Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-03-07
I Notable Secrst-Ssr7ics Agent Of the
Conitdsracy.
BOLD MAN At AN IMPORTANT POST.
new Ne Kept Up Communication
oet-~-~s the North and Richmond
saess.HS Booth and Hcroid 10
{ cress the Potomac,

wi AVpdcco. IN Charles county.
ptooer 2. 1870. Al the time the civil,
var broke out ne had accumulated
snough to enable him TO live comfort
hoiy. but his property. consisting largely
of slaves, was lost when peace was re.
p'ored. For a number OF years after the
war ne held Office either under the State
vi General Government He was en-
pioyed in the Washington hayward.
ana was displaced during the Harrison
administration. After that he was made
justice OF the Peace In Charles county,
Which he held at the time of his death.
A LoNG-KEPT SECRET.
lie Kept his secret Of helping Booth
hnd Herold to escap. from Southern
Maryland into Virginia for nearly twenty
years. 1t was well that he could keen
, secret, and that no one betrayed him.
FOR ne was arrested and imprisoned In
}he old Capitol at Washington after the
assassination. but the Federal authori-
Ties were unable TO connect him with
The AFFAIR. and had to discharge him. He
never spoke OF the adventure even after
ne broke his long silence unless the sub
1ect was introduced by some one else.
tte hrst told the story in connected forms
Tor publication in 1854. In June. 1890 he
published the whole narrative OF the so
Journ OF Booth in Southern Maryland
after the assassination in a book, which
Yohn ID. Stone. OF Charles county. aided
him In writing
CONFEDERATE SECRET SERVICE
The late Colonel Samuel Cox was the
toster-brother o. Mr.. Jones. and infiu-
enced him to aid Booth and Herold TO
escape from Maryland. which was at
The time swarming with soldiers and
others hunting for the fugitives. Jones
had been regularly engaged In the secret
service Of the Confederacy 10y Major
William Norris Chief OF the Confederate
Signal Service. The farm which he owned
was bounded by the Potomac river
On the west and by Pope's creek
On the north. His house was q single
Story frame building. on blum eighty
reet high. He could stand in his back
yard and look up the river until the
view was cut of by Maryland Point
seven or eight miles distant. Down the
river he could see as far as the eye could
Peach. The comparative narrowness OF
Inc river at Pope's creek ana other adj
Sanfages made the place frequent
point OF departure for those wlshin. TO
gross into Virginia. and, besides, every
body In the neighborhooi was known
10 be In sympathy with the South.
Jones made regular business OF aid
Ing the blockade-rumers and OF for
warding mails from the United States
and Canada TO the Confederate Govern
mont. He frequently crossed the river.
TWO miles wide. from Pope's creek twice
IN night, and sometimes oftencr Du-
ring the period Of the war hundreds OF
people used Joness ferry.
CARRYING THE MAIL.
~ the suggestion Of Major Norris,
eones in Maryland. and Ben. Grimes.
IN King George county. Va. entered into
IN agreement 10 cooperate In the ferry
end In the conveyance Of the mails. etc.
from one side TO the other. The house
pr Grimes was just opposite that Of
Jones. There could b. no better site
Ior signal station than the bluffs near
Pope's creek. nor better place for nut
ping the mails across the river than from
tones's shore. But IL required great
courage. as we'll as prudence and vi
Filance. 10 successfully carry on these
ppera'ions. The Potomac river was filled
with Restless gunbOats. an armed patrol
guarded the shore. and the Federal Gov
trnment had Spy on nearly every river
Farm In Southern Maryland. Besides
Shese' detachment OF troops was
,tationed at Pope's creek and another
"a Major Watson's place. rot 300 yards
rom Jones's house
SIGNAL SERVICE.
on the Virginia side a signal camp was
Established In a swamp back of Grimes's
touse. The boats for the mail service were
Eept on the Virginia side. A little before
funset the reelection of the high bluffs
year Pope's creek extended out into the
potomac I'LL Il nearly met the shadow
PAST by the Virginia woods. AT that hour
y the eve ing 1t was very difficult 10 de-
feet so small an object as a row-boat on
The river The Federal pickets did not
- on duty until after sunset. i, was,
therefore. arranged that the boat from
Erimess should cross just before sunset
deposit the packages from Richmond in
The fork of d dead tree on Joness shore,
and take back the packet for Richmond
from the North. which would be found
In the same place. if, for some special
reason. Jones was not on the beach in
person when the boat came over from
Virginia.
a WOMAN WAS IN 1T.
II II was not safe for the boat to cross
from Virginia q black signal was hung
in certain dormer window of Major
watson's house, right over the heads OF
the troops stationed there. The person
who attended TO this signal was Miss
Mary Watson. OF this lazy Jones in his
book says: Miss Watson was a remark
ably pretty young lady. q years of age.
She would have made almost any sacrifice
for the Confederacy. l know that | owe
In great measure the success which at
tended the management Of the Coniede-
rate mail to her ceaseless vigilance and
skill. About the close Of the war she mar
ried Or. Carvell, blockaderunner. and
wen; to California TO live"
FLIGHT OF BOOTH.
Jones In his book describes the flight
OF Booth and Herold into Maryland by
way OF the navy-yard bridge. their taking
refuge In the house OF DIR. Samuel a.
Mudd, near Bryantown. Charles county,
on the morning after the assassination
and the setting OF Booths broken leg by
DR.. Mudd, who entertained the fugitives
until night. for all Of which Or. Mudd
was subsequently sent to Dry Tortugas,
"A prisoner Booth and HerOld left DIR.
Nudd's house. in the northeastern part OF
the county, Saturday night. on horse
back, for the Pope's-Creek ferry. They
went 10 Colonel Samuel Cox. the roster
brother OF Jones. who hid them ana sent
for Jones TO aid them In crossing TO Nir-
ginla-
IN HIDING.
Jones saw Booth and Herold In their
hiding place--a thick piece Of pine woods
a mile west Of Cox's house and near what
In now Cox's Station. a peculiar whistle
was the signal which when given brought
Hefold out from cover carrying carbine
ready cooked In his hands hay mare
with saddle and bride was grazing near
by IN an open space. Herold conducted
Jones 10 where Booth was lying and intro
duced him as friend sent by Captain
Cox" Booths earbipe. pistols. and
knife were lying beside him. and a blan-
ket was drawn partly over him. Booth
said he had determined never TO be taken
alive. He knew the country was fully
aroused. Jones counseiled him to remain
quiet and await the opportunity TO escape
and he would aid him.
TEMPTATION RESISTED.
On Tuesday Jones went 10 Port Tobacco
70 mingie with the people and soldiers
there and ind out what was going on.
There he made the acquaintance OF Cap
tain Williams, In the act OF drinking at
the bar OF the old Brawner Hotel. when
the Captain said he would give a hundred
thousand dollars TO any one who would
furnish information leading TO Booths
capture. Jones says he lost everything
by the Confederscy-siaves. money In
vested in Confederate bonds. and seven
pay ne was 70 have received for service