Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-04-07
WILKES BOOTH IN HIDING.

y
sends account of ssHow Wilkes Booth
crossed the Potomac There is a
gap in the history of Wilkes Booths
crime, between his disappearance in
the pines of southeastern Maryland
and his re-appearance in Virginia,
where he was killed, and this article
(the information of which was sup
piled by Thomas A. Jones, an actor
in the escape) it is believed closes
this gap. Jones first encounter with
the fugitives is described as follows:
'sBooth and Herold were sent into the
short pines, and there Jones found
them. He says that as he was advan-
cling into the pines he came upon
bay mare, with black legs, name, and
tail, and white star on the forehead
she was saddled, and rowing around
in a little cleared place as if trying to
nibble something to eat. Jones took
the mare and tied her to Q tree or
stump. He then advanced and gave
what he calls the countersign, or
whistle, which he does not precisely
remember now, though he thinks it
was two whistles in peculiar way,
and whistle after an interval. The
first person. he saw was Hero.d, fully
armed, and with a carbine 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 rods
farther along.
"Booth was lying on the ground,
wrapped up in blankets, with his foot
supported and bandaged, and crutch
beside 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 sew
eral days that Jones saw him. He
was in great pain from his broken
ankle, which had suffered 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 twitch or groan
the pain he felt. Jones says that this
pain was more or less continuous,
and was greatly 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 sympa-
thles. He frankly says that he him
self regarded it at first as good news
somewhat later, when he saw the in
furious consequences of the crime to
the south, he changed his mind.
Booth desired newspapers if they
could be had, which would convey to
him an idea of public feeling. Jones
soon obtained newspapers 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 to
say about his case. He seemed nev-
er tired of information on this one
subject, and the only thing besides
he was solicitous about was to get
across the river into Virginia.
Jones says Booth admitted that
he was the man who killed Lincoln.
and expressed no regret for the act
knowing all the consequences it in
volved. 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 at
tendance in Maryland. Said he
The country is full of soldiers, and
all that / can do for you is to get you
off, if I can, for Cox's protection an6
my own, and for your own safety
That will do for you, if there is any
way in the world to do it.
When / received this account from
Mr.. Jones, asked him question af
ter question to see if / could extrac
any information as to what Booth in
quired about while in that wilderness
l asked if he spoke of his mother, o.
where he was going when he reached
Virginia, of whether he meant to ac
on the stage again whether he blam
ed himself for jumpingfrom the thea.
tire box; whether he expressed an,
apprehensions for Mrs. Surratt OF
his friends in Washington. To thes,
and many other questions Jones uni
formly replied No, he did not speal
about any of those things. He want
ed food, and to cross the river, anG
to know what was said about the
deed Booth, he thinks, wore {