Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-04-03

troduced to me by DR.. Mudd on the street
or anywhere else Booth came to me with
trusted friend. In the second place. WEIGH
mann was no where near when Booth pre-
scented his letter. I looked upon Booth from
the start as a hot headed. visionary man
and the moment he preached his wild
scheme to me OF abducting Lincoln l
simply laughed at him.
In the first place / know Northern Virginia
and Southern Maryland by heart.
1T is on that very account that have
come to you for your assistance, co-opera-
ton n advice said Booth.
And 1t is on that very account that I
tell you that the idea is not feasible I
replied. In the second place you do not
realize the danger
81 don't consider that for a moment
Nor l." I replied. but it must be con-
vided we are able to leave with President
Lincoln-which / doubt-we will have to
drive over one hundred miles before we
can cross the Potomac. After having
crossed that in safety we will have TO
70 the other. Don't you INC that that
section is simply swarming with Yankees?
/ do. because / have just come through
there. Granted that we do get through all
right. we reach the Rappahannock and
cross 1t. we will be reasonably. safe. But
we stand one chance in five hundred of
surmounting all those obstacles. Inside of
an hour, or at most two hours, from the
Iiilc VIC 6Vt DossN-sibi vi wi islit'pt4l :
person. the entire country viii be In n
furore. The president of the United
States cannot he spirited away like an
ordinary citizen Booth said he was Will
ing to take any chance.
II believe he was a mon6maniac on the
subject. He had brooded over the South's
wrongs so much that his mind was unset
tied on the subject. He talked a good deal
Of Kidding the country of an arch tyrant, of
helping the South and Of dying for his
when he shot Lincoln. No man in his right
mind would have done that. The South
lost It's best friend when it lost Lincoln.
acter Of its people as NO man did before
or since. Booth was the South's worst
enemy although he was sincere in wanting
to aid her.
Flees to Canada.
AFTER engaging in this conversation with
Booth 1 dismissed the matter from my
mind and supposed Booth had lone the
same. Going direct to Richmond I reported
to General Wilder and was directed by him
to go at once to Eimira. N. Y, and learn
the plans Of the Notifications. prison, ETC.,
at that point. with the number of prison.
ers. ] was in Elmira for several weeks
and as my ny pocksts Were full Of Uncle
ment l made host OF friends, and ] may
add that 1t was a blessed good thing for
me that I did. for it saved my life at my
point was a Union colonel who was cor
nected with the Notifications. He seemed
to be suffering from a chronic state of
dead broke and finding that L had
plenty of money and was not averse to ac-
conmodating a friend. he soon began to
borrow. That was exactly what wanted.
At first 81 was SO and $50 at a time. Then
1t was 500 and 500. / finally had him
completely In my power. One day we were
along the street and he said to
me. Look here. Let me ask you n ques-
tior. What are you doing around he-e
and what do you want?' i told him that
| was In Elmira because i liked the place
and I added that j was anxious 10 get
inside the prison to see what II looked like.
He promised TO get me inside. and on TIE
following day was as good as his word.
He took me all through the place and
finally left me on a tower where / made
careful plans of the place. ] repeated my
visit the following day and having gained
what L wanted / determined to go back
to Richmond. 1t was on my journey from
Elmira to Albany that I first learned OF
Lincoln's assassination. ! was shocked and
conversation with Booth Immediately
reoccurred to my mind. The next day en-
route from Albany to New York / bought
a New York paper and read In 1t that IL
was supposed that ] was with Booth in his
flight and that a reward of $1,000 had been
offered for my capture. dead or alive.
When read hat startling intelligence
] Immediately left tbs train and took the