The Van Buren press., 1897-09-04
MAN WHO SHOT BOOTH.
Boston Corbett as IA Lecturer Was Not
n Great Success.

It 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 willie
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 burialof
Booth recalls to the editor of the Con
corda Empire that, something like
dozen years ago, the ladies of the Pres
byterian church in that town seized
upon the idea of having Cerbett give
lecture upon the killing of Booth, and
committee was appointed to wait
upon him. One of the committeemeR
was the editor of the Empire, and he
thus describes what followed:
"We found him at home in his dugout
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, home.
made bed, a trunk, a box or two we'll
worn Bible and a variety of firearms.
Mr.. Corbett had received a pension of
several hundred dollars a 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 a 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. lie
| apologized for his forgetfulness, and in
about a dozen words told that he was
captured and landed safe inside the
walls of Andersonyille prison. The first
man he met was an old acquaintance,
who told him that over in a certain por-
tion of the prison they were holding
prayer meeting. He went directly to il,
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. | was peepng through a crack
saw him raise his arm, and TO keep
him from killing one of our men | fred
ard 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 fit
to give of an incident that had called
forth many long articles during the
last 30 years, and about which none
knew more than did our neighbor, Bos-
ton Corbett. t."-Kansas City journal. 3