The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-22
now BOOTH CROSSED THE POTOMAC.
A Hitherto Unwritten Page in the History
of Lincoln's Assassin.

night, April II, 1900. Near midnight BOOtn ana
David E. Herold called at Surratts tavern. about
ten miles southeast of Washington; on Saturday
morning they were at DR.. Samuel A. Mudd's,
twenty miles further on. where Booths broken
ankle was set and a crutch was made for him;
that evening he was at the house Of Samuel Cox,
a prosperous Southern sympathiZer, hVlngabOut
fifteen miles southwest The last witness in
Maryland ended here. The government took up
the fugitive next at the crossing of the Kappa
hammock river in Virginia on the 9th of April.
What occurred to Booth in the inter
val is given on the authority of Thomas
A. Jones, a foster-brother Of Samuel Cox,
who always eXerted a staong influence over
him. Jones was, of course, at this time a
strong sympathlzer with the Southern cause,
which he had aided throughout the war
in his own small way He is at present in bust
ness at North Baltimore. and keeps a coal, wood
and fuel yard. Among the services which Jones
rendered the Conf deracy was the carrying of
persons and mails across the Potomac, a service
involving some danger and frequently requiring
GOODNESS and cunning. His usefulness in this di-
rection was increased by the fact that. after be
ing arrested in 1861 and released IN March, 1862,
he was not regarded with any suspicion by the
federal officers. He was aware of the scheme
which existed, late in the war period, for kid
mapping President Lincoln, though it was not de
signed that he should take any part in it. The
bateau which was to carry Lincoln across the
river was kept IN readiness from the time the
scheme was conceived until the end of the war.
Jones heard of the murder of Lincoln on Satur-
day afternoon, April Is. The next morning
Jones was summoned TO COXS residence, the
young white man who bore the message init
mating mysteriously that there were very re
markable visitors at CoXs the night before.
Jones responded to the summons. and, being
taken aside by Cox. was informed that on the
previous night the assassin of President Lincoln
had COM to the house in company
with another person. guided by a negro, and had
asked for assistance to cross the Potomac river
and, said Cox, you will have to get him
across" He was directed to the place where the
f%ugitives were hidden among some short pines
near by, and there he found them. AS he ad-
vanced into the pines he came upon a saddled
mare rowing around in a little cleared space, and
tied her He then gave a signal, and Herold,
fully armed and with a carbine in his hand, came
out Herold conducted him to Booth, who was
lying on the ground wrapped upin blankets, with
his foot supported and bandaged. and a crutch
beside him. His rumpled dress looked respect
able 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 suffered Il 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 eXertlOn of his escape,
which irritated 1t by ~scraping the ends of the
broken bone perhaps in the flesh. 1t was now
highly irritated. and whichever way the man
moved he expressed by a twitch or a groan the
pain he felt.
Booth was very s~olicitous to know what man
kind thought of his crime. which he fully ad-
mitted. He was very anxious to get to Vir-
Glnla WnPfe ne cOulO nave meulcdl attendance,
and he declared that he would never be taken
alive. In a day or two Jones went up to Port
Tobacco TO here about the murder, and while
there heard a detective say he would guarantee
500. 900 to the man who could tell where Booth
was. but it never occurred to him for a moment
that 1t would be a good thing for him to have
the money He conforted Booth in his conceal
ment as he could. visited him daily and carried
him food. With the fugi tives in their conceal
ment were two horses on which they had rode.
Within a day or two after entering the place
Booth heard a band of cavalry going along the
road at no great distance and the neighing of
their horses. He said to Herold; IF we can
hear those horses they can certainly hear the
~neighing of ours, which are uneasy from want of
food and stabling. Jones subsequently said
the horses ought to be put out of the way,
and they were accordingly taken into a
swamp and shot. No incidents broke
the monotony for days. though soldiers rode
hither and thlther examining the marshes, but
not penetrating the pines. SIX days and nights
the f~ugitives remained in cOncealment. and on
Friday night an opportunity presented itself for
escape. The night was pitch dark, and Jones
had found that the soldiers would be out of the
way. He had but one little skiff in which to
make the ferrage of the river. Going to Booth
and Herold he said: Now, friends, this is your
only chance. The night is pitch dark and my
boat is close by. ! will get you some supper at
my house, and send you off if l can. With con
siderable difficulty, and with signs and pain
Booth was lifted onto Jones's horse, and Herold
was put at the bride. Jones led the way,
DIOSlNC JULIE Al0iAC II iNlANN do bhO
occasionally gave a whistle as a signal. They
stopped near Jones's house. Booth, with a
sudden longing, exclaimed: ooh, can't | go
in the house just a moment and get a
little of your warm c%offeel' Tears cam into
Jones's eyes as he declined the request, because,
as he said, there were negroes in the house
who would betraY them. Jones went in, ate
his supper without haste, rejoined the f~ugitiveS,
and proceeded to where his boat was. Booth
was carried to the boat and embarked with Her
old Both were heavily armed. Jones gave
Booth the directions as to the course to be
Steered, and told him to row up MachodOc creek
to the house of a Mrs. Quesenberry, who would
care for them if his name were used. They
were together at the waterside some time, and
at last Booth said to Jones, with emotion. God
bless you, my dear friend, for all you have done
for me" The last words Jones thinks Booth
said were, Good bye, old fellow There was a
moments sound of oars on the water, and the
f~ugitives were gone. They did not succeed in
crossing the river that Friday night, but struck
the residence of Col. John J. Hughes, near Nan
jemoy Stores. in Maryland, west of Popes creek
about eight miles. Booth hid in the marsh near
by, and Herold procured food for him at the
house. On Sunday morning, the ninth day after
the assassination, they reached Mrs. Quesep-
berry's, and left their boat there. They went
to the house of a man named Bryan, on the next
farm to Mrs. Queseuberrys, and Bryan took them
to the summer house of DR.. Richard Stewart, two
or three miles back in the country. DR.. Stewart
was much annoyed at learning that the assassins
of President Lincoln were on his premises, and
did not invite them into his house, but sent
them to one of the outbuildings. Booth was so
chagrined that he took a leaf from his diary, and
with a lead pencil wrote a letter TO DR.. Stewart,
saying he would not take hospitality extended
in that way without paying for it, and inclosed
three dollars. From DR.. Stewards he had him
self conveyed to Fort Conway. He probably
spent Sunday in Bryan's house, got to DR.. Stew
arts house on Monday, and the same day reached
the RappahannOck river, and went across with
Captain Jet. This crossing was made on Mon
day, April "a. That afternoon he was lodged at
CARROTS farm, three miles back. He spent the
next day at this house, and slept in the barn.
Being informed that a large body of federal
cavalry had gone up the road this Tuesday he
was much distressed. On Wednesday morning.
soon after midnight, the cavalry returned, guided
by Cantain Lett- Ihe harm WIS set afra nnl