The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-11-13
WHY BOOTH KILLED LINCOLN.
TO AVENGE CAPT. BEALL'S
DEATH.

AC ! CSA0CA w 40 GNOS GASSASS4ASGC0
Because the South Had Lost its Fight,
But to Satisfy the Intense Hatred of a
Madman--Booth Loved Capt. Beall,
Plead on His Knees for His Release,
and Was Crazed by His Execution as a
Spy--The 7 chilling Story of DR.. George
A. Foote, of Warrenton, NJ. c.
Correspondence of the Charlotte Observer.l
RALEIGH. Nov. 3-From time to time
there have been hints that tbs re was a
motive for John Wilkes Booths assas-
sination of President Lincoln, and that
the motive was revenge. A strange
story, now told for the first time, shows
that these surmises were we'll founded,
and that Booths horrid crime was not
simply the work of a mailman, but was
committed because of the execution,
under military law, of his friend, Capt.
Beall, of the Confederate army.
THE story is secured from DR.. George
A. Foote, of Warrenton, N. C., a we'll
known physician, who was in the Con
federate service as a surgeon, and who
was for a long time q prisoner al Fort
| Columbus, New York harbor. Here is
the %narratlve just as given by DR. Foote,
who was interviewed here:
Capt. Beall was a noted Confederate
officer, and was so quick and SO secret
in his movements, hat he was q terror
to the Federal commanders in and near
New York. He figured IN the famous
St. Albums raids in 1863-'64, and his
exploits at that time gave his name a
sort of romantic sound in the South,
while he caused CONSERVATION among
the enemy by his daring. But he was
caught at last after his bold and active
work had drawn away from Gen.
Grants army of the Potomac 30, 900
men to quell the border troubles which
Beall and his followers had caused.
Beall was tried by court martial in
prison at Fort Columbus and sentenced
to be hanged as a spy, though it was
argued in his defense that he WAS no
spy, but a brave and open foe. Efforts
to save his life were made by many
parsons, among them the distinguished
Governor Andrews, of Massachusetts,
but all were to no purpose.
John Wilkes Booth had been a college
room mate of Beal, and they were In
every way the most devoted of friends.
Booth tried in every possible manner
to secure Bealls escape from prison.
He was in New York almost constant
lyain the winter of 1864, and kept in
communication with Beall and his
friends in sDme mysterious way while
he tried to secure his pardon or escape.
DIR FOOte occupied a cell adjoining
Beall's, and with him and Booth and
his friends were in regular cOmmuni-
cation, DR.. Foote agreeing to render
any assistance in his power. The plan
first 8greed upon was that DR.. Foote
should e%ndeavOr to C~hlOrOtorm the
guard at night, and, it was alleged,
that if this succeeded, the way for
escape VAS open, a boat or sklff being
In readiness to receive B3all and carry
him across the river. Dr.. FOOte was
carelessly bold in approaching BealI's
cell too closely, and, this arOusing sus
plciOn, the guard was doubled that very
night, which caused delay. The next
plan was that a crowd of bold men
should pass into the barracks or prison,
OverpOwer the guard of five or six. and
pass Beall through. To this plan some
of the outer guard had agreed, having
e brlbed with gold.
But in some way news of this plan
leaked put in New York city the after
noon or evening before the night when
the daring attempt was to be made.
This prevented any possibility of escape
and President Lincoln or General DIX
had Beali executed without any delay.
AS sOOn as Booth discovered through |
DR.. FoOte, who kept constant observa-
tlon of all that went on, and who was
informed himself by one Ofthe guards, |
who had also been bribed, that there
wasn no chance of escape for Capt. Beall, |
he vent to Washington and on his
knees implored President Lincoln and
Secretary Seward to pardon. or at least
respite, Beall. Mr.. Lin ;oln agreed to
respite and Booth at once t~elegraphed
the joyful news to Bealt's mother, who
Vas In Brooklyn, N. Y. But that very
night the prison commandment received
a telegraphic order to hang Beall the
next morning at 10 o'clock. This order
vas executed and Beall was hanged
within thirty yards of Sergeant Foote'S
yuIn6nW on6 Iopj6o FNrf TolV,v, hue I'D |
not at Johnson's Island, as has frequent