The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-11-20

nylnR esco.t I, if any; and all other details,
to be tho oughly informed about which,
would leave nc stone unturned to avoid
and possibly foil our attempt.
Lafayette square was always a favorite
resort in summer for Washington, and my
presence there at any hour of the day ex-
cited no NINE or suspicion. ! had COM
pany in plenty. Being already acquainted
with the fact that Mr.. Lincoln made the
Soldiers home on the northern outskirts of
the city his summer residence. l had only to
discover when hs left the White house;
how long he was accustomed to stay.
and the route he took in riding or driving.
Hours and days of watching were necessary
before l leaned that he usually left the
presidents quarters in the cool Of the even
ing, driving and unaccompanied in his pri-
vate carriage straight out Fourteenth street
to Columbia road, then across to the high
elevation. which is now the largest and one
of the finest reservations in Washington.
Then came the tug of war. We had to
determine at what point it would be most
expedient to capture the carriage and take
possession of Mr.. Lincoln: and then
whether to move with him through Mary
land to the lower Potomac and cross, or to
the upper Potomac and deliver the prisoner
to "Mosb,'s confederacy" for transporta-
ton to Richmond 10 secure the points
necessary for reaching a proper conclusion
about all these things seauired days of
careful work and observation. We're
the chances of our being INTERCEPTED
by one QUITE less than by the other? And
! once that point settled. could we reach the
confederate lines more quickly than along
any other course? Having secuted the
country pretty thoroughly and learning all
that We thought necessary, WE finally CON
cluded to take the lower Potomac route and
were about eady for the attempt. This
was to be the programmes: Two of our num-
Der, Norton and myself, were to be we'll
MOUNTED and armed. and follow the pres
ldents carriage from the moment
it turned into Fourteenth street
until a point was reached on the Columbia
road where the drive ran along between the
t ees of II dense wood. just outside of the
Soldiers HOME gtounds and a short dis
lance to the west. The third member of
ths party. Clou!, was to drive a close
vehicle in our rear, keeping we'll up. and by
the time the designated spot WAS reached
the coming darkness. we thought, would aid
the work in preventing our movement
from being observed. 1t was all planned
out to the last detail, ana the minute
the driver OF Mr.. Lincoln's equipage passed
into the forest be should be maue to stop
by means of Il pistol at his head, aud MIR.
Lincoln. served in Il similar manner would
be compelled to cross from his carriage to
the c.ose vehicle. Our Third man in the
capacity OF coachman was then to drive
with all possible speed along the country
roads through Maryland and to the point
80 ~ YIN "ltto
1T would be an easy matter to signal
Lieutenant Cawood and his men and
conduct the captured hostage through oue
lines to Richmond. By driving around the
north of Washington, 80 as to avoid cross
Jag the navy yard bridge, where capture of
the expedition would have been a ioreQone
conclusion, we could see no special OBJ
stacie, and III less than twenty-four hou q
We should have our prize safely &C OBS the
disputed territory. AS the Presidents
driver and carriage were to have be0n de-
tanned by Norton and myself during
the night, no other difficulty intsrposed.
Mr.. Lincoln. bound and gagged in the
close vehicle, would have been safe enough
from causing trouble, and az his own CARR
age WAS not expected ut the White house
until morning, and it's non. arrival at the
Soldiers home would awaken no inauiry.
We felt secure III the belief that the author
of the emancipation proclamation was al
most az good rs III our hands.
Everything WAS now arranged and n Sat-
urday afternoon liked uuon as the time.
We must stil be on the alert, though. and
must keep track of any possible new deyel-
opments. so my old seat in LAFAYETTE
square again came into use, and quite
steadily, too. Every day l eagerly watched
the White honse to sec whethe.
the president RtIll continued his
lonesome drives and could be- rees-
onably counted upon to meet us on
aturdny. Not an obstacle aupea ed \,
far, and we were nerying ourselves for Tho
: orueal to come on the morrow. when i'm
. agine our surprise that Friday afternoon
rs the presidents carriage came moyins