The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-19

the HOuSHl L went direct 10 RICHMOND
and entered the Secret Service Bureau
under General Wilder, one of the finest
Americans that ever lived. 1t would
take every column of space in the pa
per you represent to detail all my ex-
periences. / had innumerable hair
breadth escapes. When l look back OF
the risks l ran and the desperate
chances / took, l fail to see how / could
have been so ~foolhardy. | walked in
and out of the lines of the two armies,
entered and left Washington, went
from Richmond to New York, to Lon
don, returned to Washington, and ell
bowed the union generals, all the while
gathering valuable information for
the service. / knew every cross road,
bypath, and hiding place in northern
Virginia and southern Maryland"
captain Surratt, it has been stat
ed in one of the principal magazines
that Booth was anxious to get your
cooperation on that very account, and
that when you were introduced to him
in Washington by DR.. MIdd. you
thought at first that he was a union
spy. 1t is stated hat you were with
Weichmann."
"Ah! Wilkes Booth. I Ioath him.
In the first place, Wilkes Booth was
never introduced to me by DR.. Mudd
On the street or anywhere else. Booth
came to me with a letter Of introduce
ton from a valued and trusted friend.
In the second place, Weichmann was
nowhere near when Booth presented
his letter. / looked upon Booth from
the start as a h~ot-headed, visionary
man, and the moment he preached his
wild scheme to me Of abducting Lin
cOln | simply laughed at him.
HIS INTERVIEW WITH BOOTH.
"Tt is utterly impracticable,' I said
to him. In the first place I know
northern Virginia and southern Mary
land by heart
cit is on that very account that I
have come to you for your assistance,
cooperation, and advice, said Booth.
"And it's on that very account that
I tell you that the idea is not feasible
] replied. In the second place, o do
not realize the danger
al don't consider that for a mo-
ment, said Booth.
"NOr t. | replied, but it must be
considered. After leaving Washing
ton, provided we are able to leave with
President LincOln-which I 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 drive from one end of
Midland Virginia to the other. Don't
yOu know that section is simply
swarming with Yankees? I do, be-
cause | have just come through there.
Granted that we do not get through all
right, we reach the Rappahannock, and
cross it, we will be reasonably safe.
But we stand about one chance in five
hundred of surrounding all those OBJ
stacles. Inside of an hour, or, at most,
two hours from the time we get pos
session Of Mr.. LincOln's person, the
entire country will be in a furore. The
president of the United States cannot
although he was sincere in wanting to
izen."
Booth said he was willing to take
any chance. | believe he was a mon
Omaniac on the subject. He had
brooded over the south's wrongs so
much that his mind was unsettled 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 country. He was unqu~estiOnably
insane when he shot Lincoln. Nc man
in his right mind would have done
that. The south lost it's best friend
when it lost Lincoln. He understood
it's conditions. and the character of its
people as no man did before Or since.
Booth was the sOuth's worst enemy
although he was SINGER in watning tC
aid her.
SURRATT'S TRIP TO ELMIRA.
after engaging in this conversation
with Booth | dismissed the matter from
my mind, and supposed Booth had done
tie same. Going direct to Richmond
/ reported to General Wilder, and was
directed by him to go at once to Elmi-
ra, n. Y. and learn the plans of the
Notifications, prison. etc, at that point
with the r"mber OF prisoners. | was
in Elmira for several weeks. and as
my pockets were full of Uncle Sans
gold furnished me by my government
| made hosts of friends. / may add
that it was a blessed good thing fol
lIC Una L uId, " IL 10y AAA "
my trial.
Among the people that l met at thai
point was a union colonel, who was
connected 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 moi
averse to accommodating a friend, he
soon began to borrow. That was ex-
actly what l wanted. At first it was
so and $40 at a time. Then it was
hundred and two hundred. l finally
had him completely in my power. One
day we walking along the street, and
he said to me. Look her; let me ask
you a question; what are you doing
around here, and what do @ want?
l to.u him that l was in Elmira be-
cause 1 liked the place, and l added
that was anxious to get inside o. the
prison to see what it looked like. He
promised to get me inside, and on thu