Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-04-16
HUOTn IN HIDING.
Hitherto UntOid Story OF the Assassin
of PI c'ident Lincoln.

" ''hS' i'OpN'i ~ Nli'i'N, NV" wi '''' ''''
appearance in the pines of Southeastern
Maryland and his temperance in Nir
ginia, where he was killed, and this
article (thG information of which was
supplied by Thomas a, Jones, an actor
in the escape), it is believed, closes this
gap. Jones's first encounter with the
fugitives is described as follows:
"Booth and Harold were sent into the
short pines and there Jones found
them, lie says that as he was advanc-
ing into the pines he came upon a bay
mare with black legs, name and tail,
and a 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 u tree or stump. lie
then advanced and gave what he calls
the countersign, or whistle, which he
does not precisely rcmemner now
though he thinks it was two whistles
in peculiar way, and whistle after
an interval. The first person he saw
was Harold, 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 a
few yards further 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 several days that
Jones saw him. lie 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 cXertion of his
escape, which irritated it by scraping
the ends of the broken bone perhaps in
the flesh; it was now highly irritatcd
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
Booth s 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 .Ioncs's horse to he taken
to the water-sitle some days alterward
"Booth's first solicitude seemed to be
to learn what mankind thought of the
crime. That question he put almost
immediately 20 Jones, and continued
to ask what different classes of people
thought about it. Booth desired
newspapers if they could be had, which
would convey to him an idea cf public
feeling. Jones soon obtained news
papers 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
never tired of information on this one
subject, and the only thing besides he
was solictous 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
Ill the consequences it involved. He
harped again and again upon the ne
cessity of his crossing the river. lie
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
soldiers, and all that can do for YOU
is to get you off, if | can, for Cox's pro-
lection and 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 after
question, to see if could extract any
information as to what Booth inquired
about while in that Wilderness. |
asked if he spoke of his mother, of
where he was going when he reached
Virginia, of whether he meant to act
on the stage again; whether he blamed
himself for jumping from the theatre
box: whether he expressed any appra--
tensions for Mrs. Suratt 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 Il slouched hat. At first
meeting Booth in the pines he proved
himself to he the assassin by showing
upon his wrist, in India ink, the ini-
tials J. W. B. He showed the same to
Capt. Jctt, in Virginia Jones says
Booth was u determined man not
boasting, but one who would have sold
his life dear. lie said he would not be
taken alive. "-CenturY.
Following his Instructions.