Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1885-10-10
WHAT NIGHT HAVE BEEN.
How Lincoln Might Have
Escaped Assassination.
Postponing ar mgageme1ft that He Had
Made for the Fatal Friday.

4 Long Branch letter to the Phiia-
delphla Times says:
Had President Lincoln kept an en-
gagement hk rratie with me he might
perhaps be living stiIi,' safd Mfr Ran
dali, Of New York, formerly cf\St.
Louis, the other evening Mr.. Ran
dali is the father of Mrs Garrison and
the conversation took place on the
piazza of her residence here When
urged to tell the story OF how this
could be. he mentioned that during
the latter part Of the winter of ISho
he, knowing the state of affairs in the
part of Missouri within the confeder-
ate lines and in the adjacent States,
where Kirby Smith, with 2O,GGO men.
was only held in check and kept from
making raids by cD,nD0 men of the
Union army, and, being aware that
Kirby Smith and his men, having had
no pay or clothing issued to them for
six months. were greatly dissatisfied,
and were maddened by the knowledge
Of the necessities of their wives,
children, mothers and sisters who
were actually bare footed as well as
otherwise scantily clothed, thought
that he would try by peaceable means
to rid that part OF tf,e country Of
Smith and his men and prevent tfsi,
making any more raids This he
sought to do by getting permission
for Union men to buy their cotton,
which he knew was packed ready for
sale, and permitting the destitute
Southerners to buy the necessities of
life in return.
He opened negotiations with Presi-
dent Lincoln at Washington through
''Dick Y ates, who at one time was
Governor of Illinois, and represented
to him the wise policy of adopting the
plan he proposed for he said there
were no other Confeierates in arms in
that part of the country, and he felt
4 convinced the plan he urged would eff
| fectually dispose Of Smith and his
! men, and that money to buy the nee
essaries of life procured by the sale of
cotton and the opportunity given to
purchase such supplies would, he
thought, convert some of them into
good union men, while it would in
duce all to cease raiding And if you
do not buy their cotton" Mr.. Randall
plead, "they will burn it as soon as
they see Federal troops approaching
to seize it. 1t is ready alike for sale or
for the torch" He went to see Presi-
dent Lincoln finally himself, and sue
ceeded in convincing him Of the wis
dom of the proposed plan and secured
the necessary permit To stock boat
with supplies and to send it and pur-
chasers of cotton to proper points
on the Mississippi whence negotla-
tions might be opened for the pur-
chase of the cotton so much needed in
Northern factories and for the sale of
food and clothing to the starving, rag
ged Confederates.
All seemed likely to 90 we'll. the
boat was duly fitted up and stocked at
great expense and started on her trip
but unfortunately delays were made
by the naval officers commanding ouI
squadron on the Mississippi and by
army officers guarding posts on land
and the vessel was not allowed 10 pro
ceed Finally. after many attempt:
to set matters right. Mr.. Randall de
termined to go TO Washington again
see Mr. Lincoln, stanton and Welle
and send the boat which hal already
cost a large sum to its destination
President Lincoln first made an AZ
polntment 10 see Nr. Randall at tn
White House on riday evening. Apr
il. le65. and the latter was about I
take train from New ! ork. whlthe
he had gone, to Washington TO kee
the engagement when he received
telegram saving that the Preslden
: preferred 10 postpone the conVersatlo
until saturday evening. because h
wished 10 have time. when II too
place. 10 talk at length with Mr.. Rar
dali and On Friday he wished 70 z
see Laura keene in "Our America
Cousin.
80 Mr. Randall started from Ne
York Friday night to keep the 81
: gagement for Saturday evening, an
on reaching Baltimore next nornin
was amazed 70 ind his train und'
= arrest, the order having been issue
+ 10 allow no trains 10 leave that CT
9 in any direction. and was appalled,
} learn that the cause Of this was I,
y assassination of President Lincoln
WASHINGTON the rreyleus night