The commonwealth., 1899-04-06

ratt, and she was hanged with the cap
tured coi2spirators.
Concerning the guilt OF Mrs. Surratt
the writer has always entertained
doubts. Nevertheless, public indigna-
ton was SO high, and every mind was so
infamed with a desire for complete
vengeance, that the woman suffered
with those who were certainly guilty.
Father Walter, of St. Patrick's Catholic
Surratt before her death. AS priest
he declined to give evidence concerning e
her confession. Nevertheless, as a man,
he always expressed his belief in her in
nocence. Knowing Father Walter very
well, and having heard him personally
express his belief in her innocence, the
writer has always inclined to that be-
lief
Many of the stories about John
Wilkes Booth are very absurd" says Mr..
Louis Dietrich, an old Washingtonian
II have heard people throughout the
country say that Booth was never
killed or captured and that the body
which was brought to Washington was
dummy. have seen such statements
in the papers, as though the writer's be-
ieved the nonsense about which they
write. But can tell you that was one
of the very few who actually did see
and touch the dead body of the muir
derer of Abraham Lincoln.
Il knew Mr.. Lincoln very well and I
knew the crazy man who slew him.
Booth was better known TO the people
Of Washington than Lincoln. Of course.
the president was seen at different
times, on great occasions, and his pic
lures were everywhere. But he was not
often personally seen by the people.
John Wilkes Booth was character well
known to Washington. He was almost
as eccentric as his eccentric father, who
was IN many respects crazy man.
1.-The elder Booth was q man who
would go to saloon and pawn his body
for liquor, and the theatrical managers
would have to hunt him up at the sa-
looms and pay the money which he owed
in order to get him On the stage. He be-
came excited once, when he was playing
Richard ILL., and tried to kill the man
who played Richmond. He chased him
off the stage and all over the theater
until he was himself captured by a DO
liceman and disarmed.
His son, John Wilkes, was a man of
uneven mind. He drank to excess and
did many eccentric things. He was
great pedestrian. He was constantly
taking long walks. Everybody in the
city knew him by sight.
ssTVhon hic ho<1r x.,o,
a gunboat I wanted to see him; but it
was almost impossible to get chance.
l thought of all schemes to get on board
and at last went to my friend, DIR. Todd,
OF the army, and asked him how
should get to see the body. He said:
we are to make a post-mortem exami-
nation tomorrow in the afternoon. You
come to the boat and tell the guards
that you have message for me. will
be on board and will tell them to send
you to me as I am expecting you. I did
SO and was admitted.
Just before the post mortem ex-
animation DIR. Todd lifted the big tar
paulin that was laid over the body on
the upper deck, and showed me the face
OF the dead man. 1t was calm and peace
ful as babyA, and it was John Wilkes
Booth. 1t is all nonsense to say that he
was not there. I saw him and touched
his head. It was cold and dead; and it
was Booth. I know what know, and I |
saw Booth lying there. The gunboat |
was anchored between the arsenal and
the navy yard, but nearer the yard than |
the arsenal"
Among other absurd stories told |
about Booth was one to the effect that |
his body had been sunk in the eastern |
branch of the Potomac, at midnight. |
and that no one knew where it was
That was false as everything else thew
told. His body was buried in the old
pen1tentiary ground, where the arsenal
now is, together with those of the Other
conspiEators, Harold, Payne. Mrs
Surratt and Atzerodt. There the bo1v
laid for ten years, until it was fina1,v
dlsinterred and carried to Baltimora
and buried beside that of his father IN /
the family burying ground"
SMITH d. FRv