Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-05-22
Wilkes Booth in Hiding.

A1 important feature OF the April
Century is G orce Alfred Townsend's
account of How Wilkes Booth crossed
the Potomac. There is q gap in the
history of Wilkes Booths crime. be-
tween his disappearance in the pines
of southeastern Maryland and his re-
appearance in Virginia, where he was
killed. and this article thc information
of which was supplied by Thomas a.
Jones, an actor in the escape) it is be-
lieved closes this gap. Jones first en-
counter with the fugitives is described
as follows: Booth and Herold were
sent into the short pines, and there
Jones found them. He says that as he
was advancing into the pines he came
upon q bay mare, with black legs,
name, and tail, and white star on the
forehead; she was saddled, and rowing
around in little cleared place as if
she was trying to nibble something
to eat. Jones took the mare and tied
her to a tree or stump. He then adj
vanced and gave what he calls the
cOuntersign, or whistle, which he does
not precisely remember now, though
he thinks it was two whistles in pc
culiar way, and whistle after an in
teryal. The first person he saw was
Herold, fully armed, and with car
bine in his hand, coming out to see who
it was. Jones explained that he had
been sent to see them, and was then
taken to Booth, who was but few
yards farther along.
Booth was lying on the ground,
wrapped up in blankets, with his foot
supported and bandaged, and a crutch
behind him. His rumpled dress looked
respectable for that country, and Jones
says it was of black cloth. His face
was pale at all times, and never ceased
TO be SO during the several days that
Jones saw him. He was in great pain
from his broken ankle, which had suf-
fered fracture of one of the two bones
in the leg, down close to the foot. 1t
would not have given him any very
great pain but for the exertion of his
escape, which irritated it by scraping
the ends of the broken bone perhaps in
the flesh; it was now highly irritated,
and whichever way the man moved he
expressed by q twitch or a groan the
pain he felt. Jones says this pain was
more or less continuous, and was great
ly aggravated by the peril of Booths
situatiOn-unable to cross the river
without assistance, and unable to walk
any distance whatever. Jones believes
that Booth did not rise from the ground
at any time until he was finally put on
Jones horse to be taken to the water
side some days afterward.
booths first solicitude seemed to
be to learn what mankind thought of
the crime. That question he put al
most Immediately to Jones, and con-
tinued to ask what different classes of
people thought about it. Jones told
him that it was gratifying news to most
of the men of Southern sympathies. He
! frankly says that he himself at first re-
garded as good news, but some what
later, when he saw the injurious conse-
quences of the crime to the South, he
changed his mind. Booth desired news
papers if they could be had, which
would convey to him an idea of public
| feeling. Jones soon obtained neWspa-
pers for him, and continued to send
them in; and Booth lay there, where
the pines were so thick that one could
not see more than thirty or forty feet
into them. reading what the world had
tSssay about his case. He seemed never
tired of information on this one subject
and the only thing besides he was So
licitouS about was to get across the
river into Virginia.
Zones says Booth admitted that he
was the man who killed Lincoln, and
expressed no regret for the act, know
ing all the consequences it involved.
He harped again and again upon the
necessity of his crossing the river. He
said if he could only get to Virginia he
could have medical attendance. Jones
| told him frankly that he would receive
no medical attendance in Maryland.
Said he: The country is full of SOL
diers, and all that / can do for you is
to get you off, ii l can, for Cox's pro-
lection and my own, and for your own
safety. That I will do for you if there
is any way in the world to do it
when [ received this account from
Mr.. Jones, l asked him question after
question to see if l could extract anv
information as to what Booth in
CURED about while in that Wilderness.
L asked if he spoke Of his mother, of
where ne was going when he reached
Virginia, of whether he meant to act
on the stage again; whether he blamed
himself for jumping from the theater
box; whether he expressed tiny appre-
tensions for Mrs. Surratt or his friends
in Washington. To these and to MANY
other questions Jones uniformly re-
piled: No, he did not speak about any
| of those things. He wanted food, and
to cross the river, and to know what
was said about the deed Booth. he
thinks, wore slouched hat. At first
meeting Booth in the pines, he proved
| himself to be the assassin by showing
upon his wrist. in India ink, the initials
j. W. B. He showed the same 10 Cap
tain Jet in Virginia. Jones says Booth
was determined man-not boasting.
but one who would have sold hs life
dear. He said he would not be taken
alive"
Whatever may have been the fail
ures OF Edward Pa5son Weston on the
sawdust ring, he deserves some sort of