The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-07-23

have waited long enough it is time
Surrender Booth called
out: 4 am crippled and alone. Take.
your men bach fifty yards from the
door and ] viii come OUT You ought |
to give me chance for my HE 4"
II told him that we had not come
to fight, but to capture him, and he
had better come out. Aftera while
Booth called There is a man here
wants to surrender, and wants to sur
render awful bad.
"At this Harold came out to the |
door and said Let me out. l want
to surrender said, Hand outyour
arms and Booth said he had no arms.
| took my pistol and told Harold to
put both hands out at the door, He
did so and. Ecaught him andspulled
him out Then Booth made some
stage-like speech that could not dis
tinctly understand, but l remember
he said; Boys, prepare a stretcher
for me. Another man is slain UNI
der olr glorious banner. Afew min
utes later he called out to me again to
take my men from around the barn
and give him chance for his life.
Just at that moment somebody,
whether ene-ef my men or une-of the
detectives, am not sure, lit a match
and dropped it in the rear of the.
barn. In an instant the whole place
was lighted up. We saw Booth stand
ing on the floor OF the barn leaning
over his crutch. On the floor was the
straw, and outlining Booth as he stood
there glaring around as if trying to
see US on the outside. do not think
he intended to shoot at us, but had
made up his mind to kill himself 1t
was hardly moment after the fire
burst out before Booth dropped his
crutch and took his carbine in both
hands, still glazing about the barn,
and really looked as if he were about
to shoot. AT this instant we heard
a shot. Booth gave yell and for the
moment stood with the carbine be-
tween his legs. his head bent over the
butt, and Then As he wassabout to fall
Icaught him under the arms and
pulled him out OF the barn. Some
one called out, He has shot himself,
and it was for some time my impress
ion that that was the case. But Ser
geant Boston Corbett soon told me
that he had shot, intending only to
disable Booths arm.
"Booth lived about two hours.
took the blanket off my horse, sewed
him up in it, took an old negro with
his cart and returned to Belle PLANE
hwhere the steamer I. S. Ide, Captain
I Wilson, was waiting for me returned
to Washington with the corpse o.
Booth and David f. Harold rs pris
oner and at 8 o'clock a. M, on April
Goth, 1865, turned both over TO the
naval authorities in charge Of the iror
clad monitor Montauk atithe nav,
yard.
"Booth had on an old buiness suit
black, with littlefwhite spots. In hi
pockets were lot of little onions.
diary was in one pocket. | did no
read it carefully, Several page
had been written after the as
sassination. He alluded to himself a
: the greatest patriot known to moderl
history. ] turned the diary over t.
the war department, ! think it wa
: never published. wN
"The prize money of S75 600 was d
videdlon the plan governing the dis
tribation Of prize money -in-the navy
r | was regarded as captain OF a vesst
passing from one squadron to anothe
t and making a capture on the way
: 1 receiyed$7 500, Colonel Baker Sc, 75'
Couger I $4,000 II B. Baker $4,000
IA Corhett and the other sergeant 81, 545
seven corporals got $2,29l, and eigl
teen privates got $1,000 Nearly a
Y the men live now near Plattsburg, !
y y, where they invested their none
, in farmsa Livelin Louisiana, and al
! engaged on government works on tt
Red river. | am happy to say | hay
Y multiplied myshare of the $500
several times -. - --A-. ~ ~