The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-16

1920 4AA1 hNLAtF liz & ill1AG 4 iNA1
behind to clear my name the government
will not allow 20 be printed. So ends all.
For my country ! have given up all that
makes life sweet and holy, brought misery
upon my family and am sure there is no
pardon in heaven for me, since man con-
dennis me so. / have only heard of what
has been -done-except what | did myself
and it fills me with horror. God. try and
forgive me-, and bless my mother. Tonight
l will once more try the river with intent
to cross. Though l have a greater desire
and almost a mind to return to Washing
ton. and in a measure clear my name,
which feel | can do. | do not repent the
blow I struck. l may before my God, but
not to man. think | have done well:
Though l am abandoned. with the curse of
Cain upon me, when. if the world knew my
heart, that one blow would have made me
great, though l did desire no greatness.
Tonight | try TO escape these blood
hounds once more. Who. who can read
his fate? Gods will be done.
4 have too great a soul to die ike a
that, and let me die bravely.
Il bless the entire world. Have never
hated or wronged anyone. This last was
not a wrong. unless God deems it so, and
it's with Him to damn or bless me. And
for this brave boy with me, who often
prays-yes, before and since-with a true
and sincere heart-was it crime in him.? If
so, why can, he pray the same? | do nc%
wish to shed a drop of blood, but l must
fight the course. IT'S all that's left me-"
THE END OF THE CHAPTER.
Booths remains were sewed up in a sad
Gle bag by Lieutenant Doherty, placed in
a one-horse wagon driven by a negro and
taken across the country to Belle Plain,
where the whole party, including Herold,
arrived about dark. The tug Ide was wait
ing, Herold and Booths body were put on
board and she then steamed up the river
for Washington. The capital was reached
about daylight on the morning of April n
and the body delivered to Secretary Stan
ton. 1t was placed on board the Monitor.
SO also was Herold.
A commission composed of Judge Advo-
cate General Holt, Judge Bingham of Ohio,
Cen Lafayette C. Baker and others, was con-
vened for Tie purpose of establishing the
identity OF the body of the wretched assas-
sin. OF the witnesses called who had known
Booth in his lifetime one of the most inter-
esting was Charles [. Dawson, clerk of the
National Hotel, who had been acquainted
with him for some years. This gentleman,
when questioned if he knew of any phys
ical mark or popularity on the person of
Booth, replied that he did, and stated that
he had often seen on his right hand, near
the junction of the thumb and forefinger,
the letters u. w. b." tattooed in India
ink. Dawson often noticed this when Booth
was in the act of placing his name on the
hotel register, and said to him jestingly:
Booth, what a fool you were to disigure
that pretty white hand in such a way"
DR.. j. F.. May, who had been Booths ply
sician, also identified the remains. Some
time before the assassination the doctor had
performed an operation on the left side
of his neck for the removal of a tumor.
The wound had partially healed, but it was
afterwards torn open by Charlotte Cush-
man while playing some part with him in
an engagement in Baltimore. 9Th opening
foanu oIocoI hut ~ eoo~ xrae Lea ~ H.
neck, and by this scar DR.. May fully recog-
nized the body. The testimony of these
gentlemen settled the question of Booths
identity, but there were others called who
had known him and who swore as to the
identity of the body.
During all of this time the body lay on a
rough carpenters bench. Booths mus
tache and the curly lock of hair which he
wore on his forehead were missing, and
had been removed at the home of DR.. Mudd.
His foot was covered with an old shoe,
which replaced the riding boot which had
been cut off, and also left behind at Mudd's.
An autopsy of the remains was made on
deck by Surgeon General Barnes. A por-
ton of Booths spine, taken from that part
of the neck near which he had been shot.
vas put into a small glass bottle and sub
sequently placed in Ford's Theater, which
ildS SlIICG D6GI converted lillO all army
medical museum.
When the commission adjourned the body
was sewed up in a navy blanket and was
then lowered from the side of a vessel to
two men in a small boat. These men had
been selected by General Baker for this
work. They had strict orders to keep ST.
lence and not reveal what they were doing.
The vessel was rowed down the Anacostia
and then went around the point in the di-
rection of the old United States Arsenal.
Here the body was buried in a celler under
the oil ~penitentiary that stood there.
In 1869, just before the close of his term
of office, President Johnson delivered the
remains to Edwin Booth, who had them
taken to Baltimore, where they were in
TERED in the family lot of the Booths, in
Greenmount Cemetery.
There has always been a rivalry between
Captain Doherty and Lieutenant Baker and
Colonel Conger as to who really effected the
capture of Booth and Herold and to whom
that honor chiefly belongs. The truth is
that the expedition was commanded by
Captain Doherty, acting under the direct
orders of General Baker at Washington.
In the distribution of rewards for Booths
and Herold's capture Doherty received the
largest amount of money, the two next
largest, equal amounts, being paid to Lieu
tenant Baker and Colonel Conger.
This is pretty conclusive evidence that
the government recognized Doherty as the
leader of the party, but the glory of the
capture, it may be said with justice. belongs
to the whole
OCCASIONAL.