The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-04-25

We were much interested in a short
article in the April number of Wake
Forest Student. 1t was sent by George
Anderson Foote, o of the late DR..
George A. Foote, of Warrenton, an
honored and highly reputable physician
lately deceased. He first gives an ex-
tract from Appleton's Cyclopedia OF
Biography, (wrongly printed biol
ogy,") of the hanging Of that very gal
liant and ~meritorious officer, Captain
John Young BealI, a native of Virginia
and born in 1885 and hanged Oath Feb
ruary 1865, as a spy, which was most
Infamous, most Internal. He was reg,
ularly commissioned and was acting
under orders. 1t was one Of the many
d~isgraceful acts of the Goths and Van
dals in their war upon the south and
literally without any reasonable or just
cause. A sketch was found among DR..
Foote's papers, who was a surgeon IN
confederate army and vas imprisoned
in Fort Columbus, New York har5or.
DR.. Foote's posthemous paper is both
interesting and informing. He tells OF
the efforts made to save Captain Bealps
life, by Governor Andrew, of Massa-
chusetts and others, but in vain. DR..
Foote's cell in which he was confined
was adjoining Captain Beall's. Beall
and John Wilkes Booth had been room
mates at college and were very dear
friends. Booth tried every way to Sc
cure BealI's release from prison., but IN
vain. An effort to secure his escape
was made, in which DR.. Foote was to
be a party. In fact two plans came to
naught.
Tie interesting point, really of histo-
ric interest, is to follow. DIR. Foote's
private memorandum gives a statement
that will surprise many, as it did us.
The common idea is that President
Lincoln was murdered by John Wilkes
Booth because he was the head of the
northern states and was responsible for
the wal upon the south. In other
words that Booth being in intense
sympathy with the south, and being
something daft, had assassinated the
president ON accoun of his course in
the war. After the plans failed DR..
Foote a Booth hurried to Washing
ton and on his knees implored Presi-
dent Lincoln and Secretary Seward to
pardon or at least respite Beall. Lin
coin promised to respite, but that night
ordered his execution. DR.. Foote says:
This order was executed and Beall
was hanged within thirty yards of my
window and inside Fort Columbus, and
not at Johnson's Island as has been fire.
quently reported.
Booth, for what he termed the per-
idy of President Lincoln toward him
self and friend Beall, 1t once swore to
=Eg his friends death by killing
both Lincoln and Seward. He did not
intend to shoot Lincoln in the theatre,
but the contemplated opportunity did
not offer itself elsewhere.
But for the fact that Booths spur
;. caught in the curtain that fatal night
Nhe would have escaped, at least for a
time. The wal had nothing to do with
the assassination of the president; it
was due simply and solely to revenge,
intensified by Booths love and admira-
tion for his friend.
Booth went to New York the morn
ing of Beall's execution, and being so
~rgrievously disappointed at what had
occurred, he became m~easurably an in
sane man. l had not the least idea of
Booths plan to assassinate the presi-
dent. This plan was known only to
one man, and to him Booth revealed it
only an hour before the assassination.
The man to whom he thus confided his
purpose, begged him not to carry it
out, and finding that Booth was not to
be turned from his revenge, left the
city before the horrid tragedy occurred
We were very intimate with DR..
Foote for many years. He was our
family physician, and most attentive,
sympathetic and skillful. We always
thought him truthful, honorable and
sincere. We at least believe his state
ment without reservation.