The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-12-19
THE DEATH OF BOOTH.
George Alfred TOwnsend's
Graphic Account.
DETAILS. OF THE TRAGEDY
CaptAin DO &c ouiek-Sow shoot Me
Through the HeArt"'-"kH
SIC! Kill net!

eNampI and ne remembered the
manner ia which old Brown had met
his fat,, and Booth tried to be his
pupil.
Captain, called Booth, assuming q
hollow, theatrical voice, give me
living chance: withdraw your men
100 PAGES from the barn, and Ii come
out and fghl you"
This had been John Browns request.
when entrapped in his engine house
and Booth aspired to die Ike 5rown.
Herepeated the request. and thought
it quite unmeTciful tial ne was not
accorded a little stage space 70 die
effectively IA.
wen waste no more time, =" the civil
officer, without, spoke in a tone Of dis
gust.
The katydid or cricket never ceased
to call its resouuding heads, am Pray.
pray, pray"
Booth searched the heavens and the
world for some lntercessor. and fetched
from weakness his mothers name. By
that saint he asked for tif;y yards and
! for little more time.
Everything was refused.
Now, then. my brave bows" he de
claimed, IN the tones Of the stage again,
prepare a stretcher for mel"
-'Stretchers" were the canvas biers TO
carry out OF battle wounded men. Booth
assuming 70 the end-Nould appear
70 be veteran entitled 10 the ho-Ors OF
war.
He raised his carbine, feebIy resolving
TO kill some one. or to FIRE it OF at least,
and as he stepped, on foot and crutch,
toward the centre OF the barn, to be far
thest from mems aiming, q friction
match was scratched behind him a. If
his broken bones had rasped each other,
and sent a cold chill up his spine.
He turned and saw the barn on fire
A lighted Tisp OF straw, twisted by
some one without had fallen into loose
hay, and some brush, piled against the
outside of the barn, was also afire. The
warm flame for a single instant carried
the odOr and crackle of his fathers log
cabin to his heart. and he shouted as
his crutch fell rom under his arm and
left him helpless.
Captain, do IL quick Now shoot me
through the heart"
everything beside came forth in the
bright light, till what had been the
throne OF gloom stood revealed Ia the
blessed implements and yield of hus-
bandry. and there were wasps flyine
around their nests in the root, scent
ing flame, and in the litter of the floor
ran rats In single file. ali slylv, As from
a sinking ship, and one squealed as il
crossed his shadow ike an old vi ch in
an Incarnation scene.
The plOw and harrow teeth took a
rudy CLEAN; some swallows in the
timbsrs dew round and round, blinded
by the IRE, and the pegs for tobacco
and the burning tobacco leaves grew to
6e ferns anu scallOps OF gold, as they
hung, Ike gilded scenes in spectacles,
around the desperate man.
De had seen fires upon the stage and
helped TO stamp them out, ana he
limped toward the greater flame near
corner, but suddenly great tongue OF
IRE licked him and singed him IS il
CerOeTuS at bells door had fOndled on
him with a furnace tongue!
Fear seized him. and he ran toward
the door on misfitting bones the door
held open as by some invisible angel
and, a. he ran, the ponderous beams
and tres in the structure seemed 10
fall upon his skull and smash It ike an
egg.
Booth next felt water in his face, and
two men were holding him up and
searching his body and putting heir
fingers in his brain.
ITS here" said one, right where
he shot the President, behind the ear.
and on the same side, and here it's
come through"
In gagging torments he discerned be
fore him two men in Confederate dress,
all shown By the light of the burning
barn. which was reflected in the honIe-
stead porch he lay upon.
Did - be - betray me?" sighed
Booth. pointing TO one of these. the
officer who had brought him 10 the
house.
he did not hear the answer, but he
made il himself:
"Tell-mother-I thought did
best-rights- a cOuntry-tiIi-I died. !
Kill me! Kill met
Herold, tied to the tree in the little |
fat lawn, saw them turn Bostn. 20 |
make him comfortable, and heard him |
gasp and groan, and Herold shed the
only tears.
Booth could not swallow, aud his
words were measured like dew in the 1
honeysuckle's cup that dTosped above |
his ears and opened TO the fire.
He saw them. IL bis paralysis. hold
up the arsenal Of things he had carried
30 Tonga great, fierce knife, with rust !
IF blOOi upon il; two pistols with re-
7olvIng cylinders thick as his riven
ankle. and loaded IN every chamber: a
ieven-shOtjed carl inc a candle spotted
pocket compass; his diary full OF pro-
estsiions and despair, ana holding
light Pitton's name; his pipe and
carf-piu and the likeness OF ladies.
md little Catholic medal. lie sighed:
Tongue"
The detective opened his mouth and
aid:
Booth. no blood is on your tongue
He started at his name, which seemed
century since II had been mentioned,
nd gasped:
Hands 7"
The officer raised his hand and -,
loisiened it with a piece Of Ice. and
fted II all limp 70 Booths face. IL fell !
ncontrOllable, like his broken foot {
He feebly moved his eyebalis through {