The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-01-21

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time we reached the mansion of Mr..
Davis, president of the Confederacy,
the house now occupied as the
headquarters of General Weiteel and
General Shipley.
1t was quite a small affair COM
pared with the White House, and
modest in all its appointments,
showing that, while President Da-
Wis was engaged heart and soul in
endeavoring to effect a division of
the States, he was not, at least, sur
rounding himself with kingly volupt-
BUSINESS, but was living in modest,
comfortable style, like any other
citizen. Amid it all, the refined
taste of his wife was prominent, and
marked everything about the apart
mentS.
There was great cheeringgoing on:
hundreds of civilians Il don't know
who they were assembled at the
! house to welcome Mr.. Lincoln.
General Shipley made speech
and gave US lunch, after which we
entered a carriage and visited the
State House-the late seat OF the
Confederate Congress. 1t was in
dreadful disorder, betokening a sud
den flight; members tables were
upset, bales of Confedate scrip were
lying about the floor, and many Of
fetal documents ofsome value were
found scattered about. 1t was
strange to me that they had not set
fire to the building ere they depart
ed, to bury in oblivion every record
that might remain relating to the
events of the past four wears.
After this inspection | urged the
President to go op board the NAL
vern. | began to feel the response
bility resting upon me through the
care of this person. The evening
was approaching, and we were in a
carriage open all around. He was
glad to go; be was tired out and
wanted the quiet of the flagship.
We took leave of our host and de-
parted. | was oppressed with un-
easiness until we got on board, and
stood on deck with the President
safe; then there was not happier
man anywhere than myself
| determined that the President
should go nowhere again. while un-
der my charge, unless | vas with
him and had a guard of marines. |
thought of the risks we had run
that day, and | was satisfied before
the night was over that | had good
cause for apprehension.
WILKES BOOTH APPEARS.
We were all sitting on the upper
deck about s o'clock in the evening
when a man came down from the
landing and hailed the Malvern the
vessel had come-to off the city,, say
ing that he had dispatches for the
President. | told the captain to
send the small boat on shore to
bring the dispatches off. but not to
bring the bearer. The boat return
ed without either the dispatches or
the bearer, The boat officer said
the man would not deliver the de-
spatches to any one but the Presi-
dent himself.
''Let him come on board, SAID the
President
Don't you think we should be !
careful whom we admit after dark.
sir?" / said.
"Well, yes. he replied; but these !
dispatches may be from General
Grant. and the man may be only !
obeying his orders"
| ordered tie boat to 90 back and |
bring the man on board, determined |
to stand near the President when
the dispatches were delivered.
knew that General Grant would
send dispatches only by an officer,
and the midshipman in the boat
told me this was not one.
When the boat returned to the
shore the man was not there. As
| suspected, the man was a bogus
despatch-bearer. The circumstan-
ces were very suspicious.
| inquired about the appearance
of the man when seen by the officer
OF the boat He was tall man with
a black moustache, wore slouch
hat and long cloak. a regular the
atricai villain"
That man was, without doubt,
Wilkes Booth. who sought the Pres
ident's life. II would have suited
Booths tragical spirit to slay him
on such an occasion; it would have
added greatly lin his ideas to the
scenic effect.
In half an hour another hail came,
we we're only lying twenty yards
)ff.) A person wanted a boat a
sailor from the Saugus wanted to re-
port himself on board. There was
10 such vessel in the feet, though
here was one in the navy | sent
IN officer and four men in the boat
% bring the man off, and not to let
llm escape, and, when in the boat,
o put hand-irons on him. Then | I
wept the shore with night glass {
md could see no one. The boat {
anded a minute later. There was c
10 man there. The crew ran up
md down the river and looked over
he bank, but no one could be found. I
These two circumstances made me |
more suspicious, and every care was {
AIKEN that no one should get on |
'oard without knowing who he was. I
The President himself felt a little }
unpleasant and nervous. and that
light a marine kept guard at his 1
tateroom door. a
DAVID d. PORTER {
Profi's on Whisky. n
Il u