The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-22

Arrest and Trip to Warrington After
Lincofn.s Assassination.

/ dent Lincoln Edwin Booth was practically
! taken into custody by the agents o. the
1 government He was released as soon as
an exz nsna:soa showed that he knew moth
/ rig o. the conspiracy. This Story OF the
/ affair IS related BY Ivory NJ Blood
I al tina; tiEsse Mr.. Booth resided On East
Fourteenth street, near Broadway. I was
: n the United States secret service OF the
/. war department, and had been detailed
i BY Chief Baker 10 take Mr.. Booth INTO
/ custody. Il vas after the assassination
/ CT President Lincoln. and Mr.. Booths
/ brother. John Wilkes Booth. the ASSASSIN.
/ had been appreaended by Bakers men.
and raortally wounded BY Sergt- Boston
/ Ccrbett. n Mr.. CARROTS barn IN Virginia
Secretary Of War Stanton and Judge
/ Advocate General Holt, under whose In
/ strgctjoEs I acted. wished TO question Mr..
i Booth in regard 10 his knowledge. Z any,
/ OF the movements and conversations OF
/ his brother. John Wilkes Booth. Upon my
going 10 Mr.. Booths residence. the door
/ bell was answered by a colored servant.
! ! told him that wished 20 see M. Booth.
I He went upstairs. and upon returning said
/. Mr.. Booth wished 20 know IL would Tot
! tell him the nature OF usy business
No. replied. I must ste him n per-
/, son. and sent Up my card
The servant returned 10 Mr.. Booths
| room. and shorty af1srward the gentia-
| man came down and invited me into the
/ parior. I shall never forget his appear
/ snee. He VAS pale and haggard. greatly
| agitated. and trembling from head to foot.
He had apparently an intuition that scrne-
/ thing serious was to happen 70 him. When
| se-.ted. opened tina conversation by say
iag 70 Mr. Booth:
You see By my card that am IN the
secret service. and am obliged TO take you
| 20 Washington. n. c. II you wish 70 see
any other authority, have my papers IN
my pocket
With a trenuIous voice he replied:
Several times during our conversation hs
said: II is an awful thing II has dis
! tressed me greatly I feel as II was go
ing 10 de- I cannot understand why my
brother did the terrible deed
''Mr. Booth wished 20. know II he could
givs bonds. and / replied in the negative.
/ Then he asked il he could consult coun-
sci. and told him he could under the fol-
lowing conditions: That he mus, not
leave my presence: that he could not have
any conversation with any person. includ-
ing his counsel. except In my hearing. and
that all such conversation would be strict
~ confidential on my part, giving him as
reason that the habeas corpus act was
then suspended. and that the government
did not allow any private conversation
where parties were under arrest
Mr.. Booth al the time had on his dress
! ing gown. He returned TO his room, ard
came down wearing a black suit and silk
/ hat. and said he was ready 10 accompany
| me TO hts lawyer on Wall street. whoss
name I do not at present recollect. Be
| fore leaving the house l said TO him that
I would not, as was customary, put the
| handouts or him. and that no one on the
street weuld know that he was under ar
| rest adding: YOU canno. get away from
| me, because + am armed
| II pledge myself as gentleman re-
| piled Mr.. Booth, that I viii not try TO
/ get away
Il asked him If he had pistol. and he
| answered.
/ "T have not
THE servant was dispatched for a car
| -iage. and upon rs arrival we were driven
| to the Office OF Mr.. Booths counsel. on
| Wall street. Mr.. Booth asked me = there
was much excitement In Washington
| what I thought they would do with him.
/ and II any one thought that he had any
connection whatever with the tragedy.
~ would rather die than go to Wash
| ington.' he said.
II replied that l knew OF 10 one who
| had int.mated in the least that he had
! been In any way connected with the affair
"oa introducing me 10 his counsel he
/ said 70 him:
"'Mr Blood will tell you his business
with me-
| Il tod the lawyer that was going to
take Mr.. Booth 10 Washington. by order
| CT the Washington authorities.
The lawyer declared that had no right
| TO take Mr.. Booth from the city and If
| there were any charges against him they
ought 20 be tried by the United States
court here.
THE government has authority I re-
| piled, TO send any person to Washington.
and Mr.. Booth Is not the first person I
have taken there
"T dent care what you have done with
! other people the lawyer exclaimed in an
angry tone, punctuated with an occa-
/ ssonai oath. ! am here 10 defend the
rights OF Mr.. Booth
"'No one objects 10 your doing that
I / responded. but l shall obey the orders
Of the government
ct want continued the lawyer, TO see
Mr.. Booth alone
.''You cannot do 81 was my answer.
What are the charges against and
/ what does the government want with
him. asked the lawyer.
"'To examine him as 10 when he saw
! his brother last, ana II his brother had
! ever intlmated 10 him anything about the
assassination. The government is not go
/ ing to spare any pains or expense 10 get
a. the bottom OF the facts
"If I should sst forth Mr. Rooth's
: rights as citizen, under the constitution.
You could not take him TO WASHINGTON >
said the lawyer. with much asperity OF
language and q show OF !ulpGdence in his
manner.
IT replied that 7 would take Mr.. Booth
ard the lawyer. too II he inte-fered with
the orders OF the government. X II took
all the soldiers at Governors island to
do Il.
''Wen. Mr.. Booth said the rate eoun-
sci turning To him as he sat IN a chair
in his office, without taking any part IN
the foregoing dialogue. you had better go
with this man 70 Washington. and IL you
need my services you can telegraph me-
''On being driven back 20 Mr. Booths
residence. luncheon was served TO Us. after
which he changed his costume and had
some things put into Il sstchel. We went
in ths carriag e direct to DesorosseS street
ferry ard took 7 frais for Washington.
Upon arriving IN Washington early the
next morning ] turned NJ. Booth over
% Col. Baker. after We had hreakfasted
a. ar au-night restaurant, and after we
had waited several hours at W.llard's
hotel He was put through course %
examination by Col Baker and after