Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-05-24


thought, and this idea was confirmed to me
when she at once invited me into n room.
where several ladies were seated. saying: II
want you to see and talk to Annie Surratt
Poor thing, she is almost crazy" and the next
instant was introduced to
ANNIE sURRArT
saw before me a slight girl Of perhaps
twenty years or past. She had very light
blonde hair, or it was more what should call
haxen, with very light eyebrows and almost
white eyelashes, very light blue eyes. and
wearing at this time the pallor Of death. Mrs.
B. informed me that she had not then slept
or taken food for eight days. On observing her
moment longer l noticed that she quivered
IKE reed in q storm and that the pupils Of her
eyes were contracted to the size of pins head.
showing the intense nervous tension under
wnlch she labored. The conversation of twenty
minutes which ensued between us have
neither the disposition nor the right to repeat
IL is enough to say that her only concern was
the HE OF her mother, whom she said she
knew to be las guiltless angel in heaven
OF the crimes with which she stood charged" As
lrose to go saw lying on a table near us copy
OF Hd,Per's Weekly with picture of Booths
night from the rear of the theater, Booth being
on horseback As she stood a moment near 1t
she nervously seized pencil lying there. and
with hysterical suddenness of manner, hastily
oDllterated the face Of the man. Having given
all the little comfort possible under the circum-
stances L took my leave of the heart-broken
girl. As u remarkable instance of the enor-
nous extremes to which even the sauest minds
ran In that fearful time of universal suspicion
Will state singular fact.
COL. GREEN.
On the same day 1 saw Miss Surratt was
also afterward introduced to Col Thomas
Green and his wife. Col. Green was then a
remarkable gentleman of seventy-fiv years,
his wife being nearly as old. and among the
oldest and most respected citizens of Washing
ton. He told me that he owned and for many
years had lived IN what is known to old Wash
ingtoniaps as the Van Ness house, which lies
below the White House at the foot of 18th
street, close to the Potomac river 1t was a
dark and lonely part of the town then, with a
Wild commons and swamp, in those days
covered IN many parts with a thick growth of
sapllngs and known as the ''White Lot" while
on the other side Of the street were the extern
sive grounds of the Van Ness mansion. Alto
gether an extremely dark and wild region. He
said that the gentleman who had had the house
erected, Gen. Van Ness, a man OF large
fortune, entertained with the generous hospi-
tally of those good old days and was in every
respect bon vivant So in order to keep up
his stock OF wines. which every gentleman in
those days imported for himself, he had had
made under the house deep and extensive wine
vaults.
And those vaults" he continued, Soon
pear to you are the cause OF my wife and my
SELF, being IN our old age torn from our beds
at midnight by squad of brutal, half-drunken
soldiers. and thrown into this prison, with all
us exposures, uncleanliness and unbearable
discomforts" But how?--why?-I don't nm
derstand"' exclaimed.
Well, said he, lit was simply this. 1t was
SAID that Booths first scheme was to abduct
the President, as he was known often to pass
late at night alone between the White House
and the war Office. Some person-who have
not been able to learn--went to Secretary STAN
ton and charged myself and wife with being in
the plot, explaining the nature of the grounds
between the White House and the river, the
retired and lonely situation of my own house
and laying special stress on the deep and
dcnjon-hke wine vaults, finally charging that
IL was our purpose to contine the President
there until such time as he could be safely
taken across the river at night and delivered to
the confederate authorities. No Pigment of
insanity-its widest ravings-was ever more
baseless. Still it Is on such an absurd charge
that we are here, and do not know what is to
be the upshot" He was, of course, but after a
long imprisonment subsequently released.
THEY SAW BOOTH SHOT.
The two Garrett boys, at whose fathers farm
Herrold was caught and Booth was killed, were
in the same room with me. One of these boys,
to whom Booth had given $40 gold piece to
find him a horse and which he had tried to do,
was IN deep concern over 1t and finally sought
my advice about it. He did not know who
Booth was when he took the money As no
one knew the fact but his brother advised
him to keep his secret to himself. This, in
view OF the then state of the public mind. He
told me the story of booths coming, his STAY
capture and death. As that of an eye witness
1t wiz be of interest. Booth and Herrold." he
SAID, came to our house late in the evening
and asked to stay that night We hadn't much
to eat, but finally consented. They were
heavily armed with Spencer rifles and re-
volvers. Booth gave the name Of Boyd and
Herrold some other name, not his own. After
supper sat on the veranda and talked till
10 o'clock. l slept in the same room with
Boyd. He was very interesting talker and l
kept asking him questions. At last he said,
abruptly, Good night, and turned over In a
moment he was sound asleep. l lay awake q
long time thinking of what he had talked
about. thought, after l knew all, that had
never seen SO sweet and sound a sleeper.
THE PURSUIT OF THE FUoITIvEs.
1.-THE next day was down at the ferry irving
to get horses for Boyd and his friend. There
first heard of the assassination of the Presiden,
and that 800, 900 was offered for the capture of
the assassins; This news was brought by a
squad Of cavalry. who were in pursuit OF them.
That night at the supper table l told what
had heard at the ferry and said l should
nightly like to get the reward. Boyd, with
out the least show OF concern, said: lis that
all? should have thought they would have
offered more" Something that Herrold said
made us suspicious and we told them that We
could not accommodate them any longer. We
thought they were horse thieves. They took
their arms and started toward the woods.
Boyd hobbling painfully on his crutch He
halted after he had gone 80 yards, turned and
came back, saying he could not walk any fur
Their. They then asked permission to STAY in
our barn. We let them, but my brother and [
| took our blankets and lay down in sight of and
about 90 yards from the barn door, We were
afraid they would steal our horses About 12
o'clock we were awakened by the tramp of
horses and the next minute saw men with
torches at our doors. We ran there A man
seized me, saying: we are looking for this
thanksgiving photograph-'and know he is
here ] recognized the likeness and said:
The men you want are in the barn.
SURROUNDED IN THE BARN.
''The soldiers at once surrounded it. A par
ley ensued they calling on them to come ont
and surrender. Boyd, or Booth, as now knew
him to be- said 4 will not; have fifty shots
here. You are all easily seen by me and I
could kill all OF you, but don't wish to shed
innocent blood You can't see us, 90 90 your
way and let us alone While this parley was
going on one of the men crept up to the corner
Of the barn, pulled out lock of hay and stuck
a lighted match to it. In an instant the whole
thing was ablaze. rushed to the barn and,
looking through crack, saw Booth standing
in the center looking upward at the burning
hay. The next instant heard shot and saw
him fall. The men ran in and pulled him out
(Herrold had already come out andsurrendered)
They took him to our veranda. He was nearly