the east and bearing on by the
north wing of the Capitol. He swept swiftly past
the east front Of the white and silent building. and
struck the continuation of Pennsyvania avenue
Here he gave his horse full rein, for he had Il
straight and level course before him as far as the
mac into Maryland. AT the Marine Hospital cor
nor of Ninth street and Pennsylvania avenue,
southeast, Her9ld, mounted on ahorse, was wait
rative has to be checked for q momentary digres.
sion.
HOW THE sENTRIEs WERE FOOLED.
During the war, and for n while after its close,
military sentinels were posted at both ends OF the
bridge that crosses the AnGCostia or East Branch
Of the Potomac nom the District of Columbia to
Maryland These sentinels sharply challenged
and inquired the business of every one crossing
the bridge. To get oyer this difficulty i was ar
ranged between Booth aud Herold that the latter
should stay in Union City, on the Maryland side,
until night, and then, abouttcn o'clock, ride down
to and cross the bridge, answering the challenge
of the sentry Of Who goes thcrep by replying
"a messenger going for hdoctor" This answer
was, Of course, bound To pass him over, On re-
Hospital, Hcrold was TO ride back ahead and after
answering the sentry's challenge again Of Who
Tor The Doctor" Booth was to ride UP, and to the
challenge of "Who goes there?' answer The
DOCTOR
TEARING OVER THE MUDDY ROADS.
! This arrangement worked to n charm. Hcrold
met Booth at the appointed place and they crossed
over into Union City small village on the Mary
laud side, without suspicion or molestation, Al
the other side Of the bridge the road turned TO the
left, and for some distance was up hill. The night
, was fine, but cloudy The roads were heavy here
md there, from recent rains, but Booth took little
thought of that. When the level rond was reached
he dashed ahead ot the fullest possible speed and
! never drew rein till he reached the place, oddly
! called 7 b. sixteen miles from Washington, where
he was forced to dismount, owing to broken sad
! die girt. This was quickly repaired by handy
$ man in the tavern, who remembered we'll, foul
: years after, what an enormous drink OF brandy
= time was lost in getting forward. Both iugitiyei
: kept well together on
THE WINGS OF THE WIND.
, Beyond I b the road becomes very lonely, auC
/ the country wears dcsolatc and deserted look
\ Groves tall pine trees ON one side and drear.
. stretches of marShland at the other are visible
WHAT t thousRs ought ;n must have have led Booths mild ii Il
: every nodding pine branch he must have i'm
/. agined anarm OF vengeance stretched out acros
:, Beautown he had to turn to the left and take
u kind of bridlcpath through strip of pine forrest
y Who will envy his thoughts as In the darknes
y aud solitude created by the overarchiug trees n
y could not help rejecting that, no matter TO wha
n end of the earth he might ", the avenging han
n ish him for his objectionable crime ATE
~ emerging from the forest patch he had to rid
i through IA number of Helds the road taking tina
~ course along the headands
n ARRIVED AT MuDDs HOUSE.
d Al four o'clock in the morning he reached tn
ls fence that surrounds the plot on which stood Di
lr Mudds dwelling. Booth and Herold disInountcd
J. The latter opened the wicket in the fence, and
&c with Booth leaning heavily on his shoulder for hi
10 broken ankle was now giving him great pain, bot
is moved forward 10 the entrance door. The knOc
C, was answered by Mrs. Mudd, with light in he
T. hand and she told me four years subsequentlS
s. she was shocked at the appearance OF Booth
Of " His eyes" said She " had most unnatural eX
al preston, either from excessive drinking or exces
sive mental excitement don't know which. Iii
m mud, and he appeared unable to stand" Boot
IL was taken into the parlor and laid upon Lounge
a DR., Mudd was then called and asked by Booth
l. examine his leg aud see what was the matter wit
" It. TO do this Il would be necessary 70 pull OF HI
le boot, but, as II was very close fitting,
IS THE PAIN OF THE OPERATION
r. would be excessive, so the doctor took out h
"a knife and cut the leg down from the top an
" around ut the lustep. He then slipped off the re
Of mRindcr of the boot from the foot, and Mrs. Mud
offered one Of her soft woolen slippers in Its plac
u The doctor spent some time feeling for 4 fpctuI
~ or an induration, aud could discover none but
last found that IL was clean break oft leg, Ju
10 us q stick of candy might be broken In the midd
IA and leave two clean, smooth surfaces. lie the
le dressed the leg and bound Il tightly at tho poll
Z. where the break occurred, putting Oh boot mad
W Of pusteboard, extending from the instep to
"a point below the knee. The bootleg that he g,
81 on he threw away In corner and never thougl
L. more about II; aud yet IL was this boot 'l'
4 that came within a hair Of having hi
aas hanged, aud, as \ was, had him sGl
y. Mudd nor his wife had the iaintest idea that Boot
~ had nssRssnuted the President, and In the reno
~ part Of the country where they lived they were n
told them plausible story about being out hun
IT, Ing and falling on his horse. Amer an hours 81
rk In Mudd's house, during which time Booth col
ry. sumed bottle Of %hskey and three ham SAN