The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-14

Ordncn SnQCl0
then got into an army road leading between two
OF the forts. Movements in those earthworks
| struck CONSERVATION to him. he heard horse
come out from the city, and the picket called.
SO he rode into piece of woods, and, as the
moon came out of the horizon, beheld his near
ly white overcoat soaked in blood.
With shudder he removed it, and threw it
upon the ground.
He saw his shadow in the woods aud he had
no hat upon his head.
In despair he took off his undercoat and cut
the sleeve from his wooden shirt over the muscu-
lar arm, and made himself sort OF cap of it.
Then he rode his horse across the fields and
back into the eastern skirts of the city and
finally felt his way down toward brook in the
red-clay SOIL and saw broad water open before
him; he recognized the Eastern branch he was to
cross.
As Payne picked his way toward the environ
ing marshes to lind the bridge, cavalry dashed
down the crossing road, and he heard the guard
doubled and set. and the order given to let no
man pass alive. The bells from the city struck
IL o'clock
He turned back and urged his horse with
fury, until he saw tie poor-house at the rivers
brink, and thought how glad he would be of q
refuge there. AS he looked up meteor trailed
across the sky, and filed his heart with super
stition
He rode down along strand before naked
bluffs of clay, and turned up disrsal ravine
from the chill river, on whose SUBMITS were
some poor peoples houses In these he heard
Nobody knows who did it. 1t seemed like de
devil hoped down all black and said"
What did he say2"
He's sick! Sing fur hosannasp
whats datln
The door opened and heads appeared.
cts him-de devilw
Payne spurred his horse away, aud before he
could recover self-possession had been stopped
ov a great yellow hospital on a plateau, and not
Ear away the dome Of the Capitol was seen sail
ing through soft, fleecy clouds. like Columbus's
egg upright under setting swan.
he saw people ride out. The town was
alarmed. Slipping from his sweating horse, he
left it forever, and crept away the moar-
like April commons until he saw a large ceme-
terry rise under the trees, with monuments and
vaults.
1t occurred TO him that at the old Virginia
churches he had sometimes found an empty
vault above the ground to bivouac in, and he
tried the slabs upon several Of these Washing
ton vaults until one gave way, and he removed it
far enough to creep within and lift the slab back
by his back and shoulders.
He then lay down in the cold stone walls felt
the glutinous blood on his coat-sleeve at the
wrist, and knew that he was spotted every
where. lie was splashed with mud, bruised.
wrenched, thirsty, and abandoned; unacouainted
with any family in Washington except Mrs.
Surratts, and he had no hat to wear, so that il
would be suspicious for him to walk abroad, aud
had no money to equpor move himself
de lay there all night without blanket or ever.
CoAb, emily anu mlSefADIo. III occurred 10 him
to attack and kill any man vho might approach,
but the next day the cemetery deserted,
as the murder had called every body in marvel
ing groups to the city.
He lay still all day Saturday, and on Easter
Sunday, when Christ arose, funeral came near
him, aud person dropped newspaper, which
Payne reached out and took after all were gone.
Near it lay pick for digging graves and this,
also. he drew within the vault
The paper contained a proclamation from the
of War ayin
Zone hundred thousand dollars rewardl
"The murderer of late beloved President, Ab.
raham Lincoln is still at large! -
Fifty thousand dollars will be paid by this depart
ment for his apprehension
twenty-five thousand dollars reward for A. At
zerodt, sometimes called Port Tobacco
twenty-five thousand dollars reward for David E.
Herold.
"All persons harboring secreting the said per.
sons or either of them or aiding assisting their
escape will be treated accomplices
subject to trial before military commission and the
punishment of death.
Let the stain of innocent blood be removed from
the land!''
AS Payne read this with horror he observed
that his own name was not printed, probably not
known, and that none of his victims were dead.
In revulsion of gratitude and tears, he fell
upon his face in the stone vault aud said q
prayer his Baptist father had taught him.
The fourth night following the crime fell upon
the old graveyard and the monuments OF Sena-
tors, presidents, State ministers, and
crawled forth that drizzling, chilly Monday
night among the low cedar trees to
execute the only device he could mature:
to visit Mrs Surratt, with the pick upon his
shoulder and in the guise of sewer digger, and
obtain a hat and clothes, and money.
He left the cemetery after 10 o'clock, and came
over Capitol Hill, avoiding the avenue, and as
cendine the widows high wooden steps, he rang
the hal bell In moment the door opened
with quick twist and an alert and searching
eyed man confronted the starving wretch,
but not before Payne had walked right
into the hall pursuant to his plan
and from his fears The man shut the
door behind him. and locked it
II guess / am mistaken" faltered Payne.
"Whom do you want to seeg
"Mrs. Surratt"
This is right; walk in"
The Nemesis that Furnishes by mans delays
had brought the assassin to the head
quarters of the band at Ahe very
moment when the family were being
arrested. Payne was taken before them,
all surrounded by their personal effects, and
waiting for carriage. His prevarications had
aroused the officers suspicious, and cooked pis-
tol was held at his body, and he was made to lay
the pick down.
Mrs Surratt had just requested permission to
fall on her knees and pray. AS she arose, maxi
ing the sign of the cross. the officer said:
MRS. Surratt, do you know this man?r
She looked, and saw the man, above all others,
she had most to fear.
Raising her hands, fresh from making the holy
sign. the wretched woman swore:
Before God, sir, do not know this mani
never saw him beforel"
Yet he had been her guest, had sat in the very
box where the murder was to be done. with her
son and family and had been secreted in the
hotel, in the theater block by her request
The circle of the crime was now completely
closed On Payne's feet were Booths boots.
marked with his initials; Paynes horse was
afterward Identified as purchased by Booth in
DIR. Mudds presence, a quarter of mile from
the latter's house. In Booths vest at the hotel
had been fouud-with the handouts betting
slave buyer, but intended to bind the martyr
Presidents hands-the card of Mrs. Surratt's
son. And Mrs. Surratt's daughter bore unwill-
ing testimony that Payne had lodged in her
brothers bed.
The photographs of insurgent chiefs in the
house. card with "Sic semper tyranns!' upon
it. the testimony Of the family and hoardars and