The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-09-11
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Kan WhS shSs BoOth.
IL will be remembered that Boston
Corbett, the man who killed ]. Wilkes
Booth, lived for many years in Cloud
county, Kansas. About ten years ago
he was elected doorkeeper Of the kan
sas house of representatives and while
holding that position went crazy and
was sent to the asylum. Later he was
released from custody and went of 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
Concordia Empire that, something like
dozen years ago, the ladies of the
Presbyterian church in that town seized
upon the idea of having Corbett give
lecture upon the killing of Booth, and
a committee was appointed to wait
upon him. One of the committeeman
was the editor of the Empire, and he
thus describes what followed:
I'VE found him at home in his dug
out, kind of hole in the side of steep
hill with a brownstone front and
roof of brush, clay and clapboards.
There was but one room and the furni-
ture was an old stove, table, chair,
a home made bed, a, trunk, box or
two, well-worn Bible, and a variety
OF firearms. Mr.. Corbett had received
a 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 a
flock Of sheep A herd of antelopes
would have served him just as well-he
had nc practical knowledge of the use
of sheep He was very hospitable, told
us much of his history and readily con-
sented to deliver a lecture on the cap
ture OF Booth and his experiences in
Andersonville.
"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
ne talked, but failed to either capture
Booth or get to Andersonville. At
last the pastor reminded him that he
was to talk of Andersonvllle and
Booth. He apologized for his forget
fulness, and in about dozen words
told that he was captured and landed
safe inside the walls of Andersonville
prison. The first man he met was an
ola acquaintance, who told him that
over IN a certain portion of the prison
they were holding a prayer meeting.
he went directly to it. Then he talked
for half an hour about the prayer meet
ms which, as far as his description
went, might lave been held in Cloud
county or the backwoods of Arkansas.
Being reminded again that he was
forgetting all about the capture of
Booth, he apologized and said in sub
stance: We surrounded the barn in
winch 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 peeping through a crack, saw him
raise his arm, and to keep him from
killing one of our men 1 fired and killed
MIN. The bullet went into his head in
nearly the same course as his bullet
mad entered Lincoln's head This is
as full a history as he saw fit to give
OF an incident that had called forth
many long articles during the last
thirty years, and about which none
knew more than did our neighbor, Bos-
ton Corbett."-Kansas City Journal.