Connecticut western news., 1884-03-26
A TRAGEDY RECALLED.
HOW WILKES BOOTH CROSSED THE
 POTOMAC RIVER.
A Broken Link tn the story of the Crent
 Lincoln Assassination now Recovered.

Lincoln As.a.siuatIon now Recovered.
 An interesting fea ture of the April Century is George Alfred Townsends account of "How Wilkes Booth crossed the Potomac" There is a gap in the history of Wilkes Booths crime, be- tween his disappearance in the pines of southeastern Maryland and his reap pearance in Virginia, where he was killed, and this article tthe information of which was supplied by Thomas A Jones, an actor in the escape), it is be lieved closes this gap. Jones's first en- counter with the fugitives is described as follows: Booth and Herold were sent into the short pines, and there Jones found them. He says that as he was advancing into the pines he came upon bay mare, with black legs, mane, and tale, and white star on the fore- head; she was saddled, and rowing around in little cleared place as if try ing to nibble something to eat Jones took the mare and tied her to 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 a whistle after an interval. The first person he saw was Herold, fully armed, with n car bine 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 further along.
 Booth was lying on the ground, wrapped up in blankets, with his foot supported and bandaged, and a 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. He was in great pain from his broken ankle, which had suf- fered fracture of one or two bones in the leg, down close to the foot. It would not have given him any great pain but for the oxertion of his escape, which irritated it by soraping the ends of the broken bone perhaps in the flesh; it was now highly irritated, and which ever 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 aggra' vated by the peril of Booths situation unable to cross the river without as. sistance, and unable to walk any dis tance whatever. Jones believes thai Booth did not rise from the ground al any time until he was finally put or Jones's horse to be taken to the water side some days afterward.
 Booths first solicitude seemed to bt to learn what mankind thought of tho crime. That question he put almost i'm mediately to Jones, and continued to ask what different classes of people thought about it. Jones told him that it was gratifying news to most of tho men o Southern sympathies. He frankly said that he himself at first regarded 1t a' good news; but somewhat later, when h' saw the injurious consequences of th' crime to the South, he changed hi' mind. Booth desired newspapers If they could be had, which would convey tC him an idea of public feeling. Jonel soon obtained newspapers for him, aut continued to send them in; and Bootl lay there, where the pines were so thicl that one could not see more than thirty or forty feet into them, reading what th' world had to say about his case. H' seemed never tired of information or this one subject, and the only thing be sides he was solieitous about was to ge across the river to Virginia.
 "Jones says Booth admitted that h' was the man who killed Lincoln. ant expressed no regret for the act, knowinl all the consequences it involved. H, said if he could only get to Virginia h. could have medical attendance. Jone told him frankly that he would receiy, no medical attendance in Maryland Said he: The country is full of soldiers and all that can do for you is to ge you ofI, if l can, for Cox's protection am my own, and for your own safety. Ina I will do for you, if there is any way ii the world to do if.
 "When I received this account iron Mir. Jones, asked him question afto question to see if I could extract any in formation as to what Booth inquire, about while in that wilderness. aske' if he spoke of his mother, of where h was going when he reached Virginia, e whether he meant to act on tho stag again; whether he blamed himself fo jumping from the theatre box; whethe he expressed my apprehension for Mrs Surratt or any of his friends in Wash ington. To these and Co many othe questions Jones uniformly replied: Nc he did not speak about my of thos things. He wanted food, md to eros the river, and tu know what was sai , about the deed Booth, he thinkt wore a slouched hat. At first meetinl Booth in the pines, he proved himself ( ? be the assassin by showing upon hi , wrist, in India ink, the initials ]. W. i , He showed the same to Captain Jett i
 Virginia. Jones says Booth was d, , termined man--not boasting, but on who would have sold his life dear. H r said he would not be taken alive. "