The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1896-05-15
Thrlrmurrat-S Star
Els BOOTH.
INTERESTING RELICS OF TIE ASS ,ss,.
NATION OF LINCOLN.

guarded by the war department sipco
the assassination OF President Linc,ln
by j. Wilkes Booth.
When Booth was captured after In
was shot in the barn near Bowlir,
Green, Va, the cavalry officers tool
from his person the pistol with which
he shot Lincoln, II huge dagger
Spencer repeating carbinc and a djarv,
in which Booth had made several on
tries during the days and nights no
was engaged in his vain cndcayors IN
escape capture. These vivid remind.
crs Of the great tragedy are kept in
one Of the vaults in the basement ri,
the war department building.
For many years the large wooden
box in which these relics nfe kept wus
locked in II of the big safes In thu
Office Of the judge advocate general
but ST great was the number Of yisi.
tors to the capitol who called 10 500
it's historical contents that the secre.
tary Of war decided about three Years
ago tn have it placed in the vaults.
Since then comparatively few persons
have been allowed to inspect the con.
tents.
The pistol is a silvcr.mounted der.
ringer of old.fashi0ncd pattern. Its
barrel is about a half inch in DIANE.
ter and three inches long. Iteyidept.
ly required a strong charge of powder
to discharge the large bullet which
killed the president. The weapons
total length is not greater than nyc
and a half inches, and It's handle is
very thick. In tho same box with the
pistol lies the bullet which the sur.
gcOn extracted from Lincoln's head.
1t weighs almost half an ounce, and
one small portion Of its surface shows
that the bullet was flattcncd slightly
when it struck the presidents skull.
A little circular wooden case with 4
glass top holds six small pieces Of
skull from Lincolh's head. These
vary but little in size, each being u
trifc over Il quarter Of an inch square.
The probe used by the surgeons 10 10.
cate the assassin's bullet is also pre-.
served.
1t will be remembered that Booth
carried a notwithstanding dagger when
he murdered President Lincoln,
which he held IN his right hand as he
dashed across tsat stage in making his
escape. Colonel Rathbone, who was
in the presidents box at the time,
struggled desperately with the muir.
dcrer to prevent his escape. and Booth
in his mad flight for freedom used the
J dagger with effect on the colOncls
shoulder and tore himself away from
the l%attcr's grasp.
This murdcrOus weapon Is fully A.
teen inches in length and has a double
edge. With its broad bone handle
and keen edged blade IL imprcsSes one
as being IA most deadly instrument
There is no writing in Booths diar,
which bears an earlier date thar
April II, 1865. the day the Tragedy
was enacted. Booth wrote only Will
Il lead pencil, and probably made HI
first entry by the light Of candle
II after his long ride the night he assls
sinated the president.
On tle first page OF the book ap
pears the following:
april II, the IdeS-Until toda.
nothing whatever was thought o
sacrificing to our %cOuntry'S wrongs
For six months We have worked 7
capture, but its failure was due y
Others who did not strike for thel
country with Il heart. l struck boldly
and not as the papers say. walXc
with a firm step, through a tho'ISan
of his friends. y passed all OF III
:. pickets, rode sixty miles that nlgl
J. with the bone OF my leg tearing IN
flesh at every jump" .
n The assassin then writes that j
could not repent of the murder OF Lit
coin, because God simply made hlI
''the instrument OF His punishment
He then continued: "Thls force
union is not what l loved" att'
which he declares lie does not Cal
what becomes OF him. Evldeh'l
Booth wrote these sentences on APT
|. Is, or perhaps Il day or two 'at'
though he dated the entry Aprll J.
for referring to the night OF u
assassination lie says:
"Hunted like a tramp thro"e
swamps and woods last night al
being chased, / am here In despa'
for doing what Brutus was honor'
y for and what made Tell a hero. VI
hoped to be great himself. the ot''
had not only his country, but his o"
wrongs to avenge. ! hoped Tor !
gain, ! knew no private wrong"
Booth then continued that nc
sure there is no pardon in heaven J
him since mar condemned hin
aud says lie might return TO was
ington to clear his name. Concluo''
his own comments on the crlme'
wrote: II do not repent the dow
struck. l may before God, but not
man."
- Men never become too old 10 "