Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-03-29
LINCOLN'S ASSASSIN.
FACTS NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED
CONCERNING j. WILKES BOOTH.
"A Graphic Description of the Pursu,t
and Capture-I)anserous Journey with
the Corpse Disposition of the Re-

| LANSING (N1cH) coRREsPoNDENcEI
y, Before clerk, desk in the office of the Au-
commanded the handful of cavalry that captur
ed j.. Wilkes Boob, saw the assassin shot down
IN the old Virginia barn, heard the last words he
| grave.
Rather below Medium height, but still straight
Is an arrow, hei is now gray hnired aud gray
tuIal College, three miles from here, is the figure
ct Of the war;horse he rode during the pursuit.
Inc ST; sturdy ga horse was the PLAYMATE of
recently full odyears the college faculty request
ed permission to have the skin mounted and
The Lieutenant tells the story of Booths cap
ture lnodestly and as he was with the murderer
rom his death to his burial his narrative con-
tains great deal Of valuable matter that has
| never before been published.
At the timp of the assassination Lieut. Baker
Tss in the employ Of the War s
cousin, GEL. L. G. Baker. Ten days later, when
word was yired from lower Maryland that the
first definite trace of the murderer had been
the description Of Booth and the man Harold
had crossed the Potomac the Saturday night be-
I Ina1 fhief detective placed under his CON-
him to run Booth to earth. There were twenty
~ y 5aS psty . RS e thsss Il
and counselor his friend, Col. Conger q brother
Of the ex-United States Senator from Michigan.
AgMnboat conveyed the party down the river
the surrounding country until daybreak, Baker
and Conger, dressed as civilians riding some
distance in advance and representing to a sleepy
pursued by "Yanks" and had become separated
from two comrades whom they We're now trying
to find No clew was obtained and at daylight
| the party struck directly across the country ar
irving at Port Conway late in the afternoon.
Here the jaded men dropped out of the saddle,
The restless little Lieutenant soon found a fish.
erlnan named Rawlns who had seen Booth and
Harold In company with Capt. Jett and Lieut..
cambridge, two rebel officers just mustered out
Of Mosby's cavalry, cross the Rappahannock
the night before. Did he know where they
went? He imagined they would push straight
vest Rawlins agreed to guide the party to
Bowling Green but at his own suggestion was
placed under arrest to convey the impression
that his service was compulsory. As they
crossed the river two mounted men watched
them interestedly from the brow Of the hill
tSs soRs the slope
woods, and it was deemed advisable to waste no
time in pursuit. but to head straight for Bowl
ing Green a And those two men," said Lieut..
were Harold and cambridge, as we afterwards
learned, and Booth was only half a mile away at
'n Mnie6e and The s1 had reaeea Bowling
Green. The hotel to which Rawlins believed
Capt. Jet would take his friends was quietly
from his slumbers to find revolver thrust in
his face. He promised to tell all he knew Of the
paftfI i shielded fg2M IEe charge Of completely,
stopped at the Garrett place. He was shortly
ordered to get Out his horse and accompany the
party, and the men were directed in his hearing
tempted a dash for liberty. Back toward the
Rappahannock painted the tired horses, with
their riders worn out half asleep, and nearly
!. which the intense darkness made it impossible
to avoid. At $50 they were at the Garrett place,
Jett and Rawlins placed under q guard and the
opened the door few inches in response to a
knock Baker stepped inside and demanded:
Where are the men who have been staying
with you during the last day or two?'
The revolver was q handy weapon for Lieut.
Baker that night. This time it was leveled at
Garrett, and the old man stammered "They
have gone to the woods"
-Ilon't you tell me that. They are hereg and
thelrevolver moved u few inches closer.
the detective not to shoot his father. He ex
planned that the men went to the woods after
the cavalry went by, but soon came back. The
aroused by their actions, and they refused to
have them in the house again, but finally gave
them permission to remain over night in the
had been locked in to prevent their stealing any
thing. young Garrett explained, and his brother
4 was staying in the corn house to watch them.
The command was posted silently about the
old barn. There was no drowsiness now, no
weariness. The air was strangely still for even
Southern night The candle which Lieut.;
the barn did not flicker in the least. To young
Garrett, who was by his side, he said:
& E59fs s Msa i y9 induce sq1 bsy to a a9s
themselves up. We don't wish to shoot if it can
be avoided, but we want them, dead or alive and
must have them"
proved q potent argument. The officer unlocked
the door, and the young man stepped inside.
Baker heard q rustling among the corn leaves
voice of Booth rose sharply:
%D-n you, sir, you have betrayed mel Get
out OF here or will shoot you'll"
custody we find you," said Baker through the
door, his words sounding with startling distinct
ness in the ears of the watching cavnlrymen
"Giye him your arms and surrender or we shall
burn the barn, have q bonfire, and q shooting
match"
The command was useless, and q moment
pounding OH the door and begging to be lot
out Lieutenant Baker was still holding the
candle in his hand when Garrett with n, a
that out, he said, hurriedly "or he will shoot
you by the sight of it,"
The officer set down his candle trife back,
but SO that it's flame still cast fantastic light
on tho barn front, and again called upon The
fugitives to surrender.
"There is one man here Booth replied clearly,
"who wishes much to surrender" And Baker
heard the assassin say to Harold: Leave me,
will you? Go! don't wish you to stay"
! Harold raped on the door as soon as this per.
| mission was given, and said: Let me out; l
know nothing of this man in here"
Bring out your arms and you can come" re-
piled Baker.
| u have no arms"
sYou have, insisted the officer. @You brought
q carbine and pistol across the river. Bring
them out"
Captain. interrupted, Booth. calmly, "tho
arms are mine and shall keep them"
Harold was a coward at heart, and he fairly
prayed to be let out When the door was opened
he put out his hands at command, was pulled
out by Lieut. Baker, and turned over to guard.
| Then the officer turned his attention to Booth
again. @You, too, had better come out and sur
render" he said.
CLEAN Of hope came to the murderer. Tell
me who you are and what you want of me, he
called eagerly. 1T may be l am being taken by
my friends.'
at makes no difference who we are. We have
fifty well-armed men around this born and you
cannot escape"
There was a momentary pause and then
Booth said despondently. Captain, this a hard
case swear! I am lame. Give me a chance.
Draw up your men twenty yards from the door
and will come out and fight your whole COM
mand."
I'VE are not here to fight" replied Baker "but
| to take you. You are now free to surrender.
| Give me little time to consider" urged
Booth.
Avery x,ol1 ,,o,, oo,, l,ova tuo M inutaa