The evening times., 1897-02-06
A sYsEER1ors VISITOR.
Declaring That John Wilkes Booth
Still Lives. ae~--.

Still Lives. sa~--.
To the Editor Of The Times:
Lately there has been recalled to my
memory the many little interesting oc-
currences which happened during the
thirteen years, .when lived in the old house
on Tenth street in which Lincoln died
/ have often heard it argued that Booth
was never kifed by Boston Corbett, and
that he is still living. Many different
stories, told by as many men, have been
published in the daily @pa pers; still, they
have all so varied in facts that the
public has been reluctant to accept them
for the truth. 1t does not appear likely,
however, that a man dying, as.is reported
Christopher C. Ritter in st. Mary's Hos
pital, Anderson, Ind, should repeat the
identical story, told him In Syracuse, N.
Y, nearly three years ago.
/ was, in 81, while comfortably seated
in the room in which President Lincoln
died, that the bell of the front door rang
A few minutes later the servant informed
me that gentleman desired TO see The
room in which the martyred President
died AS we were daily besieged by pe0-
pie who came with the same request, and
which proved very annoying to our private
life, told the servant to tell the gentleman
that the room was occupied, and could
not be seen, The servant, however,
returned with word that the gentleman
said he must see the room. | was at first
inclined to repeat my assertion, when,
prompted by curiosity to see the indl-
vidual who attached so much Importance
TO seeing the room, caused me to admit
him.
tall man with his hat on entered,
looking curiously around, and said:
$50, this is the room he died in?"
Having risen from my chair as he en-
tered, and being enraged at the audacity
OF the fellow for having entered the room
without taking his hat off, stood glarng
at him. As | said before, he was tall,
man of about fifty-five more; his face
was clean shaven aud his hair gray. Some
thing in the mans face seemed familiar to
me, although I did not at the time know
what IL was.
This room is a id fake lie," he sud
denly broke out, land Booth that killed
Lincoln is not dead, you hear mel! With
these last words he shot a gleam at the
from those black eyes OF his and was soon
gone. After this strange individual had
left and had fully thought over the ridlcu-
lous words uttered tried to place ms face'
for felt positive that had seen 1t before.
few months later | read an account
coming from st. Louis that Edwin Booth
had been on several occasions seen with
man bearing a strong resemblance TO his
dead brother, John Wilkes Booth. The
paper then further stated that the two had
been locked up in a private room or the
hotel for hours, where they held long con-
versations Reading this account, l pro-
cured photograph of the assassin, and
found that, although the picture was that
OF Booth when a young man, 1t bore
strong resemblance to my mysterious WIS.,
itor of q few months before.
Would it not be wise To get TO the bot
tom OF the statement made by Mr. Ritter
and investigate the matter to the fullest
extent?
The story tolh by this man corresponds
fully with the historical facts of the assas-
sination. There are 1t few who today be-
lieve in the guilt Of Mrs. Surratt, and II
ANYTHING could be done To establish the in
nocenca of this woman 1t would prove con
ISOLATION to her daughter, now living, and
her grandchildren. Father Walter, to his
diving day, believed in the innocence Of
Mrs. Surratt. Judge Holt never forgot the
wrong he did Mrs. Surratt, and conse-
ouently never knew what it was to have
peace thereafter.
Why does not Prof. Weideman, Of the
Anderson Normal University, say few
words of vindication? That gentleman
should try to right the wrong he did; for
il was his evidence that sent Mrs. Surratt
to the gallows, an innocent woman. The
hanging OF Mrs. Surratt is looked upon by
many as the blackest spot in the American
history. II. X. sCHADE.