Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1884-05-02
Dl5torlEal Ekftrh,
HOW WILKES BOOTH
CROSSED THE
20 Nj A 6.
By GEORGE ALFRED TOWNSEND.

that as lie WIS advancing INTO the
pines lie came upon a bay mare, with
black legs, name, and tall, and a white
star on the forehead : she was saddled
and rowing around in a little cleared
place a if trying.to nibble something
10 at. Jones took the mare and tled
her To tree or stump. He then al
vanccd and gave what he calls The
counterstgn or whistle, which he does
not precisely remember now. though
he thinks il was two whistles in pc
cnliar way, aud IA whistle after an IN
terval. The first person he saw wa:
Herold, fully armed, and with car
bine in his hand, coming out to SET
who it was. Jones explained that Il,
had come to see them, and he was ther
taken to Booth, who was but A few
rods farther along.
Booth was lying on the ground
wrapped up in blankets, with his foo
supported and bandagsd, and crutcf
beside him. His rumpled dress look
ed respectable for that country, ane
Jones saws il was of black cloth. lli'
face was pale at all times. and never
ceased to be So during the several day:
that Jones saw him. He was in great
pain from his broken ankle, which
had suffered fracture of one of the
two bones in the leg. down close t,
the foot. 1t would not have given
him any very great pain but for tht
exertion Of his escape, which Irrltatet
i by scrapins the ends Of the bon'
broken. perhaps in the flesh It wa
5now highly iFrItated. and whichevel
Say the man moved he expressed by !
witch or q groan the pain he ieit
Jones saws that this pain was mort OF
less aggravated by the peril OF Booth I
situation-u unable TO cross the rlvrl
without assistance. and unable 10 walk
any distance whatever. Jones believe
hat Booth did not rise from tb'
-lonnd at any time until he was tinal
Y put on Jones's horse 10 be taken Il
he water.sIle some DAYS afterward.
Booths first soicituie seemed 10 b'
\ learn what mankind thought of tn
A..s That question he put slm"s
''StlnSliateiv 10 Jones. aud continue,
to ask what different classes Of peopl
Thought about il. Jones told hin
that Il was gratifying news to most o
the men ol Southern sympathIeS. IL
frankly sats that he himself Ut tirs
REGARDED II a. good news; but some
VIA, later. when he saw the itlurlou
cru-gancuces Of the crime To th
south, he changed his mind. BootI
desired newspapers If they could b
had. which would convey to hlm al
llea Of pu lie feeling. Jones soon ob
taiued newspapers for him, and con
tluued 10 send them IN: aud Boot
'ay. there. Whrrc the pines werc {
thick that one could net see more tha
thirty or forty feet into then
reading What the world had 20 81
about his cas-. He seemed never I
tire Of il formation on this one sublec
and the out thing besides he WAS 81
lcitons about MAS 10 Ct across tn
riyrr into NBreIuta
Jones say. Booth admitted that h
vas lie man Who Killed Lincoln, an
expressed no rrgret for the act, kno"
my all the consequences II involved
lie harpgd again ard again upon tn
necessity uf hls crossing the rive
IL said II tie could only Get to ' lrgln
ia he c uid have medical attendance
Jones told him frankly that he woal
receive NJ melicli attendance IN Mary
land. Said he The country IS fuI
Of soldiers. aud all that | can do to
you is 10 get YOU off, il can. for Cox
protection and my own, AMI for you
own safety. That will 10 for you
If there Is any way IN the world to d
IL.
When received this account fror
Nr. Jones. asked him question ate
Question to see If could extract an
information AS to what Booth lnqull
ed about while IN that wilderness.
asked if lie spoke of his mother, {
where he was goirg when he reache
Virginia, Of neither he meant to az
on the stage again whether he btan
ed himself for jumping from the thea
ter box; whether he expressed any al
prehensious for Mrs. Surratt or h
friends in Washington. To these an
to many other questions Jones un
formly replied: NO, he did ne
speak about any of those things II
wanted food, and to cross the rive
and to know what was said about tt
deed" Booth he thinks wore Il slouci
ed hat. At first meeting Booth in tt
pines, he proved himself to be the a
sassin by showing upon his wrist,
India ink, the initials j. W. Is. II
showed the same to Captain Jett
Virginia. Jones says Booth was d.
termir ed man, not boasting, but OF
who would have sold his life dear. Il
said he would not be taken alive.
Mr.. Jones went up to Port Tobact
; in a day or two to hear about the mu
der, and heard detective there frol
Alexandria say: 81 will give or
hundred thousand dollars to the ma
who can tell where Booth is" Whe
We consider that the end of the WI
had come, and all the Conledera
hopes were blasted and every man
slaves set free, we may reflect upon Il
fidelity of this poor man, whose Ian
was not his own, and with newt
bic poverty before him perhaps for Il
rest of his days, when the next NOR
ing he was told to him alone would
intrusted that man for whom the Go
'e ernment had offered fortune, al
was increasing the reward. Mr.. Jon