The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-05-03
Why Booth Killed Lincoln.


article in the April number Of Wake
Forest Student twas sent by George
Anderson Foote, son of the late Dr.
George Foote, of Warrenton, an hon
ored and highly reputable physician
lately deceased. He first gives an cx-
tract from Appleton Cyclopedia OF
Biography. wrongly printed "Biolo-
gy, y of the hanging of that very gal
liant and meritorious officer, Captain
John Young Bcall, native of Vir-
ginia. and born in 1888, and hanged
February 24th 1868, as spy, which
was most Infamous, most Internal. lie
was regularly commissioned and was
acting under orders. 1t was one of
the many disgraccful acts Of the Cloths
and Vandals in their war upon the
South, and literally without any rca
sonable or just cause. A sketch was
found among DR.. Foote'S papers. who
was a surgeon in the Confederate army.
and was imprisoned in Fort Columbus,
New York harbor. DR.. Foote'S post
hnmous paper is both interesting and
informing. He tells Of the efforts
made to save Captain Bcall's life by
Governor Andrew, Of Massachusetts,
and others, but in vain. DR.. Footc S
cell in which he was confined was ad :
Joining Capt. Bcall's. I'eall and John
Wilkes Booth had been roommates at
college and were very dear friends.
Booth tried every way to secure Beall
release from prison, but in vain. An
effort to secure his escape was made,
In which DR.. Footc was to be party.
In fact, two plans came tc naught.
The interesting point, really of his
torical interest, is to follow. DR..
Foote's private memorandum gives
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 war upon the
South. In other words, that Booth,
being in intense sympathy with the
South, and being something daft, had
assassinated the President on account
OF his course in the war. After the
plans failed DR.. Foote says Booth
hurried to Washington and on his
knees implored President Lincoln and
Secretary Seward to pardon, or at least
respite Beall. Lincoln promised to
respite, but that night Lincoln order
ed his execution. DIR. Foote says:
"This order was executed and Beall
was hanged within thirty yards Of my
window and inside Fort Columbus,
and not at Johnston Island, as has
been frequently reported.
Booth, for what he termed the
perfdy Of President Lincoln toward
himself and friend Beall, at once swore
to avenge his friends death by killing
both Lincoln and Seward. He did
not intend to shoot Lincoln in the the
atre, but the contemplated opportunity
did not offer itself elsewhere.
"But for the fact that Booths spur
caught in the curtain that fatal night
he =oold have eaoaped, st least for e
time. The war had nothing to do
with the assassination of the Presi-
dent; it was due simply and solely to
revenge, intensified by Booth love
and admiration for his friend.
Booth went to New York the morn
ing of Beall's execution, and being SO
grievously disappointed at what had
occurred, he became measurably an in
sane man. | had not the least idea Of
Booth $ plan to assassinate the Presi-
dent. This plan was known only to
one man, and to him Booth revealed
in only an hour before the assassina-
tiOn. The man to whom he thus con-
fided 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 st least believe his state
ment without reservation.-W Wilming-
tom Messenger.