The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-12-23
THE DEATH OF BOOTH.
How Lincoln's Assassin Met His Fate" Gath's'
Vivid Description.

Vivid Description.
He raised his carbine, feebly resolving to kill
some one, or to fire il of, at least, and as he
stepped on foot and cruteh toward the center
of the barn, to be farthest from mems aiming,
a friction match was scratched behind him as
if his broken bones had rasped each other and
sent cold chill up his spine says George Alfred
Townsend in Katy of Catoctin," describing
the death of John Wilkes Booth.
He turned and saw the barn on fire
A lighted wisp 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 single instant
carried the odor and crackle Of his fathers log
cabin to his heart, and he shouted, as his crutch
fell from under his arm and left him helpless
Captain, do 1T quick! Now shoot me
through the hearth
The cricket ceased to sing, though everything
beside came forth in the bright light, till what
had been the throne of gloom stood revealed
in the blessed implements and yield of hus-
bandry. and there were wasps flying around
their nests in the roof, scenting flame, and in
the litter of the floor ran rats in single file, all
slyly, as from sinking ship, and one squealed
as it crossed his shadow like an old witch in an
incantation scene.
The plow and harrow teeth took a ruddy
CLEAN; some swallows in the timbers flew
round and round, blinded by the fire, and the
pegs IODICCO lnb DuTulQk IODaCCO ledNeS
grew to be ferns and scallops of gold as they
hung, like gilded scenes in spectacles, around
the desperate man.
He had seen fires upon the stage and helped
to stamp them out, and he limped toward the
greater flame near the corner; but suddeRly a
great tongue of fire licked him and singed him
as if Cerberus at hell's door had fondled on him
with furnace-tonguei
Fear seized him, and he ran toward the door
on misftting bones-the door held open as by
some invisible angel-and as he ran, the pom
derOus beams and trees in the structure seemed
to fall upon his skull and smash it like an egg.
Booth next felt water in his face, and two
men were holding him up and searching his
body and putting their fingers in his brain.
Its here" said one, I" right where he shot
the President, behind the ear, and on the same
side and here it's come through"
In gsgging torments he discerned before i'm
two men in Confederate dress, all shown by the
light of the burning barn, which was reflected
in the homestead porch he lay upon.
did - e betray -me?" sighed Booth,
pointing to one of these, the officer who had
brought him to the house.
He did not hear the answer, but he made it
himself
Tell-mother-I thought did best =
rights-a country till died. Kill me
Kill me-"
Harold, tied to the tree in the little fat lawn,
saw them turn Booth to make him comfortable,
and heard him gasp and grOan. and Harold
shed the only tears.
Booth could not swallow, and his words were
measured like dew in the hOneysuckle's cup
that dropped above his eyes and opened to the
fire.
He saw them, in his paralysis, hold up the
arsenal Of things he had carried so long-a
great, fierce knife, with rust of blood upon it;
two pistols. with revolving cylinders thick as
his riven ankle, and loaded in every chamber
aseven-shotted carbine a candle spotted pocket
compass; his diary, full of protestatiOns and
despair and holding Light Prisons name; his
pipc and scarf-pin. and the likenesses of ladies
and little Catholic medal. He sighed:
Tongue"
The detective opened his mouth and said:
Booth, no blood is on your tongue"
He started ut his name, which seemed n cen.
tury since it had been mentioned. and gasped
"Hands,"
The officer raised his hand and moistened il
with piece of ice, and lifted it all limp tC
Booths face. 1t fell uncomfortable, like his
broken foot.
He feebly moved his eyeballs through an are
which swept ali nature and exhaled the closing
words:
Uscless-less,"