Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1884-07-12
LIRCoLw'S ASSASSINATION.
- &evisw Of John Wilkes Booths
Conspiracy.

Booth spent nearly the whole of the
war time about Washington ia dissipa-
ton, flirting and hotcl society, and that
streak of insanity rrma ming in his fam
lily, set on fire by dramatic ambition and
romance, led him to contemplate the
gre.test personal act of the xar. if he
could find the proper tools to hti U him.
Probably, il he could have obtained
some Of tho rcckless Mivsourians with
Quantrell, or even some Of Morgan's
men detailed to him from the Confed-
crate army, he might have Fucceedel in
taking off Lincoln either alive or dead.
He might have gagged the President, to
render him, to all intents, helpless
piece Of freight, though yet alive, and,
by tearing up bridge somewhere. or
giving false scent, have got Il start Of
half an hour to an hour, and let the
shades Of night shut in himself al his
prisoner, and then they would have ten
or twelve hours Of wo.k.
AS long as there was Oontederacy in
tact and offsnsi:o the problem Of capt
uring Lincoln would stop Mt the Potomac
river. There was but one obstacle on
the road, and that was the eastern
branch Of the Potomac, IN the fork II
which lies Washin. ION city. This
stream, Immediately opposite Washing
ton, has two bridges, both guarded;
hut five miles above Washing ton tho
east. IN branch was fordsb!e. On the
night os the mur'cr Both had no
tronble in passing the most Important of
these bridges ~ late as IL o'clock.
Both he and Harold were nllc we'd 20 go
onl thar t,,.k tha
livery-stable keeper, hunting for the
horse on which Harold rode. was stopped
and told hs could 60 ov r, but could not
come back. Booth had to fall back on
the Maryland element around him, 40
the Confederate Government did not
entertain such nn irregular proposition
a his Ahout the last of October, 1884,
Booth went to tho house C. DR.. Queen,
several miles from Brynnstown, with a
letter of instruction from Martin in Can
ada. Martin had been . b ockade-run-
ner in conjunction with Keith OF Thorn
essen, who, years afterward, blew mp .
steamer at Bremen Germany, with an
internal machine. Booth told DR.. Queen
and DR.. Queens neighbors that he was
going to buy land in Lower Maryland.
He was referred to Henry Mudd, father
OF DR.. Mudd. This wss Saturday, and
the next day, Sunday, DR.. Queen and
his son-in-law, john G. Thompson, took
Bo<eh to the Catholic Church q. Bryans-
town. Or. Samuel A. Mudd was stand.
ing in froat of the church with others,
and Booth WAS introduced t. him by
Thompson. Thus began the conspiracy,
nearly six months before its finale.
Booth went back to DR.. Queens that
night, and stayed there till the next
day, Monday. About the middle OF De-
cember following he returned and staved
one night with DR.. Queen, and went
away the next morning. How often he
went to DR.. Mudd's only that person
knows. BryanstOwn, where DIR. Mudd
resided, il about twenty-seven miles
from Washington on the regular stage
road leading to Leonardstown and Point
Lookout Mudd's was four miles north
Of Bryanstown. From Bryanstown to
the nearest crossing on tho Potomac, at
Matthias point, Is about sixteen miles.
In the early part OF the war around
Bryanstown was portion Of rebel State
guard, which, being run down by the
Union forces, hid in the vicinity of DR..
Mudd's house. Mudd was stakeholder.
He, Booth and Surratt we're intimate at
the National Hotel in Washington -
early e January, 1867.
David G. Harold was vagrant drug
aist's clerk in Warrington, who was
fond Of cunning through Lower Mary
land. and knew Surratt. Surratt
had employed Atzerodt to cross to Viz.
rtpls IN . row-boAA 1rom beiow Fort 10
bacco. ~
Late in 1884, somewhat a<ter Booth
had met DR.. Mudd, Mrs. Surratt rented
her tavern at Surrattsvills aud moved
10 Washington and opened boarding.
l,ouse. She had an interesting daugh-