The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-04-20

Cred the fatal Slot THAT rang on; o,cr
the world. ';ppd Iri'ial night, in the
year 1868. L.lura,!icl t. history Il
memorable tragedy. and to rhc South
lana 4 -ri'sol- and awful legacy. In
his -ru,l. hastily and guilty shot,
W.lkc- Booth wron.cd the dead,
~|gon-ci the South. and tortured his
Own soul. For the South. poor but
l.rud, faithful cycn to truth and
right, to honor and knightiy ciiiyalry,
neser un>hcathcs a secret sword. or
d.'ns the immortal story Of her elori-
ous sons. who wore the grey, and
molly followed the fiery cross Of
Jackson aud Of Ice. 1t is this man,
Wilkes Booth. The iss.5sim o: Ahra-
ham Lincoln. whose history wc would
tlirtiy trace.
The >on Of the i~.n.lish actor,
Juniu~ brutu- Booth. Wilkes was
Torn in baltimore in lS3o. and. like
his father, became an actor, inherit
ius Il rockies, love Of tragic drama.
At E'ofi, Theatre. in the city Of
WASHINGTON. on the night Of April
lltli. 1863. President lincnln orca
p.el his lri.a,c box. l'rrc Wilkes
Booth iro! .lc fatal hot. Then
rushing to Ike front, IT, exclaimed,
Sic >cl,per tyrinnis the south is
a.cngcd He then lcarcd over The
hpX down 10 tho stage ielrw. and IN
tn lcal. caught the lurpn tn" heel
ii his -'roc in the huntine drarrric>.
f%ailin- aud breaking his leg, but he
made l!- rScanc through the rear Of
I'll" stage (wlicrc outside he had in
waiting a youth, an a"compiicc, By the
nainc Of Ilcrold, with one Of the fast
e., horses iii the city. Booth mount
cd, and he and his dclulcd follower
made their escape, going 60 miles that
night. crossing the Potomac over into
Maryland. stopping at the home Of
Ir. Mc,ld.
This awful trauc,!y annullcd tie
>lcrman.jo!nsun convention, So full
If promise TO The South. and deprived
tic South in her most fearful crisis If
tic great kcn,uckian. Abraham Lin
coin, who would. II spared. have
proved the South 5 best friend, and
the tragedy Of whose iifr and whose
dcat! Shall cxis, forever on tie his
,oric page, Il lnan pronounced by Hen
~ Grady ihc great statcsman. patriot
and typical American.
The occasion chosen by Booth and
his cousrirators could not have been
more favorable to DO their bloody
work. 1t was Just after Lees surrcn-
der, az the close Of the four years
war, when military rigor was relaxed,
and travel north and south was open
ing. Certain it is that if military re-
strietious had been drawn as closely
as it was while active hostilitics were
in progress. the chief assassin and his
assistant never would have Numbered
past the sentinel on the navy bridge
and escaped into the yet hostile South.
As soon rs the news of the assassina-
ton reached the war department
thousands Of soldiers, policemen and
detectives we're despatched to guard
every possible avenue Of escape, and
fabulous sums Of money offered as n
reward for the capture Of Booth,
tIcrold and Surratt, Surratt being a
son Of Mrs. Surratt, at whose house
meetings had been formerly held
flaming the killing Of Lincoln.
Col. Baker, a brave soldier Of hat
lime. headed Il party of fifty men, in
;hc pursuit of Booth. and was the first
- discover his hiding place on Car
.ctt's farm. April 9th. There con-
ccaled in ~ old tobacco house, Booth
and llcrold were discovered. Ilcrold
gave himself NJ, but Booth refused to
surrender, saying they could prepare a
:: sttcichcr for him; he would never
give himself up. At this. Col. Baker
fired the barn with Il shuck torch. and
Booth made one more leap forfrecdom.
As he sprang out Of the door he was
shot by Boston Corbctt almost in the
same place Booth had shot Lincoln.
His body was %canght up and placed
under an apple tree, aud he WAS re-
viyed by the use Of Il stimulant long
enough to murmur these words: ''Tcll
mother that I died for my country"
The body was then placed in al, an
cicnt and dccrcpit market wagon,
owned by an old colorcd man. and
they started back to Washington with
their prize. After 30 miles of heat
and dust, Baker saw the blessed blue
If the Potomac glittcring through the
trees. 1t was just twilight. and