Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-04
HE SAW BOOTH DIE.
ONE or The SOLDIERS WHO ASSIST.
EDlN THE ACTORS CAPTURE.
Private Deitz's story-The Fatal Bullet
from Corbest's Pistol Dropped ~
the Narrator's Feet.

the NnrrokOr Eeots
Frederick Dcitz, OF Golden. Erie county,
Pa. enjoys the distinction Of having been
one of the handful of Union soldiers who
surrounded CARROTS barn. near Port
Royal, Va, on the morning Of April rs,
1ss5-that historic barn in which John
wilkes Booth, slayer of Lincoln. stood at
BAY. Mr.. Deitz viii be fifty-three years
old on the 23d Of next April. He has been
a farmer at Golden for nineteen years. He
belonged to Company L. Of the Sixtieth
New York cavalry, and was in Virginia
when Lincoln was assassinated.
INV regiment was called into Washing
ton. and attended the funeral of Lincoln"
said Mr.. Deitz, in Q chat With Buffalo
Commercial reporter. |" A squad from the
regiment was kept looking for Booth con-
SANITY. On tho morning of April oath, ten
DAYS after Lincoln was shot. boots and
saddles was sounded and twenty-eight
men responded. / was among them: We
didn't know what we were called for OF
where we were going. Lieutenant Do
hertv was in command of the squad. He
marched us to the hayward and onto Q
boat. And then he showed us q picture OF
Booth and told us il we saw O man OF that
appearance to take him, dead or alive. We
| landed away up in Virginia about O'Clock
| in tho morning and marched until day
light. We had no rations. At daylight
W, " mt TO farn-houses in the neighbor.
hood and got breakfast, then marched
until noon and got dinner the same way.
The people were rebels but were very
| friendly.
TIE HOUSE HE WAS IN.
"After dinner we came to the Rapidan
river and crossed on ferry, and, march.
| ing on about two miles, came within sight
| of the house where Booth was. We didn't
| know at that time that he was there, but
afterward learned that from the veranda
| of the house he saw us march by. We
kent marching until the middle of the
night. then stopped at hotel in o little
| village. where we captured DR.. Mudd, who
set Booths broken leg and helped him
| across the Potomac. The Doctor-after-
ward hanged, You know-was in bed at the
| hotel. We stopped just long enough for
| the Doctor to get ready, and then started
straight back TO where Booth was
taking DR.. Mudd with us. But be escaped
ON the way. He seemed to be willing
enough to 60 along, and he was allowed tc
| go to a farmhouse for drink. We pushed
| on. for we were in hurry. aud the Doctor
| failed to follow. He escaped, but was soor
caught. We got to the farmhouse about
\ Q O'clock in the morning, and surrounded
| II. IL was ten or twelve rods from the
road. There was veranda almost cleal
| around 1t. The rebel who owned. the
| house, young man, came out OF Ilttl'
| barn near by and asked what we wanted
| He was asked if there was stranger II
| men in that barn. pointing to another
barn few rods away.
| BOOTHS CHARGES.
| 1--WE surrounded the barn and sent II
\ the Confederate to tell the men to conn
out. 1t was quite dark. Pretty soon thu
| Confederate came running out in alarm
| Booth had threatened to shoot him, charg
| ing him with having betrayed him. IheI
Booth began talking, asking what W.
wanted. He was told to surrender and Z
return to Washington with US. He sale
he wouldn't come out. He said he had hi
way made for Mexico and would have go
there only for his broken leg. He wa
again ordered to surrender. Then he tolt
| the Lieutenant to draw off his men lift.
PAGES and he would come out and have
fair fight, He had two seven-shooter re
yolyers. a seven-shooter carbine, and BIZ
dagger or knife. The Lieutenant agaiI
called to Booth to surrender. Booth SAT-
the young man with him (HerolO wa
willing to surrender.
""Hand out your arms then said thu
Lieutenant.
a FORTUNE OUT OF IT."
1.-THE arms that are here are mine re
| plied Booth. Then Herold was told to holt
M his hands and come out. and he did go
Just then n mani thought he was q sailo
who had come along with us from the boat
came up past me where | was at the rea
of the barn and set fire toit. When Boot
saw the fire he tried TO trampe 1t out, bu
II was too much for him, and when h
found he was unable to master it he mad
for the door at the front of the barn. Tn
fire was pretty bright by this time, an,
Boston Corbett, looking through cracl
in the front of the barn. could see Boot
coming toward the door. He put his re
yolyer to the crack and fred. The bal
went clear through Booths neck, through
the back part of the barn, and droppe.
within pace of me. could see 1t knoc
up the dirt. i never thought. to pick
up. IL | had / might have made forum
ont of II. Booth dropped the moment h
was shot. We carried him to the porch o
the house. He lived about an hour and
half. His only words were to tell us I
give his best respects TO his parents and 3
say he died for his country.
DIR. MUDD's CAPTURE.
II was about daylight when he died. On
of his crutches was burned. The othe
we took with US. We put Herold on
horse, tying his legs beneath it. and WIT
the body of Booth in a wagon started bac
TO the boat. We marched all day, got t
Washington next morning, and unloade
the body in the hayward. The news go
to Washington before we did, and tner
was a crowd in the navy-yard. A few day
afterwards the same squad of soldiers wen
back to the place where we got Bootf
Part of the squad stopped and took pic
ture of the place and part went on an
captured DR.. Mudd. He was found in tn
same hotel where he was caught before.
1.-THE 500, 900 reward offered by the Gov
eminent was divided up between us &C
cording to rank. Lieutenant Doherty 60
$4,000. Boston Corbett got $4,000. nj
share was 81, 6S3.70. The check for it wa
sent to Springfield. Cattaraugus county
this State. year after got home. 1t sc
me up in a nice way In housekeeping.
had fifty acres of land then, and l 500
sold it and bought one hundred acres q
Golden. I've got o wife and six children
Ave boys and one girl-and they are
living"
! Where are the rest of the squad
, men 2" Mr.. Deitz was asked.
Scattered far and wide, and most {
them dead very likely" he replied. "
| know of only one that is living besides my