Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-03-21
WILKES. BOOTH IN HIDING.

There is gap in the history OF Wilkes
Booths crime, between his disappearance
in the pines OF southeastern Maryland and
his reappearance in Virginia, where he was
killed, and this article (the information Of
which was supplied by Thomas a. Jones,
al acto: in the escape) it is believed closes
this gap Jones's first encounter with the
rugitivca is described as follows: Booth
and Hcyolu were sent into the short pines.
and there Jones found them. He says that
IL he vas advancing into the pines he came
uusG a .ay mare, with black legs, manc,
anti Tail, and white star on the forehead;
she was sAddlcd, and rowing around in Il
little cleared place lis if trying 10 nibole
something TO cat. Jones took the mare
anI tied her 10 q tree Or stump. He then
Gyauccd and gave what he calls the coun.
tcrs;gn. Or whistle which he does not pre-
cisa!y remember now, though he thinks it
was two whistles IN a peculiar way, and q
whistle after an interval. The first person
he saw was Hcrold, fully armed. and with
Il carbue III his hand, coming out TO see
who il was. Jones explained that he had
been sent to see them, and was then taken
to Booth. who was but few rods further
along.
''ijoo,h was lying on the ground, wrapped
up III blankets, with his foot supported and
hau,!acea and crutch beside him. His
rumpIed dress looked respectable for that
country, and Jones says it was of black
Cloth. His face was pale 1T all times, and
never ceased To bc SO during the several
DAYS that Jone.: saw him, He was in great
pain from his broken ankle, which had suf
icred 4 fracture Of oae OF the two bones III
:hC leg down close 10 the foot. II would
l0t have given him any very great pain but
for the ex@rtivn IF his escape, which irrtat-
G: it hy scra,in:t the ends OF the broken
hona perhaps III thc flesh: i. was now highly
rr;ta,a,i ana Wh!chcvG: way the man moved
nc expressed; by A." t,YjtCh or a gruAn the
pain i.a felt. Jones says that this pain was
more ur :t-s CONTINUOUS, and was greatly ag
.rava,yA hy the peri! of Booths situation
unable "a cross The river without assistance,
and unan!c 10 walk any distance whatever.
Jones believes tina: Booth did not rise rom
the nrouu, at auy GirGe until he was finally
put ON ,jonos's horse 10 he t@kcG - tho
wafer side some days aite.ward.
Booths first soliCitude SeemlI - na -
!,arn what mankind thought OF the crime.
That question he put almost Immediately to
jones. and continued to as, what different
classes .! people thought abou: ii. Jones
told him that it WAS gratifying news 20 most
OF the men .! Southern syi,p;ithies. He
frankly SAYS that he himself nj first regard
ci il as good news but somewhat later,
when he saw the I'M juriouS consequences OF
the crime TO the South, he changed his
mind. Booth desired newspapers il they
could be had which, would convey to him
am Gca OF public feeling. Jones soon OBJ
taiueG newspapers .Or him, and continued
to send them in: and Booth lay there, where
the pines were so thick that one could not
see more ,lau thirty or forty feet into them,
reading what tho world had 10 say about
his case. ;Ie seemed never tired Of intor-
mation on this one subject, and the only
thing Uesia.ea he was soiicitous about vas TO
eci across Tie river into Virginia.
Jones SAYS Booth admitted that hu was the
| .n;4r who .i.l2d Lincoln, and expressed 10 rcSrct
for .l" ac:. knowing ali the consequences II IN
| yolycd iIn narpci again and again upon the ne
c,ssity oG h5s crossing the river. He said il he
could oaly .rU To Virginia lie could have medical
attendance jones told him frankly that he would
| receive - medical attendance in Maryland. Said
| he The country is full OF soldiers, and all that
! / can do for ypu is to get you OFF, if can, ioH
| Ccx'5 protection and my own, and for your own
satcty. Taat ! viii DO for you if there is any
| way in the world to do IT,
| When ! received this account from Mr.. Jones
| | asked him question after question to sec if |
could extract any information as to what Booth
inauirr.! about while in that wilderness. | asked
| II he spoke oE his mother, or where he was going
when lie reached Virginia, of whether he meant
to act on the Stage again; whether he blamed
| himself for humping from the iheatcr box ::
whether hc expressed any apprchensions for Mrs.
Surra,t or his friends in Washington TO these
and TO many other questions Jones uniformly re-
| rlicd: NO. he did moi speak about any Of those
| things tIu wanted food, and to cross the river,
and TO know what was said about the deed
Booth. he thinks, wore s!ouched hat. AT first
meeting Booth in the pines, he proved himself TO
be the assassin by showing upon his wrist, III
I:.dia inll. the initials J. W. ). He showed the
same 10 Captain Jctt III Virginia. Jones says
Booth was q determined man-not boasting, but
ono who would have sold his life dear. He said
he would not be taken alivc'-Geo. 4. Iownscad
| IN April Ctatn'y.
,,Inrrnrc snIn rIasIEG OF TIE MAILS