The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-10-16
BOOTHS CAPTURE.
Lieutenant Dohcrty Tells How He Rnn
Down President Lincoin's Assassin.

Lieutenant Doherty Tells How He Rnn
Down President I.lncoin's Assassin.
Edward p. Doherty. who captured
John Wilkes Booth in Virginia on the
morning Of April 20, 1865, was at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel recently. He Is
now United States Indian trader, sta
toned on the Cheyenne river. Dakota
Territory. He is little above the aver
age height, has broad shoulders, dark
hair, strcaked with gray, and face in
dicativc of great determination. In
conversation he speaks in low, meas
ured but decisive tone. He gave the
following graphic description of the
capture and death of Booth to a re-
porter:
Booth was hiding in pine forest not
far from Bowling Green, on the Rappa-
hammock river. / was a Lieutenant
then, and had command of twenty-six
men, vigorously prosecuting the search.
On April 25 l passed Booths hiding
place and knew nothing of it. cap-
tured young man who had been with
Booth. He told me Booth would cross
the Rappahannock that night with Har-
rod and sleep on the premises of Mr.
Garrett. was some distance from Mr..
| Garrctt's, but resolved to surround the
house. It seemed incredible that I
should have missed Booth. My COM
pany secured that whole country
and kept posted on the move
ments of all stragglers. Booth
was in the habit of crossing the river on
horseback and then seeking shelter dur
ing the day in the forest of pines. At
four o'clock on the morning of April 26
silently surrounded the premises Of
Mr. Garrett. Booth was concealed in
IN out-housc--a barn or tobacco house.
when we found him there we called up
Ian him to surrender; he refused. Har-
|rold. who was his companion, came to
the door of the barn and surrendered to
tme. Booth. who was in reclining po-
l,iton on account of his broken leg,
raised his carbine to shoot either Har-
rold or myself. Corbett, one of my SOL
!liers, quickly drew a bead and fired up
bn Booth. The ball entered two inches
below the very spot where President
Lincoln was shot. ] handed Harold
Pver to q soldier and sprang to Booth,
elasping him around the body. The
barn WIS on fire, and carried him out
He looked with unutterable scorn at
Harold, and waving his right hand u
little. said Just one word-"Useless." "
L gave him brandy and attempted in
every way to revive him sufficiently to
speak, but the word useless was the
only one he uttered after Corbett fired.
jim two minutes he became irrational,
and in two hours expired. Every
thing possible was done for him.
We had no surgeon present, and
earried him to Port Royal He was not
mut lated. When he died sewed his
body up in my blanket and it was car
ried to Washington. At Washington
his body was identified by three or four
persons without a doubt. He had q
scar or rising on the back of his neck.
The landlady ut whose house he boarded
recognized him. Hisremains were first
inferred. privately in the penitentiary
at Washington. The bottom of cell
was removed and the body placed un-
derneath. Some time afterward it was
was removed to Baltimore and lies in
Oakland Cemetery in that city. For
eighteen months / was not allowed to
say word about the shooting, except
to the proper authorities The result
was that many erroneous accounts were
, given of the capture. Booth had a
| diary or passbook upon him at the time
he was shot. That book will come into
my possession rs soon rs l call for it at
Washington. All those wildcat stories
[ about there being doubt whether the
. man killed was Booth or not, amount to
/ nothing in view of the fact that the au-
, thorites at Washington were duly con-
vinccd and paid the reward of $4,000.
The detective who assisted us in placing
, the locality received half the above sum.
l received $1,000, and the rest of the
/ reward was distributed among my
, twenty-six men.--N Y. Mail and E1.
. press.