Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1884-04-25


mind and intercourse is slow and
mournfuI, somewhat complaining, as
if the summer heats had given a ner-
vous tone to his views, which are sgener-
ally irstinetive and kind. Judge
Frederick Stone told me that he once
crossed the river with Jones, when a
Federal vessel suddenly loomed up,
apparently right above them, and IN
the twinkling Of an eye, the passenger
said, he could see the interior OF the
Old Capitol prison for himself and all
his companions: but at that moment
Jones was as cool as if he had not
noticed the vessel at all, and extricated
them in an instant from the danger.
Jones's education is small. He does
not swear, does not smoke, and does
not drink. When he was exposed on
the river he says. he sometimes took
little spirits to drive away the cold
and wet: but he has few needs, and
probably has not changed any Of his
habits since early life. Born poor,
somewhat Of the overseer class, and
struggling toward independence with
out greed enough ever to accomplish
it, he was eminently made TO obey in
structions and to keep faith. His
neIghbOr Cox was more subtle and
influential and although he was rough
and domineering. seldom failed to
bring any man to his views by magne-
tism or persuasion. Jones's judgment
often differed from Cox's, and in the
end his courage was altogether super
ior; but still, from early habits, the
humble farm~r and fisherman always
yielded at last to what Cox insisted
upon.
Mr.. Jones Was not alone in his opera
tions during the war. but he was the
only trusted man in MARYLAND with
whom the Confederate Government
had an official relation. His very
humility was his protection He i'm
pressed the Federal officers and Union
men generally as man Of rather slow
wits, Of an indolent mind. with but
little intelligence or interest in what
was going on around him. Yet a cum
ming which bad no expression but acts,
"a devotion which never asked to be
appreciated, and perseverance to this
day remarkable, where his. Some of
his neighbors were running boats
across the river for hire or gain. In
the little village of Port Tobacco most
Of the mechanics aud lonngers had
become demoralized by this traffic.
and among these was George A. Atze,
rodt. coach maker Of but little moral
or physical s'amiTia, who was after
ward hanged among the .conspirators.
This man left his work aIter the war
began, and took 10 the business of
pulling boat down Port Tobacco
River TO Virginia Among the per
sons who occasionally eros ed the river
was John II. Surratt, country bov
Of respectable aspirations until some
time after ;he breaking out Of the war,
" hen he, too. was clughtin the meshes
Of the contraband trade. and, possess
ing but little mind and too much van
ity. was carried away with his import
ance. Jones went 10 Richmond once
or twice toward the close Of the war,
and on one Of these occasions Surratt
and woman under his care crossed
in the same boat. Sometimes these
boats would go so heavily laden that a
gale on the river would almost cap>ize
them. One portion Of Jones's business
was 10 put the New York and North
ern newspapers every day into Rich
mond. These newspapers would go
to Bryantown post Office. or sometimes
to Charlotte Hall post office, and would
generally reach the Potomac near
dusk. and being conveyed all night
by the Confederate mail carriers, by
way Of Port ROYAL. would be IN the
hands of the rebel Cabinet next morn
ing, twenty.four hours only after the
people in New York were reading
them: and Jones SAYS that there was
hardly failure one day in the year to
take them through.
The Federal authorities never had
a tithe of the thoroughness of sus-
picion and violation of personal liberty
which the Confederates always exer.
cised Htnce the doom of Abraham
Lincoln was slowly coming onward
through these little country side be-
ginnings, starting without origin and
ending in appalling calamity.
About the third year Of the war,
Jones understood that very import
ant act had been agreed upon, namely.
to seize the President of the United
States in the city of Washington, and
by relays anG forced horses take him
to the west side of Port Tobacco Creek,
about four miles below the town of
that name, and dispatch him across
the Potomac prisoner Of war. pos
sess the names of the two persons on
Port Tobacco Creek who, with their
sons, were prominent in this scheme
but the frankness with which the in
formation was given t" me persuades
me not to print them. A person al
ready named, in Washington, was in
the conspiracy; and it was given out
that ''the big actor, Booth" was also
"in it." Jones heard of this about
December. 1864 1t was not designed
that he should take any part in the
scheme, though he regarded it as a
proper undertaking in time of war.
From the time this scheme was pro-
prosed until the very end of the war,
the bateau which was to carry MIR.
Lincoln off was kept ready, and the
oars and men were ever near at hand,
to dispatch the illustrious captive.
That winter was unusually mild
and therefore the roads were particu-
larly bad in this region of clay and
marsh, and did not harden with the
frost--a circumstance which perhaps
spared Mr.. Lincoln the terrors Of such
a desperate expedition. Inquiries
were made from time to time as te
when the thing was to be done. and il