New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-07-05
STRANGE BOAST or An AGED 1R4MH
CLAIMING TO HAVE BEEN THE son AND ONCE The
SLAVE OF JUNIUs BEU1Us BOOII.

CLAIMING TO HAVE BEEN THE son AND ONCE THE
SLAVE OF JUNIUs BRU1Us BOOTH.
CINCINNATI. July 4.-The other night I'M
PEELED by the curiosity OF an idle moment ponce IT,
porter went down into the tramp room OF ham
ond Police Station, whore scores OF vaRaOohus
jck for nights shelter, some OF them with sucn regu
arty that they have regard tho place al thelr
home. On a bench in one corner lag an Old man VINO
seeped superior to his surroundings and attracted at
tentiou. The young man addressed him lighty wi'n
"Hello. old boy what's your namep as he had asked
half dozen tramps hIm. The old man lifted his
brown eyes and replied:
Alexander Booth"
ANY relation to John wilkes Booth + DahterlhgS
reioned the other. The old glanced keeny AT tho
cuestioner Then he to seat, put his feet down
souarely on the oor Strengthened his bent ola frame
and saia, looking straight into the young mans eyes,
"Yes; he was my BROTHER
The reporter dropped his bantering tone. Hero was
either beyond his expectation or tho vagary oi
OF liar or lunac He sat do WI to get what he might
OF the old mans story. The latter was not conmunca-
tive AT the best and found he was talking TO
newspaper man he lay down again OH MS Dehcn' anu
saving WAS tired out refused TO talk urther But no
mad said enough prompt further effort AMI grauus
unbendug Of the old mans reserve. brought ABOUT ny
assdu Gus attempts toward making his acquaintance at
sundry ana divers times aervari revealed at east tho
outlines of his story which ran about as follows:
"I yas born "A slave In Baltimore where my mother
was the aud the mistress OF Junus Brdtu' boo'n
the actor before he married, and Was MS SON.
grew up slave his family ana all the neighpors kho"
was my IN ,sters child After he was married and had
other sons was tho body servant Of the boys, Edwin
Jnpus Brutus and John Wilkes | was several years
older than any of them. was half-grown boy when
John Wilkes WAS born ami WAS mddie-aged man
when the and was gwen my Freedom. 81,
the old man spoke quietly but Win ASSURANCE oi
his tod several tile stOrcs OF lho boon
I'm f.rm
70 nayr profound respect lie has AWAY Ioao
everything lie could mud about tnein. anu '@n"usu @
not al all inclined talk ABOUT Ills hlo au ns oIIt
once The OF Elw Booth Ia lnoulOneu he aiy
vows enthusastic admir- for tue Oh Ie
man be CLAIMS q brother Or John WhAes boo.n' no
~. that ns was wiul and III pstuUus yet Irdnk anu
generous whole the best OF the ooy vi to ss
nation OF Lincoln anu John "lAes nooeu p, t ,
he he knows notnng, as 10 u"u uos
Wises for some time before thtt t'hr.
andsr Booih oetoroon with only sneht uAceS
o rlcan blood perceptibe la his proud, cea-cu eat
ures apparently al least sixty nvr years o'u us o m
ls bent sud with age aud adversely lot shcc no
waa enamel ted lie has seen Dny h'ri t'no'. 's
,iig and his nsuds remarkably rdl "ho tuo
are lrectu ia their outline am MS rcsrH"ia"so
iu EiwiE Booth ceariy marked that IL Is haii ="
resist a con ylcIon tells the truth "hen ne rms
,n hr "A brutner The old man drfted into All
sDue mo ntns ago. For years ho had follower Ipe ca
Of decxhand on hissi'sRp' n hne. s'ean 's nd
precarious living by picking up ouu Joos :" eaiiS @
Gal. sweeping walks aud tho IKE HIS die ,iIne, oi
Ell ough soul and body together seehs 10 ha'o
departed Is spent mostly On the rVee WIN hs P'pv.
Ho has no comi ianion., Tor he Hollis nous nni"" 'n" he
c.utempuusIy calls them Al night ne crreps up tuo
mil aud tho basement OF Hammond street ott'on,
aud curs niuscif up to sleep on oehch III "na' 5 M
beeuus known to tho officers AMI habltnrs as ou
aleck corner" Moving silently among tue ouN sooues
OF great city hs ives iioo sonuie wra2ied ~ the
unack kLowledEed by the world ABOUT niii' Ii" H~"
right