Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-01-14
]. WILKES BOOTHS BODY.

For many years past a number of idle ru-
mors have gone the rounds of the press of
this country concerning the possibility of j..
Wilkes Booth still being alive. OF late q
number Of stories have been published, one
of which states that Booth is travelling
through the South disguised as the Rev. J.
G. Armstrong. The recent reiteraton of
the story has caused considerable comment
in this city, where everybody believes that
Booths corpse is iu Greennount Cemetery
under 30-ton monument. reporter of
the Sunday Herald Saturday investigated
the circumstances of Booths burial and oh.
tanned conclusive proof that his remains lie
under the sod in Greenmount.
The concidental testimony Of several Of
those who were present when he was killed
place the fact of his death beyond all doubt.
According to the statements of these eye
witnesses, Booth, when he found that
his pursuers had surrounded the barn
on the Garrett farm, in Caroline
for the life Of his companion, whom,
he assured them, was innocent of any share
in the assassination. He said that if they
twould allow him to come out he would
| fight the entire crowd. While talking he
stood on his crutches, holding a carbine in
his right hand Boston Corbett put his car
bine through a crack in the side of the barn
and fired, the bullet striking Booth in the
neck. The troopers then entered the barn
and two of them lifted the crippled man and,
taking him outside, laid him down on the
grass by the barn door. There he died.
Before expiring he gave TO the soldiers
message for his mother, telling her that he
had written a letter giving his reasons for
assassinating the President Booths body
was buried in the arsenal grounds at
Washing gtnn. The floor of his cell was
| taken up, a grave dug, and the remains
placed there and covered only with the
earth. Toward the close of President john
sons administration Mr.. Edwin Booth wrote
to him, requesting permission to remove
the remains of his brother and place them
with those of the other members of his
family in the lot at Greenmount.
President Johnson granted his request,
and an order was given to John II. Weaver
who then conducted the business of an un-
dertaker at % west Fayette street, in this
CITY, to remove the remains. They were
taken up and brought to this place, where
they remained for several days in an ice
casket. The body, when taken up, was
clothed in the underclothing which Booth
had worn in Washington and an old blue
army coat One boot was Or the leg which
was not broken.
Junius Brutus Booth, the youngest brother
of Wilkes, and who is now also dead, was
the only member of the family who saw the
remains, but he identified them positively
as those of his brother
Mr.. John L. Ford, of this city, ut whose
theatre in Washington Booth committed his
| historic crime, and who had known him
from childhood, saw the body at Weaver's,
and SAYS that there is no doubt i'll the world
of its having been that of J. Wilkes Booth.
The face was much decomposed, and the
features were indistinguishable, but Booth
had front tooth in which there was Il gold
filing of u very peculiar shape, and this
Manager Ford positively identified. More
over, The hair was readily recognizable, as
was the underclothing and boots, which he
had seen Booth wearing iii Washington be-
| fore the assassination.
Mr. Ford says that it is simply ridiculous for
any one to start the nonsenscal rumors currentot
late Wilkes Booth isa surely dead as his victim.
| Mr.. John n. Mccoy, who now conducts the un-
dertaking business at Weavers Id stand, and
who assisted in preparing the remains of Booth
for reinterment, says that ho knew Wilkes Booth
| in his lifetime, and has no doubt but that tho
b,dy brought on from Washington was his
| As above stated, the remains lay at Wcavers
for three days and were then quietly Inferred in
the family lot at Greenmount, an Episcopal
clergyman from New York reading the burial
| service over the grave. Only the pail. bearers
and a very few of the most intimate friends OF
the family were present. The grave is alongside
that of tho elder Booth, but is unmarked as are
all in the lot, there being one common moru-
ment, n tall marble obelisk.-Balto. Herald