The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-02-07
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}Ths Remarkable Story Of Chris
I ! iOpher Ritter Boon Companion
5 of The assassin, Related and
5 Corroboratea BY Prof, Nsichman'

is OF the Nssassln Related add
rs cOrroboratsa BY Prof, Wsichman'
Anderson. Ind. January 3o,-At st,
Mary's hospital In this city, on one OF the
white beds, lies Christopher c. Ritter. who
came here three months ago from Cynthl-
! ana. Ky. Life is passing away, and In his
last moments he reiterates the story told
several years ago, in which he declared
that John Wilkes Booth. the slayer OF
Abraham Lincoln. is yet alive. The re-
markable story was discounted by the as
sertion of knowing ones that Ritter was
suffering from an added brain. But the
dying man is corroboratcd in every detail
that he ever claimed by Professor Louis j.
Wcichman of the Normal school here. Pro-
lessor Weich.nan and Ritter knew each
other we'll when the latter was Booth 5
boon companion in Washington, ID. c.. and
IA member OF the Golden Circle,
Prior TO his advent In the interesting
part OF American history Ritters life is Il
long and interesting story. 1t is cut to
outline, but sufficient it is to know that his
grandfather was made a German nobleman
IN the first part of the century for great
Nalor when Napoleon's star was IN the
zenith. HIS father, however, was exlled
Tor being member of a revolutionary so
| ciety known the Sons of Freedom, but
was later restored to his estates and roy
atty through the kind graces OF Princess
Olga OF Russia, who was then in the pupil
of King WiheHn's eye.
Young hiticr vas reared in the German
/ nd ffat lnfttF art M
incidents met John Wilkes Booth In stutt
| CART, Germany, in 1862, when he was but
Is years of age. There Ritter fell In love
with concert singer. Miss Enoth. whose
father together with Carl Schur1 and 4
| man named kourlnez who later became
| lieutenant governor of Illinois had been
I banlahcd, with his father. from the German
empire. for being identified with the order
of the Sons of Freedom.
Booth was there under an assumed
name. and in the interest Of the Confcd-
crate States. He fell in love with MISC
Enoths sister and he and young Ritter
became insperarable. Booth revealed to
! young Ritter a glorious picture of the fight
OF the South against the North. and finally
revealed his identity to the young Ger
many.
YEARNED TO BE A SOLDIER
Being master of military instruction
Ritter became wildly infatuated with the
idea of accompanying Booth home and laid
the matter before his father. but the latter
had just returned from his exile to the
| United States and he was a Northern man
at heart. He forbade his son to leave Ger
many, but the latter finally succeeded In
! getting passport through another name
and shipped TO Baltimore. and there WAS
met by Booth. who took him to Cincinnati.
and then to Lexington. where no enlisted
| in the Confederate army and vas made an
| officer.
lie was wounded at a point In the South
! three months later, and returned later to
| Germany 10 get $4,000 which his mothec
had LETT him. He returned to Baltimore
and landed there March 0. 1860 just thirty
five days prior to tho assassination of
Abraham Lincoln. He was met by his
companion booth, who was playing there
At the time. He accompanied Booth TO
| Washington. arriving there ON the I'D OF
April.
! lie was then taken by Booth into the
! third story OF the Pacific hotel and into
/ the rooms which were TIE quarters OF the
/ knights of the Golden Circle. There he
net many. among them. he SAYS. was Ed
win Booth. ON the 10th he became mem
her of the Golden Circle by special dis
! rcnsation, though he was then six months
under age. He was conducted through by
John Wilkes Booth, and it was the custom
for the two thus affiliated to be joined 20
gethor by a special vow, as Jonathan"
aud David, ana with daggors at heart
were sworn to stand by each other uuder
any and all circumstances for a period of
IL irty years. as well as 10 fulfill al OBJ
legations OF the order.
Ritter soon found that there was circle
within this circle. and the next night he
was asked to join it, it being explained that
the purpose of this order was to kllnap the
president and take him to an old chateau
out OF Washington then used as a resort
and 20 later take him out to sea until leg
istativc enactment was forced through in
surfing the payment for all negroes to De
set free. Ritter refused to go into this,
although he assured that Booth was
one of the leaders. This proposition was
made to him by Dave Harold, who was
executed for his part In tho assassination
Of the president.
THAT FATAL NIGHT.
At o'clock on the night OF the 18th
Booth and Ritter were together in the Pa
citic hotel. Booth asked him TO so down
to tho dagos." a place we'll known. and
get an oyster stew with him. While there
Booth said 10 him that 1t was very proba-
Bile that lie would want to start very soon
for Brazil TO see those girls" OF theirs, tho
two Miss Enoths. having Joined their eNiled
father Ill Brazil. lie asked Ritter IL he
would go with him, and the latter replied,
Yes, | guess
When leaving the place Booth said to
him; Ritter, | will probably want some
money touight-a great dcal-can | have
it," Ritter thought it WAS for poker, FOR
he had made him several loans Tor that
purpose, and at one time Booth owed him
$500 and had paid him. lie assured him
he could have all he wanted at the asking.
Booth seemed relieved ard turned and was
about to leave for the theater. where ne
Was to tTkc part in Il tenefit for Laura
Demlng that night. when he came closer
to Ritter and said. Il wish you would be
sure to be at the rooms tonight at 10
O'Clock" lie was then joined by Robert T..
Stinton and the two went to the theatcr.
In Stinton's pocket there was a revolver
with which Booth killed Lincoln Ritter
went TO tho Golden Eagle rooms and got