Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-04-18
Written for THE STAR by John t. Ford.


The last male guest at the National hotel
breakfast, on the morning Of April 18th, 1865,
was John Wilkes Booth. When he entered the
breakfast room, young lady, Miss -. was
finishing her meal at a small table near by the
one assigned him by the waiter in charge. He
glanced over the bill of fare and pleasantly
whispered his order for light meal, which was
soon brought. The young lady fingered at
her table. The young actor was an ac-
quaintance. and a known admfrer of one of her
feminine friends-(the daughter of a distin-
guished public man, whose family occupied
suite of rooms at the same hotel,) besides he
was young. graceful, and exceedingly hand
some His breakfast soon finished he rose
as the lady did, and they walked together to the
door, where his silk hat light overcOat, cane and
gloves were lying on a table. He laid the coat
on his left arm, and with hat, gloves and cane
In his hands, he bowed to the young lady and
passed along the hall way and down the steps
10 the office. placing his hat and coat and
leisureIy glowing one hand he noticed that il
was after eleven by the hotel clock. as he saun-
tered towards the door the Avenue. At
this time two handsomely dressed young
ladies were passing-he bowed, they acknowl-
edged the salutation and entered the parlor
hallway of the hotel. Had any one been look
Ing on when he drew and opened an encased
picture from a side pocket. the likeness of one
of the two ladies would have been recognized
In the subject of the ambrotype. He quickly
replaced the picture in his pocket, and started
in easy lettering walk towards 9th street,
the corner of which he turned northwardly.
BOOTHS MORNING WALK.
1t was Good Friday morning. numbers were
returning from church service and many ad-
miring eyes recognized the handsome actor as
he gracefully gave the right of way to the pass
ers by. Up 9th street he went until he reached
III street, and, turning to the west, he noticed
horse and buggy in front of Mrs. Surratts
house, lady who kept boarding house and
whose guests he had visited, and whose per-
sOnal acquaintance he had made during the
preceding winter. He walked along to the
place where he found the lady OF the house,
ready with male attendant mir. Weichman,)
to go TO the country on pressing business err
rand, as she advised her visitor. She asked him
into the paflor and there excused herself
by saying She was pressed by the executors of
the late Chas. g. Calvert TO pay mortgage debt,
and as the same amount was due her by
debtor in the country, her former home, she
was going there to arrange Tor its collection;
that she hal been To morning service, and
wished to go to Surrattsvilie and return before
shutdown. He (BOOth) then said Il left some
articles of mine at the tavern; l don't expect
to visit there again. Oblige me by asking MIR.
Lloyd, the landlord, for them and bring them
here with you" This she promised and he bid
her adieu and resumed his walk up II street
northwest to 1oth.turning then;down that street
towards PennSyi vania avenue. He never met
Mrs Surratt afterwards. She was driven to
Surratsviiie by Mr.. Weicbman. and did not
return to Washington until after dark that day.
HE sAUNTERs INTO THE THEATER.
At Ford's theater, 10th street NOW National
Medical Museum1, at IL o'clock that morning,
a messenger came from the White House, say
ing that the President and family and Gen.
Grant wished TO witness the production by
Miss Laura keene and company of "fhe Amer
lean Cousin" The reply that came from Mr. T.
Il. Ford was: 1.-THE state box will be prepared
and will be at their service" 1t was usual to
decorate the front of the box and to remove the
partition which at times divided 1t into two
apartments. The order to remove the partition
was given to Mr.. Clifford, the master carpenter,
up some extra bunting, flags, etc, on account of
Gen. Grant especially, who had Just reached
Washington from ..Appomattox:' The flags
were procured from the Treasury department.
The mail delivery OF the morning had brought
a number of letters, several of which We're di-
reeted to J. Wilkes Booth-he always had his
mail left there. and made the place daily re-
sort when in the city. Familiar on account of
his professional standing with the house. and
the people engaged about it, he had untram-
melIed access everywhere. He had promised
to play Richard III for Harry Ford's benefit,
who had, in that year, just reached his major
attached to the house and some others were
standing on the pavement near the front door
used during the day, when Harry Ford called
atten ton to a party approaching, by saying:
"Here comes the handsomest young man in
WESTINGHOUSE the eyes of all were
Wlkes Booh Coming af fowa rdeog 1he@
He was walking slow, and with a lounging
graceful movement; his light overcoat, black
hat gloved hands and swinging cane, all
helped to set off his tall and graceful person:
his coal black hair fen in short curls over and
about a face almost perfect in its lines of manly
beauty; his eyes We're large, luminous and very
expressive; his age was about 20. His appear
ance fully confirmed the eXclamat ton that had
called attention to him, and his manner indi-
Gated his entire freedom from any excitement
at that time. When he reached the group, his
salutation was cordial, and he took his letters,
which were handed to him, and seated himself
on an adjoining dOOrsill to read them. When
this was done, he placed them in one of his
side pockets and commenced conversation with
those waiting to talk with him.
A CHANGE OF MOOD.
The conversation quickly turned upon the
surrender of General Lee, and Harry Ford in
spirit of badinage, knowing Booths strong
southern proclivities, said: John the President
has the state box tonight, and is coming with
General Grant to see the play of The American
Cousin, and possibly General Lee will also be
with them" He startled at this said irnmedi-
ately: "Neveri Lee would not let himself he
used as Romans used their captives, and be
paraded-h The answer was: '.Oh, no: / was
only joking. From that moment Booths
manner underwent an entire change: he became
quiet and distracted, as if some dark thought
was in his brain, and he very soon left the
crowd, hurried down 10th street, where he met
q friend at the corner of f street and after a
word or two to Lees surrender he asked
abruptly: What would be the result if some
persons were to Kill Lincoln and his cabinete'
The impulsive reply was: There are no Brutuses
ever, with the words, sit would only make
matters much worse He left his companion
on tals, anu walked nurriedIy up T. street in
the direction OF the kirkwOOd house.
BOOTHS LETTER OF DEFENSE.
He was not seen again until late in the after.
noon, when on horseback he rode near the side
walk and hailed John Matthew'S the actor on
Pennsylvania avenue, and gave him large en-
velope, directed to the National Intellioencer
and told him TO keep it until morning Mat
thews, after the crime that night, opened read
and burnt il in his own room and at his own
voiition. II was a defense of a Contemplated
murder, and Il drew from Roman history a par
alel for Justification.
The writing was on many sheets of paper II
was evidently the hurried work of some hours
probably nearly all the period that had elaDse3
between the time he left the theater-Which
was near i o'clock-and the hour he met Mat
thews late in the afternoon. He had i'm thai In
terval, however. seen AtZerott and Payne and
arranged their share in the intended aSSaSSina-
tions, which included Secretary Seward and
Vice President johnson, besides the party at
the theater He was then riding on his way to
find David Herold, who was needed as an escort
through the Maryland peninsula to the neigh
bofhood OF Bryantown, where they expected IN
cross the Potomac before morning and 10 find
refuge In virginia, making their way event
ually to the mountains.
THE STORY OF THE TRAGEDY,
Soon after the performance began Booth rode
up TO the rear stage door, of the theater and
called "Spangler, the assistant carpenter, and
asked him TO take care of his horse; it was near
the time for a change of the stage scenery and
Spangler had TO get another to do So and he
called boy, nick-named Peanuts" while he
resumed his stage work. The horse Remained
there In the rear until about 1880 d. m when
he was mounted with great difficulty by Booth
(who had broken an ankle-bone in a jufupl and
"a "a In fHa int