Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1884-04-25

quietly, and the carriage then driven
across the Navy Yard bridge or the
next bridge above, while the captors
were to point to the President and
wave their hands to the guards on the
bridge. saying. "The President of the
United States" When we consider
that he was finally killed in the pre-
sence of IA vast audience, and that his
captors then crossed the same brid ge
without opposition and without passes,
the original scheme does not seem ex-
traordinarv. There is no doubt but
that in this original scheme the late
DR.. Samuel A. Mudd was to play some
part. Booth had made his acquaint-
ance during that fall or winter on his
first visit to the county, and some of
DR.. Mudd's relatives admit that he
knew Booth we'll, and probably was
in the abduction scheme. The calcu-
lation of the conspirators was that tie
pursuers would have no opportunity
to change horses on the way. while the
captors would have fresh horses every
few miles and drive them to the top
Of their speed, and all they required
was to get to the Potomac River. seven
hours distant. very little in advance.
The distance was from thirtv-six to
thirty eight miles. and the river could
be passed in half an hour or little
more with the boat all ready. Jones
thinks that this scheme never was
given mp. until suddenly information
came that Booth had killed the Pre-
sident instead of capturing him, ana
was supposed to be in that region of
country. Jones had never seen Booth.
and had scarcely any knowledge of
him.
When Jones went to Richmond, Just
before the assassination, it was to col
lect his stipend. which he had conf
dinghy allowed to accumulate until it
Amounted to almost twenty-three hun
dred dollars, presumably for three
years work. He reached Richmond
FRIDAY. and called on Charles Cay
wood, the same who hept the signal
camp in the swampy woods back of
Grimes's house The chief signal
officer said he would pay five hundred
dollars on Saturday. but if Jones would
wait till Tuesday the whole amount
would be paid him. Jones waited.
SUNDAY night Petersburg fell, and on
Monday Richmond was evacuated, so
the Confederacy expired without pay
ing him a cent. Moreover, he had
invested three thousand dollars in
Confederate bonds earlier in the war,
paving for them sixty-fve cents on the
dollar. and keeping them till they
We're mere brown paper IN his hands.
Jones heard Of the murder of Lin
coin on Saturday afternoon, April 18th,
at or near his own farm of Huckle-
berry. Two Federal officers or cavalry
men me by on horseback, and one OF
them said to Jones, sis that your boat
, piec. above here?" "Ies,' said
Jones. "Then YOU had better take
good care Of it, because there are dan
gerous people around here who might
take it to cross the river" "That is
Just what am thinking about said
Jones, "and | have had it pulled up
to let my black man 60 fishing for the
shad which is now running. The two
horsemen conferred together minute
or two, and one of them said:
"Have you heard the news from
Washington" "No." Our President
has been murdered" "Indeed.' said
Jones, with a melancholy face, as if he
had no friend left in the world. "1es.
said the horseman; "President Lincoln
was killed last night, and We are look
| ing out for the men, who, We think,
escaped this way"
On Sunday morning, the 10Th OF
April, about nine o'clock, young
white man came from Samuel Cox's to
Jones's second farm, called Huckle.
berry, which has been already describ
ed as about two and half miles back
from the old river residence, which
Jones had been forced to give up when
it appeared probable that the Con.
| federate cause was lost. The Huckle-
berry farm consisted of about five
hundred acres, and had on it one
story and garret house, with low
pitched roof, end chimneys, and door
in the middle. There was stable north
of the house, and barn south of it
and it was only three quarters of a
mile from the house to the river
which here runs to the north to make
the indentation called Port Tobacco
Greek or river. Although Jones'
therefore, had moved some distance
from his former house, he was yet
verv near tide water. The new farm
was much retired, was not on the pub
lie road, and consisted of clearings
amidst rain washed hills with deep
gullies, almost impenetrable shor'
pines, and some swamp and forest tim
Der. Henry Woodland, the black
servant, who was then aboht twenty
seven years old, was still Jones's chief
assistent, and was kept alternately
farming and fishing
The young man who came from Cox s
was told, if stopped on the road, to
say that he was going to Jones's to ask
If he could let Cox have some seed
corn, which in that climate is planted
early in April. lie told Jones that
Colonel Cox wished him to come inn
mediately to his house, about three
miles to the north. The young man
mysteriously intimateG that there were
very remarkable visitors at Cox's the
night before. Accustomed to obey
the summons of his old friend, Jones
mounted his horse and went to Cox's
The prosperous foster brother lived
in a large two story house, with hand
some piazzas front and rear, and tall
windowless roof with double chimneys
at both ends; and to the right of the
house, which faced west, was long
one story extension, used by Cox fol-
his he'd drOOm The hOuse is on SliUht