The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
EDWIN BOOTHS ORDEAL.


dent Lincoln Edwin Booth was prac,Ically
taken into custody by the agents of the
Government He was released as soon as
an examination showed that he knew
nothing of the conspiracy. This story of
the affair is related by Ivory M. Blood:
"At that time Mr.. Booth resided on
East Fourteenth street. near Broadway. l
was in the United States secret service OF
the War Department, and had been de-
tailed by Chief Baker to take Mr. Booth
into custody. 1t was after the assassina-
ton OF President Lincoln, and Mr.. Booth
brother, John Wilkes Booth. the assas-
sin, had been apprehended by Baker
men and mortauy wounded by Sergeant
Boston Corbett in Mr.. Garrett's barn in
Virginia.
Secretary of War Stanton and Judge
Advocate General Holt. under whose in
structions l acted, wished to question MIR.
Booth in regard to his knowledge, il any,
of the movements and conversations of
his brother, John Wilkes Booth. Upon
my going to Mr.. Booths residence, The
doorbell was answered by coIored serv-
ant l told him that l wished 10 see Mr..
Booth. He went upstairs and upon re-
turning said Mr.. Booth wished to know if
business.
NO replied. Imust see him in per-
son, and | sent up my card.
1.-THE servant returned to Mr.. Booths
room, and shortly afterward that gentle
man came down and invited me into the
parlor. | shall never forget his appear
ance. He was pale and haggard, greatly
agitated and trembling from head 10 foot.
He had apparently an intuition that some
thing serious was TO happen to him. When
seated, l opened the conversation by say.
ing to Mr.. Booth:
"'You see by my card that I am in the
secret service, and am obliged to take you
to Washington, D. c. If you wish to see
any other authority l have my papers in
my pocket.
with tremulous voice he replied:
No. 1 do not care about seeing them
Several times during our conversation he
said: 1t is an awful thing 1t has dis
tressed me greatly I feel as if l was
going to die L cannot understand why
my brother did the terrible deed
"Mr. Booth wished to know if he could
give bonds, and replied in the negative.
Then he asked ii he could consult counsel,
and told him he could under the follow
ing conditions: That he must not leave
my presence; that he could not have any
conversation with any person, including
his counsel, except in my hearing, and
that all such conversation would be strictly
confidential on my part, giving him as a
suspended, and that the Government did
not allow any private conversation where
parties were under arrest
"Mr. Booth at the time had on his dress
ing-gown. He returned TO his room and
came down wearing black suit and silk
hat and said he was ready to accompany
me to his lawyer on Wall street, whose
name | do not al present recollect. Be-
fore leaving the house | said to him that /
would not, as was customary, put the
handouts on him, and that no one on the
street would know that be was under ar
rest, adding: You cannot get away from
me, because am armed
81 pledge myself as a gentleman re-
piled Mr.. Booth, that l will not try to get
away
81 asked him if he had a pistol, and he
answered:
81 have not
"The servant was dispatched for car
rage, and upon its arrival we were driven
to the office OF Mr.. Booths counsel, on
Wall street. Mr.. Booth asked me if there
was much excitement in Washington,
what | thought they would do with him,
and if any one thought that he had any
connection whatever with the tragedy.
81 would rather die than go to Wash
ingtOn,' he said.
Il replied that 1 knew of no one who
had intimated in the least that he had
been in any way connected with the
affair.
ION introducing me to his counsel he
said to him:
"'Mr. Blood will tell you his business
with me-
II told the lawyer that was going to
take Mr.. Booth to Washington by order of
the Washington authorities.
1.-The lawyer declared that had no right
TO take Mr.. Booth from the city, and if
there were any charges against him they
ought to be tried by the United States
court here.
"'The Government has authority re.
piled, ito send any person to Washington,
and Mr.. Booth is not the first person that
have taken there
"'I don't care what you have done with
other people, the lawyer exclaimed in an
angry tone, punctuated with an occasional
oath, i am here to defend the rights of
Mr.. Booth
/" No one objects to your doing that
responded, 'but l shall obey the orders of
the Government
"'I want continued the lawyer, 'to see
M. Booth alone
You cannot do it, was my answer.
What are the charges against, and
what does the Government want with
him I? asked the lawyer.
:" TO examine him as to when he saw
his brother last, and if his brother had
ever intimated to him anything about the
assassination. The Government is not
going to spare any pains or expense to get
at the bottom facts of the affair."
eff l should set forth Mr.. Booth 8
rights as a citizen under the constitution,
you could not take him to Washington
said the lawyer, with much aspersity of
language and show of impudence in his
manner.
81 replied that would take Mr.. Booth
and the lawyer, too, if he interfered with
the orders of the Government, if it took
all the soldiers at Governors Island to
do it.
"'Well, Mr.. Booth, said the lrate coun-
sci, turning to him as he sat IN chair in
his office, without taxing part whatever in
the foregoing dialogue, you had better go
with this man to Washington. and If you
need my services you can telegraph me-
ION being driven back to Mr.. Booths
residence luncheon was served TO us, after
which he changed his costume and had
scme things put into a satchel. We went
in the carriage direct to Debrosses-
street ferry and took train for Wash
ington.
HUpon arriving in Washington early
the next morning / turned Mr.. Booth