The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-09-23
MAN WHO SHOT BOOTH,
Boston COrbett as n Lecturer Was Not
n Great Success.


1t will be remembered that Boston
Corbett, the man who killed j. Wilkes
Booth, lived for many years in Cloud
county, Kan. About ten years ago he
was elected doorkeeper of the Kansas
house of representatives, and while
holding that position went crazy and
was sent to the asylum. Later he was
released from custody and went off to
Texas, where it is presumed he died.
The discussion now going on in the
periodicals over the death and burial of
Booth recalls to the editor of the Con-
cordia Empire that, something like
dozen years ago, the ladies of the Pres
byterian church in that town seized
upon the idea of having Corbett give
lecture upon the killing of Booth, and
committee was appointed to wait
upon him. One of the committeeman
was the editor of the Empire, and he
thus describes what followed:
"We found him at home in his dugout,
a kind of hole in the side of steep hill
with brownstone front and roof of
brush, clay and clapboards. There was
but one room and the furniture was
an old stove, table, a chair, a home.
made bed, trunk, box or two, we'll
worn Bible and a variety of firearms.
Mr.. Corbett had received pension Of
several hundred dollars short time
before and invested what he had not
given away to others that he thought
| might be needing money in flock of
sheep. A herd of antelopes would have
served him just as well-he had no
practical knowledge of the use of sheep.
He was very hospitable, told us much
of his history and readily consented to
deliver lecture on the capture of
Booth and his experiences in Anderson
vile.
"a packed house greeted him on the
| night set. By way of introduction the
choir sang song. Some sentiment of
the song set him off on a regular ser
mon Che was in the habit of preaching
occasionally and for nearly an hour he
talked, but failed to either capture
Booth or get to Andersonville. At last
the pastor reminded him that he was to
talk of Andersonville and Booth. He
apologized for his forgetfulness, and in
about a dozen words told that he was
captured and landed safe inside the
walls of Andersonville prison. The first
man he met was an old acquaintance,
who told him that over in certain por-
ton of the prison they were holding a
prayer meeting. He went directly to it,
Then he talked for half an hour about
the prayer meeting, which, as far as his
description went, might have been held
in Cloud county or the backwoods of
| Kansas.
Being reminded again that he was
forgetting all about the capture of
Booth, he apologizcd and said in sub
stance: we surrounded the barn in
which we found he had taken refuge.
We demanded that he surrender, but
he refused. We then set fire to the
barn. By the light he saw one of our
men and raised his revolver to shoot
him. l was peeping through crack
saw him raise his arm, and to keep
him from killing one of our men fired
and killed him. The bullet went into
his head in nearly the same course as
his bullet had entered Lincoln's head.
This is as full history as he saw fiji
TO give of an incident that had called
forth many !oag articles during th,
last 30 years. and about which non,
knew more than did our neighbor. Rns
lsss Cagaets '~-kassss ls.s Isssash