Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-26
SOME sANGUINARY RELICS.
War Department Onsciais Want Provision
Made for q NJ useum.

Made FOR . Museum.
cuRfosrrtEs OF WAR AND orHxn INTERESTING
OBJECTS PRESERVED ~ TEE pEPAarxRSr-
RELICS OF BOOTH AND MS ASSOCIATES ~
TIE ASSASSINATION CONSPIRACY.
Secretary Of War Elkius may not zee the fru-
ition Of his hopes regarding Q museum At the
department before his term Of Office expires.
he probably will not. especially when the con-
gresstonai appropriations committees are likely
to have their hands full in attending to deficit
for current expenses the next fiscal year with
out legislatirg coin Of the realm into new chan
nels. However, the necessary sum may be
Forthcoming to put the much-needed museum
in running order, because the additional wrinkle
to the War Department machinery will require
comparatively nothing more than a salaried
curator or superintendent OF the various ex-
hibits, which can't be displayed for the publ,cs
benefit now through number of difficulties.
The fret Of these is a want OF available space
for the purpose. although there Is room enough
in the big building if a small appropriation
should be granted to put the selection in readi-
ness to receive the treasures. In the next place
the accumulation of curios Of various sorts has
become SO great of late years tina. boxes and
bundles filed with the articles are consequently
p9cheQ uere, lueTe auU eyerEWnere from Oasp~
ment to top OF the department in order to pre-
serve the relics as well as keep the business end
Of the machine unhampered Mr.. Elkins will
probably not make a recommendation in the
matter in his annual report, owing to the near
approach of his retirement from Office. But he
recognizes the absolute necessity Of some REM
edy very soon. and army officers on detached
duty at the department, whom political changes
viii not affect in their positions, are quietly
working the scheme into shape among them
selves for proper presentation to the House.
As matters stand now the officials Of various
bureaus are daily pestered by visitors to be
shown the dozens Of odd and even morbid rel
les which are known to be under the Secretary's
care, and. as one chief Of division expresses il,
the services Of 81. 600 clerk are required for
almost that purpose alone, TO the exclusion of
his regular duties. Consequently, it lie argued
there should be an extra appropriation of 81 900
or 81, 200 for the employment Of n clerk who
might be intrusted with the classification and
exhibition OF this extra property a matter Of
necessity and relief, aside from the more senti-
mental view OF the question, which demands
the preservation Of trophies and curIos that
figure most extensively in Uncle Sans war ex-
periences. Congressional legislation and per-
maps an extra appropriation would have TO be
made II the whole outfit were to be placed in
the National Museum. and even then there
would be very valid legal objections to prevent
the removal Of certain portions constituting
absolutely large slice of official records To
keep the latter intact means their retention
within the War Department walls, and while
making provision for safe-keeping of these par
ticular archives no valid reason appears to exist
why the whole affair could not be lust as well
disposed Of at one fell swoop and highly in
teresting. if somewhat sanguinary collection OF
exhibits be placed where their destruction from
age and wear would be preciuded.
THE BOOTH RELICS.
The biggest popular demand to view these
articles came during the Grand Army encamp-
ment and fully one-half the visitors at once in
quired the whereabouts Of the murderous
paraphernalia which played part in the Booth
conspiracy and Lincolns assassination. The
morbidly curious were generally gratified in
their desires and taken to the basement where
the judge advocates Assistants have been COM
PEELED to store the parcels. but since the en-
campment Col Lieber decided that they should
be boxed up and in that way preserved as much
as possible pending any final disposition which
may be determined. As the trial of the con-
spirators implicated with Booth was a military
one and presided over by the then judge advo-
cate general, Holt, the evidence both for prose-
cution and defense is of course now held as
record in the department. The various
weapons handled by the accused were intro
duced as exhibits By the government side of the
case. and unless Congress should decree other
wise must necessarily remain as part of the
record in the War Departments custody
The first murderous article found after Booth
committed the assassination was the derriueer
pistol from which the fatal shot was fred. This
Booth dropped and drew fierce-looking bowie
knife with which he slashed at Mai Rathbone,
who was an occupant OF the Presidents box.
and brandished as he jumped to the stage and
escaped The knife was taken from the assas-
sins body when ne was shot at CARROTS barn,
on the Rappahannock, several weeks later to-
gether with revolver and carbine. both of
which it was proved at Herold's trial was sup
Piled the couspirators at the Surratt tavern in
Maryland. where they stopped as the first stage
OF their flight southwark. Three other revol-
vers are in the collection and one of the number
belonged to Lewis Payne. to whom had been
assigned the task Of assassinating Mr.. Seward 1t
is the identical weapon with which Payne dubbed
Secretary Stewards son when the latter came to
his fathers rescue. but the knife used by the
woulc-be assassin was afterward voted by Con-
gress to Mr.. Robinson. who, in all probability,
prevented the murderous designs from being
successful. Payne, however, contributed
another relic Of that tragedy and it is in the
shape Of a saddle which was upon the horse he
rode that night to the northern part of the CITY.
after his escape from Mr.. Stewards house. and
there abandoned. An old rope found in Span
glers grip sack and the bar which Booth used
to effectually close the door of the theater box
in which Lincoln was killed were also in evil
dence before the military court and therefore
down on the unofficial catalogue Of the Judge
advocate general once.
But the most gruesome and ghastly objects
in the collection consist of the bullet extracted
from the dead Presidents skull and small pieces
of bone which the missile carried before il on
it's deadly flight Perhaps there are reasons
why visitors on relic-gazing bent should ask for
glance at these things first Of all and perhaps
it is only typical of human nature to want TO
see that which is most CHASTITY and connected
with a bloody tragedy. But the fact remains
that the bullet and pieces Of bone have been |
generally the most interesting articles to sight
seers, even when the well informed might sniff |
spicy scandals in another portion Of the col |
lection. even at this late day, nearly thirty |
years after the-assassin himself Was killed.
BOOTHS DIARY. |
From one standpoint the most important ex- |
hibit Of the whole concern would be Booths |
diary, which was found on his body when shot, |
if the actor-assassin had not neglected to make |
entries therein, a complete and truthful record |
Of his doings. So far written evidence goes 1
sketches of memoranda and evidently bearing 1
upon subjects of comparative non-importance,
at least in public way. These entries make
no reference TO the conspiracy itself and there
fore throw no additional light on the matter.
although the details were probably established |
as clearly possible at the time of the trial.
Only limited few will likely ever know exactly /
what that diary does contain in exact sub
stance, for a War Department order made its
secrets obligatory with the recipients long ago,
and beyond a look at the cover OF the book the |
everyday visitor has never been granted