Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1889-03-28
LINCOLN'S ASSASSIN.
FACTS NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED
CONCERNING j. WILKES BOOTH.
A Graphic Description of the Pursuit
and Capture-DRngerOus Journey with
the Corpse - Disposition of the Re-

"A Graphic Description OF tho PURSUIT.
and Capture-Dangerous Journey with
the Corpse - Disposition of the Re-
mains.
LANSING (MIcH.) coRREsPoNDENcEl
Before a clerks desk I'm the Office of the Au-
ditor General of Michigan sits the man who
commanded the handful of cavalry that captur-
ed j. Wilkes Booth, saw the assassin shot down
ever uttered, and lowered the body into its
Rather below medium height, but still straight
as an arrow, ne is now gray-haired and gray
bearded In the museum of the State Agrfcul-
tural College three miles from here, is the hgure
of the war-horse he rode during the pursuit
The sturdy old horse was the playmate OF
lansing children for years, and when he died
recently full of years the college faculty request
ed permission to have the skin mounted and
placed in the museum.
The Lieutenant tells the story OF Booths cap
ture modestly, and as he was with the murderer
from his death to his burial his narrative con-
tains a great deal of valuable matter tnat mas
never before been published
At the time OF tho assassination Lieut.. Baker
Was i'm the employ of the War DEPARTMENT.
detectiye bureau at the head OF which his
cousin Gen. l.. g. Baker. Ten days later, when
word was wired from lower Maryland that the
first definite trace of the murderer had been
found-a negro stating that two men answering
the description of Booth and the man Harold
had crossed the Potomac the Saturday night be-
fore-the chief detective placed under his com.
mand a squad of cavalry and tersely directed
him to run Booth to earth. There were twenty
five. cavalrymen In the party, and TO these, at
the Iieutenant's request, was added as assistant
and counselor his friend Col. Conger brother
of the ex- United States Senator from Michigan.
A gunboat conveyed the party down the river
10 Belle Plain that night, and the squad secured
the surrounding country until daybreak, Baker
and Conger dressed as civilians, riding some
distance in advance ana repfesshtihB 10 y SLEEPY ,y
but sympathetic population that they had been
pursued by "Yanks" and had become separated
from two comrades whom they were now trying
10 find No clew was obtained and ut daylight
tIa nj AZ directly v,
irving at Port Conway late in the afternoon
Here the jaded men dropped out OF the saddle
lint their rest was Of q decidedly feeting nature
The restless little Lieutenant soon found fish
erman named Rawlins who had seen Booth and
Harold in company with Capt. Jett ana Lieut.
Bainbridge, 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
| on TO Bowling Green twenty-five miles south
west Rawlins agreed to guide the party 10
bowling Green but at his own suggestion was
placed under arrest 10 convey tne thcl,
crossed the river two mounted men Matcned
them interestedly from the brow OF the hill
| above The cavalrymen galloped up the slope in
nursuit but the two made dash into the pine
woods and il was deemed advisable to waste no
| time In pursuit but TO head straight for Bowl
| ing Green ~And those two men, said Lieut..
| Baker, with queer srimace at the recollection,
| awere Harold and Bainbridge, as we afterwards
| learned and Booth was only half n mile away at
J the farmhouse of the Garrett brothers.
Midnight and the party had reached Bowling
| Green. The hotel to which Rawlins believed
Capt Jett would take his friends was quietly
surrounded and Capt Jett himself was reused
from his slumbers TO find n revolver thrust IN
| his face He promised to tell all he knew OF the
matter IL shielded from the charge OF completely,
| and informed the Lieutenant that Booth had
| stopped at the Garrett place. He was shortly
| ordered to get out his horse and accompany the
| party and the men were directed IN ms nearing
| 10 shoot him down without halting If he at
| tempted dash for liberty. Back toward the
| Rappahannock painted the tired horses, WITH
their riders worn out, halI asleep, ana netrIy ,i
| which the intense darkness made 1t impossible
| to avoid. AT $3.50 they were at the Garrett place
ett and Rswns P"oeS Wben endeG pId man u G@ret
| opened the door few inches in response TO Q
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 n handy weapon for Lieut.
Baker that night. This time it was leveied a
Garrett, and the old man stammered; ~Ihey
have gone to the woods.
aDon't you tell me that They are here" ant
the revolver moved a few inches closer.
Young Garrett appeared just then and begged
| the detective not To shoot his father. He eX
planned that the men went To the woods aiIe
| the cavalry went by, but soon came back. Th
suspicious of the family however, had beer
| aroused by their actions, and they refused u
| have them in the house again, but finally gav'
| them permission 10 remain over night in tn
| old tobacco warehouse, used as barn. The.
| had been locked in TO prevent their stealing amy
| thing Young Garrett explained, and his brothe
|
| The command was posted silently about tn
| old barn There was no drowsiness now m
weariness The air was strangely still for evel
| n Southern night. The candle which Lieu'
Baker carried in his hand as he walked towar
the barn did not flicker in the least. To youn
Garrett, who was by his side he said:
"We find these men in your custody. Yo
| must 90 into the barn and induce them to Civ
themselves up. We don't wish TO shoot If it ca
be avoided but we want theins sdead or alive, an
Garrett demurred, hut the revolver agail
proved potent argument. The officer unlocke
the door, and the young man stepped inside
Baker heard a rustling among the corn-leave
and a moments low conversation. Then tn
voice of Booth rose sharply:
"D-n you, sir, you have betrayed mel Ge
out of here or will shoot you'll"
I'VE have sent in this young man in who's
custody we find you,' said Baker through tn
door his words sounding with startling distinct
ness in the ears of the watching cavalrymeI
"Give him your arms and surrender, or we sha
burn the barn, have a bonfire, and shootin
match"
The command was useless, and a momen
later q badly frightened young man wa
pounding ON the door and begging to be L
out. Lieutenant Baker was still holding II
candle in his hand when Garrett, with
| face pale with terror, stepped outside. "PJ
that out" he said, hurriedly, -or he will shoe
you by the sight Of it,"
but so that it's flame still cast fantastic ligl
on the barn front, and again called upon u
| fugitives to surrender.
,, s,rhere is one man here, Booth replied clearl
"who wishes muck to surrender" And Bak'
heard the assassin say to Harold: Leave m
win you? Col 1 don't wish you to stay"
Harold raped ON the door as soon as this pc
mission was given, and said Let me out ;
know nothing of this man in here"
Bring out your arms and you can come, r
piled Baker.
Il have no arms
~You have" insisted the officer "You brougl
q carbine and a pistol across the river. BriI
| them out"
ls Captain" interrupted Booth calmly, "tl
!. arms are mine and shall keep them"
!, Harold a coward at heart and he fair
prayed TO be let out. When the door was opent
: he put out his hands at command, was pull'
out by Lieut.. Baker and turned over TO guar
Then the officer turned his attention to Boot
again. @You too had better come out and gu
render" he said.
A gleam of hope came to the murderer. "Te
me who you are and what you want OF me,
called eagerly. ~It may be 1 am being taken
my friends
ut makes no difference who are We ha
fifty wellarmed men around this barn and "
cannot escape"
There was q momentary pause, and tb'
Booth said despondently. Captain, this ha
case, swear ! am lame. Give me chan6
| Draw up your men twenty yards from the do
and will come out and fight your whole col
mand."
sWe are not here to fight" replied Baker "b
to take you, You are now free to surrender"
"Give me little time TO consider" urg