Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-30
WILKES BOOTH.
SOME ACCOUNT oFHrs ESCAPE TO CARO-
LINE COUNTY.
An Interview With Lady Living In the
House to Which He
Went.

HOUSE 10 W niCh hO
Went.
The story OF John Wilkes Booth and hts
tragic death will ever I've one OF interest 20
the reader. There h something so myste-
rious connected with II that many refuse
10 believe In The assassn's death, ana stout
~ maintain his existence. In a talk with
Dr. q. G.. Roy. Of this city, he furnished
some particulars Of Booths death not be-
fore known, and, what is more. these Incl
dents were narrated By the principal in
rendering relief 10 the dying man. Said the
Doctor: -,
ON a visit to my daughter, Mrs. DR..
webb, Of Bowling Green, Caroline county,
Va, last Christmas. | was permitted an i'm
teryiew with Mis- H., who was residing at
the Garrett homestead, where wilkes
Booth stopped after The Assassination OF
President Lincoln, and where he WIS cap
tured and died from the rifle-shot 81 Bos-
ion Corbett. found Miss H. most IN
teIljgent aud interesting tilker teacher
hy mofessiOn. She was deliberate aud
careful in her conversation, and though de-
handing that her name SHOULD not be pub
lsbed. frankly answered aud eulargedupon
every question propounded to her; and OF
the veracity Of her every stltement have
not the slightest doubt.
The Garrett homestead IL situated on the
EappahannOck river, twenty miles south OF
Fredericksburg and two miles north OF the
village Of Port ROYAL, on the same river.
On the north side Of the river. opposite this
village, Is Port Conway. To this place
Booth came the Sunday afternoon after The
assassination. He sent Harold across the
river TO Port Royal TO know " there were
any Confederate officers there. Learning
that there were, he and Harold went across
the river and were met by Lieutenant Rug
eles and a young man, Willie jet. IL
seems that Harold was very c0nfiding IN
his communications TO these young men,
and had informed them who Booth was.
This very much Displaced Booth. who very
severely chided Harold for his indiscre-
ton.
Miss III. said that about noon on
Monday three men came from the main
road down the lane 10 Mr.. Richard Henry
CARROTS house, where she was residing In
the capacity OF teacher. ane was riding alone
and two were on one horse. These two
proved 10 be Jet and Booth. Mr.. Garrett
being out on the farm, they were met by
some OF the ladies Of the family, and Jett,
speaking. requested permission to leave
bis friend, Mr.. Boyd, who bad been
wounded at the evacuation OF Petersburg,
and needed few DAYS rest. They were in
yited to remain until Mr.. Garrett reached
the house, and they accepted. He soon
came. when Jet said: I" Mr.. Garrett, let
me introduce to you my friend. Mr.. Boyd.
who was wounded at Petersburg. aud
whom we would like for you to take care
Of for three days, when we will come and
take him away" Mr. Garrett said: But
who are your You are all strangers TO me,
and though would like to accommodate
any one in distress, AIN very poorly pre-
pared to-do 80 now Jet quickly said:
INV name is Jttt." Mr.. Garrett said:
care YOU son Of William Jet, OF
King George coIrtyi" Jet replied
81 am" Mr. Garrett then said
1" II that is so, your father Is IN
old friend Of miCe. We once did bus-
ness together. and il you are his son |
don't feel willing to turn away your fIiend,
who seems to be hurt. rs he Is on cruiches.'
He then invited them into the house.
Bovd, who was !. Wilkes Booth, remained.
The other two GJett aud Ruggles) rode oil,
promising 20 be in often 10 see after their
irieud, and that on Wednesday they would
call and take him away. They came late in
the afternoon 10 see BOYD" and had 4
short conversation with him and rode off
again. 4 Lieutenant Blinbridgc was at
Polt ROYAL. and was one Of the party to
meet Booth.
Miss n. says: Harold came on Tuesday
and remained with Booth. Booth vas an
intensely interesting talker, and rs gentle
and refined in his department As lady.
lie got along very well on clutches, ana
when m offer was made TO dress his wound
he refused. saying it did not trouble him
and he did not mind il. None OK the Car
-ett family, up 10 this time, bad heard OF
the assassination Of President Lincoln. On
Tuesday, the day after Booth came,
two OF Mr.. Garctt's sons went
fishing in the river. Then they heard
for The first time OF the assassina.
ton. They returned by dinner, and al q,
dinner.table told what they had heard y
the murder OF the President. Booth was
present, and, Miss II. says, was an intent
listener, without the slightest emotion or
any change OF countenance except that OF
great surprise, which peryaded all seated
at the table. Mr.. Garrett, ST., very quickly
remarked: 81 hope it is not so. | be-
liove Il would be one Of the greatest ca
lamities that could bcfall u.s. Booth, up
to this time silent and without emotion,
q little excitedly said: "Do you think
thatf" Sir. Garrett replied: " Yes, | DO"
Booth said: 81 cannot think so. | rather
believe, if it is so, that good viii come OF
il TO the South" He asked one OF the
Young CARROTS il he heard any OF the par
ticulars OF the assassination and il there
was a reward offered for the party dong il.
Young Garrett replied that nc had heard
that $4,000 reward was offered. Booth
remarked that he thought that rather
pihful reward for the slayer OF the Presi-
dent.
Miss II. saws that after Harold came he
and Booth would walk and sit together,
and seemed very much engaged in c0uver-
sation. She noticed that they watched the
main road very yiglantly, and when they
would see a dust, a. II there was some one
passing along, they would hurry to the
house and come inside, but never was the
suspicion Of q single member Of the family
aroused a. to their being other than Con-
federate soldiers trying to get home.
On Wednesday there was big dust in
The road as il there might he passing bodies
Of troops. Booth seemed somewhat tXcited,
and asked one OF the ladies, "Please be 50
kind rs to step up TO my room and get my
pistol" which was hanging on the head OF
his bed. She went and brought il TO him,
Euu III IAl~luR uir NDAA w bAahiI Il
ms waist she noticed that he had on three
Others, making four, each carrying six
loaded chambers. Jet and Ruggles called
this day "wednesday, and Mr.. Garrett
wanted to know when they were going TO
take their friend Boyd away. This they
promised TO do that afternoon, but they did
not return. They had quite lengthy talk
with Booth aud Harold before they left,
after which they both seemed 70 lie ner-
yous and restless.
Night approaching, Booth asked il there
was not vacant clubhouse that he and his
friend could stay III during the night. This
aroused the anxiety OF the family. and Mr..
Garrett propounded some very critical ques-
ticns suggested by this request. lie told
them be was afraid there was something
wrong about them, and he had been i'm
posed upon. Booth assured him he was
mistaken. They were gentlemen, and had
not done anything OF which they were
ashamed. lie told them il they wanted to
hide out, they had better 20 to the woods
or down 10 the marsh. They were the
places for runaways. He finally consented
that they could stay in an empty tobacco
barn, about fifty yards distan from the
house, and TO this they repaired. Booth
had tried the day before TO buy the horses
OF the two young CARROTS, but having no
other means Of cutiyating crop, they re.
fused 10 sell. Their going to the barn to
sleep aroused the apprehension OF the two