Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1897-09-18

crowd. 1t sInged the hair of men and
women, and ignited their clothing, so
that soon the people themselves became;
part of the holocaust. their bodies
burning while they yet lived.
1t was all over in ten minutes; but
during that brief time the governor of
Virginia and 72 others of high rank I'M
the social and official ranks of the old
dominion, lost their lives, and the city
was in mourning; yes, the entire state
was shodowed and darkened with woe.
When intelligence of the disaster be-
came general, the congress passed reso-
lutions of coincidence, memorial serv-
ices were held in churches everywhere,
and the fire was generally regarded as
national disaster.
Early in the spring of 1912 it was sug
gested that great memorial should be
erected by public subscription, and
Chief Justice Marshall, of the United
States supreme court, assumed charge
of the movement. A building fund was
raised. Then the remains of the lost
were gathered together and placed in a
vault beneath the center of the ruins,
and around this tomb the people built
the Monumental church.
Having said that there is history, mys-
terry and romance connected with this
building, and having viewed the history
of it's wonderful and pathetic origin, let
us look into the mystery and romance
of Monumental church. Let us go into
the vestry room. There, in that dark
corner, hangs upon the wall a picture of
John Wilkes Booth, in long clerical
garments. The sexton says that it is a
picture of Rev. j ohm G. Armstrong, who
was pastor of Monumental church from
1878 to 1884.
The photograph plainly shows, in
every line and curve, the broad high
forehead and long straight nair, the
handsome chin and exquisite profile of
John Wilkes Booth. The man is in the
prime of life, standing beside table,
with serious mien. He is undoubted-
ly clergyman, but that is the face of
John Wilkes Booth. Every picture ex-
tant shows the semblance, and people
who saw Booth on the stage, when he
was well-known actor, say that the
photograph of Rev. John &. Armstrong
| is Il perfect picture OF Booth.
There is the mystery, but there is ro-
nance also connected with the story,
for nobody ever knew where the rever-
end gentleman came from. 1t was said
that he had been ordained in Ireland
An investigation of his past did not
produce satisfactory results. He came
to Richmond comparative stranger.
Everybody wondered at the likeness of
the man to John Wilkes Booth, and
some accused him of being that man.
Finally the clergyman was accused Of
Irregularities in his habits, and thii
started afresh the story that he was not
what he claimed to be. AT last, in de-
spair, he left the ministry, lived in
private and died in obscurity. The
doubt of his identity hung over him
like a pail. On his deathbed, his last
words were a denial, an earnest, tear
full denial, that he was John Wilkes
Booth.
There were many men in Richmond
who had heard Booth on the stage, and
who heard DR.. Armstrong in the pulpit,
who declared that two men could not be
so much alike; in face, form, voice,
gesture, everything; for the preacher
was a man of such dramatic manners,
that it would have been almost i'm.
possible for any man to have acquired
them anywhere except upon the stage.
Moreover, it was remarked that he was
slightly lame, as Wilkes Booth would
undoubtedly have been, after sustain
ing the injury which befell him as he
jumped from the box to the stage of the
theater on the night of the commission
of his awful crime.
1t is well known that there were
doubts expressed by many people in