The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-07-22
THE CAPTURE OF BOOTH,
HOW ABRAHAM IINcoLN's AssAs-
SIN MET HIS DEATH.
Gagged In a Barn-HnrOId's Surrender
The Barn Fired - Booth Shot
Dead with Carbine in Hand.

Gagged In a Barn-TInrold's Surrcnde,
The Barn Fired - Booth Shot
Dead with Carbine In Hand.
Captain E. p. Dohcrty. who was with
the Federal force which pursued j.
Wilkes Booth, tells in the Baltimore
Herald how Lincoln's assassin was cap
tured in the barn on CARROTS place.
"Nyc at once surrounded the barn." said
Captain E. p. Doherty, land l went to
the door and tried TO open it, but it was
locked with paddock. Young Garrett
had the key to the paddock with him,
and, when he unlocked it, I called out
to the men inside:
"'I have come here to take you.
know who you are, and I want you. If
you do not como out have men enough
to take you, dead or alive"
eat first there was no answer. Finally,
in loud, strong voice, Booth replied
'Who arc you. and what do you wantf
II said: It's no mattcrwhat we want
deliver up your AIMS and surrender your
selves
"Ic called oat again: who arc your
Il replied: That makes no difference.
We know who YOU are, and We want
you. have fifty men here armed, and
you cannot get away
"Booth made some answer about his
being captured by his friends, and then
he asked for time to think the thing
over. Finally said to him: 'We have
waited long enough; it is time for you
to surrender Booth called out: 4 am
crippled and alone. Take your men back
fifty yards from the door and will come
out. You ought to give me chance for
my life
Il told him that we had not come to
fight, but to capture him, and he had
better come out. After while Booth
called: There is man here wants to
surrender, and wants to surrender awful
bad
"At this, Harold came out to the door
and said: Let Inc out. | want to sur.
render 1 said, Hand out your arms,
and Booth said he had no arms. took
nv pistol and told Harold to put both
hands out at the door. He cid so, and
l caught him and pulled him out. Then
Booth made some stage-like speech that
could not distinctly understand. but |
remember he said: Boys, prepare a
stretcher for me. Another mau is slain
under our glorious banner A few
minutes later he called out to me again
: to take my men from around the barn
and give him a chance for his life.
Just at that moment somebody, wheth-
er one of my men or one of the
detectives, I am not sure, lit a
match and dropped it in the straw in the
rear of the barn. In an instant the whole
place was lighted up. We saw Booth
standing on the floor of the barn leaning
over on his crutch. On the floor was the
straw, and then outlining Booth as he
stood there glaring around as if trying
to sec US on the outside. do not think
he intended to shoot atus but had made
up his mind to kill himself. twas hard
" moment after the fire burst out be-
fore Booth dropped his crutch and took
his carbine in both hands, still glaring
about the barn, and really looked as If
he were about 10 shoot. At this instant
we heard shot. Dooth gave yell, and
for the moment stood with the carbine
between his legs, his head bent over the
butt, and then. as he was about to fall,
caught him under the arms and pulled
him out Of the barn. Some one called
out 'IIc has shot himself and it was for
some time my impression that that was
the case. But Sergeant 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 Plainc, where the
steamer I. S. Idc, Captain Wilson, was
waiting for me; returned to Washing
ton with the corpse of Booth and David
E. Harold as prisoner, and at three A.
NJ, on April 90, 1865, turned both over
to the naval authorities in charge of the
iron clad monitor Montauk at the Navy
Yard.
"Booth had on an old business suit
black, with little white spots. In his
pockets were lot of little onions. A
diary was in one pocket. ] did not read
it carefully. Several pages had been
ded to himself as the greatest patriot
known to modern history. turned the
diary over to the war department. I
think it was never published,
1.-THE prize money of $75, 900 was di-
vided on the plan governing the distri.
button of prize money IN the navy. l
was regarded as q captain of vessel pas
sing from one squadron to another, and
making a capture on the way. l received
$500, Colonel Baker $3, $50, Congcr
$4,000, l.. B. Baker 81 900, Corbett and
the other sergeant 81. 565, seven corpor-
ais got 50, 3,2al, and eighteen privates got
S2,OG3. Nearly all the men live now
near Plattsburg, N. Y. where they in
vested their money in farms. live in
Louisiana, and am engaged in govern
mcnt work on the Red river. am happy
to say have multiplied my share Of the
$50, 900 several times"