Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-09-27
THE SLAYER OF BOOTH.
A Man Who knew Boston Corbett
Tells of His Habits and Manners.
Corbett'> Story of the Killing of Mr..
Line0ln'S ASSaSSin-Corbett'S
Prayer. Etc.
American Review.

The writer had a personal acquaintance
with Boston Corbett, who avenged the
death of President Lincoln in so tragic
manner on the night of April 20. 1865
During the year 1873, while attending
soldiers reunion of blue and gray. at Cald-
well. O.. | first met Mr.. Corbett. The
town was small and an immense crowd
had gathered; Gen. Sherman. among
others. being present. Corbett and | were
assigned to the same room for the night.
| found him nervous. excitable man. al
ways the center of attraction. with a keen.
but wild look in his ewes. and an interim
Unable reckleSSneSS Of body and limb He
was then preacher. regularly ordained. |
think, He lead prayer-meeting in the
village church while there. He was al
ways well armed, in self-defenSe. as he ex-
planned. and his experience while at Cald-
well showed that he had some reason to
fear violence. He got into an exciting ar
gument with several IL n one afternoon
over the question as to whether Booth had
really been killed at ALL Hot words enSued.
a rush was made toward Carbett and in
an instant the cleaning barrel of his re-
volver flashed III the faces of his opponents.
1t was with considerable difficulty that
they were separated and peace restored.
COrbett claimed to those of us whom he
considered friends that he had been hound
ed for years by men who were high in au-
thorty at Washington, at the time of the
ASSASSINATION and that they caused him 10
lose several important positions after he
went into evil life. and had refused to
shake hands with him or to answer his
salutatiOn on the streets The only reason
he assigned for this was that his bullet
had deprived the Washington authorities
OF an opportunity to make Il grand display
in the execution of Booth.
Be this as II may it is certain that Cor
bett was always on the watch for bodily
harm from some source. During the night
! shared bed with him this was exempli-
fed 1t was close, hot hight. We slept
on the ground floor, with the window
raised. Corbett walked the floor for ten
minutes after | was in bed He would
frequently clasp his hands and exclaim:
The Lord have mercy on my Soul,' At
last he lnelt down and offered a fervent
prayer, after which he placed Il large revol-
yer under his pillow and went to bed He
then told me the whole history of the dark
night in Virginia He said no words
could express the resigned hatred, and vet
heroic look. of Booths face as it was light
ed up by the flames of Il tobacco barn in
which he had taken refuge from his plrr-
suers. To the call of surrender. Booth
hurled back words of scorn and defiance,
and turned his back on the troops in
deriSion, Corbett said he could stand it no
longer, and, although the orders were TO
take Booth alive, he raised his revolver
and fired. The wound in Booths head
was said to have been within half an inch
of the location of Lincon's fatal wound.
Corbett went to sleep and followed
later on with a restless, troubled sleep. in
which | dreamed of something which
made me awaken Corbett He sat up in
bed, drew out his pistol and covered me
with it. assured him it was all a dream.
and he Gained down again. For several
years afterward | received occasional let
tiers from Mr.. Corbett, and he finally drift
ed up Kansas, where, through the aid of
some friends, he was appointed doorkeep-
er of the House of Representatives during
the winter of 1887 While there his min d
became seriously affected. and he suddenly
appeared III the House one morning with a
revolver in each hand. and attempted to
kill the Speaker and others. He was
promptly removed to the insane asylum.
Early in the year 1887. and while he was
IN the State House at Topeka, sent note
to Corbett asking him to write me am ac-
count of the capture and death of Booth.
which he did. have every reason to think
Mr.. COrbett $ memory was in fair condi-
ton when he wrote the article. and it NAV
safely be accepted as a correct narration
of the incidents of a dark hour in the ma
ton 5 history. r. b. HOOVER.