The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-04-10

frankly says that he himself at first
regarded it as good news; but some
what later, when he saw the injurious
consequences Of the crime to the South,
he changed his mind. Booth desired
newspapers if they could be had, which
would convey to him an idea OF 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 soli-
citous 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, know
ing all the consequences it involved.
He harped again and again upon the
necessity of his crossing the river. He
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 sol
diers, 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, l asked him question after
information as to what Booth inquired
| II 4 4
if he spake of his mother, or where he
was going when he reached Virginia
whether he blamed himself for jumping
from the theater box; whether he ex-
pressed any apprehension for Mrs.
Surratt or his friends In Washington.
To these and to many other questions
Jones uniformly replied: "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 a
slouched hat. At first meeting Booth
in the pines, he proved himself to be
the assassin by showing upon his wrist,
in India ink, the initials j. w. b. He
showed the same to Capt. Jet in Vir-
ginia. Jones says Booth was de-
|
who would have sold his life dear. He
said he would not be taken alive.
Mr.. Jones went up to Port Tobacco
in day or two to hear about the muir
der, and heard detective there from
Alexandria say: q will give 500, 600
and guarantee 1t to the man who can
tell where Booth is" When we consider
that the end of the war had come, and all
the Confederate hopes we're blasted and
every mans slaves set free. we may re-
fleet upon the fidelity of this poor man,
whose land was not his own, and with
inevitable poverty before him perhaps
for the rest of his days, when the next
morning he was told that to him alone
would be intrusted that man for whom
the Government had offered fortune,
and was increasing the reward. Mr..
Jones says it never occurred to him for
one moment that it would be good
thing to have that money. On the con-
trary, his sympathies were enlisted for
the pale-faced young man, so ardent to
get to Virginia and have the comforts
Of doctor.
Said he to Booth: "You must remain
right here, however long, and wait till
can see some way to get you out; and
do not believe / can get you away
from here until this hue and cry is
somewhat over. Meantime will see
| that YOU are fed. He then continued
to visit them daily, generally about 10
o'clock in the morning. He always
went alone, taking with him
such food as the country had
ham, whisky, bread, fish, and
coffee. Part of the way Jones had to go
by the public road, but he generally
worked into the pines as quickly as
| possible. His intercourse ut each visit
with the fugitives was short, because
he was in great personal danger him
self, was not lnquisitive, and was wholly
intent on keeping his faith with his old
friend and the new ones. He says that
Herold had nothing to say of the least
Importance, and was nothing but pilot
! for Booth. Not improbably Cox sent
his own overseer into the pines some
times to see these men or to give them
something, but he took no active part
IN their escape. The blankets they
possessed came either from Cox's or
from DR.. Mudd's.
Booth, as has been said, rode small
bay mare from the rear of Ford's
Theater to Cox's pines. Herold rode a
! horse of another color. These horses
we're hired at different livery stables in
Washington. Jones is not conversant
with all the facts about the shooting Of
these horses, but the testimony of Cox
before he died was nearly as follows:
After Booth entered the pines he dis
tinctly heard, the next day or the day
following, 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 for want of food
and stabling." When Jones, Sunday
morning, came through the woods and
found one of the horses loose, he told
Cox. as well as Booth, that the horses
ought to be put out of the way. Cox
had Herold advised to take the horses
down into Zekiah Swamp and shoot
them both with his revolver, which he
did.
The weather during those days and
nights was of foggy, misty character
NOT cold, but uncomfortable, although
thera waa M rain At reOular inter-