The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-04-08
WILKES uoorH.s BODY
u Rests IN the Family Lot In a Baltl.
more Cemetery.

The Philadelphia Press. a few days
since commenting on an item to the
e1stt that General Eckert president
OF the Western Union, was the only
person who knew where the body Of
Wilkes Booth, the assassin Of Lincoln.
was buried said the statement was
probably untrue, and asked its Balt.
more exchange 70 give the facts. This
the Baltimore News does as follows.
"A recent published statement 20
the effect that mystery still sur
rounds the disposition made Of the
body Of John Wilkes Booth. who as.
sassinated President Lincoln in 1866,
Is entirely without foundation In fact.
The mutilated body OF the actor
was Inferred in February, 1869. in the
Booth family lot In Greenmount
cemetery. IN this city. where repose
number Of the members Of the family
"As President Johnsons term was
nearing It's close the late Edwin Booth.
the distinguished tragedian, over
whose life his brothers action cast
gloom that was never wholly eHaced,
obtained from the president an order
for the surrender OF his brothers
body to those whom Mr.. Booth should
designate 20 receive IT, When Edwin
Booth sought the interview with
President Johnson, which resulted in
the formers obtaining permission for
the removal Of his brothers body to
Baltimore for reinterment IN the
family burial lot he was accompanied
by the late John T. Ford. from whom
the writer heard the salient features
OF the removal Of the body to Balti-
more.
Mr. Ford was the owner and man.
ager Of the theater in which Lincoln
was shot on that eventfui Good Fri.
day evening in 1865, and for this rea-
son had been temporarily confined in
the old Capitol prison. Subsequently,
he became well known TO the presi.
dent and the members of congress by
reason of his efforts to vindicate him.
self from al connection with the
crime and to obtain compensation for
his property. which had been seized
by the government authorities
Mr. Ford's account OF the removal
of Wilkes Booths body was substan-
italy as follows;
Edwin had engaged Jacob n.
Weaver. a well known Fayette street
undertaken who had served the family
in a similar capacity many times be-
fore. Together with Mr.. r. r. Har-
vey. of Harvey & Marn, undertakers,
then located on + street, near Tenth
street, Washington, they went out to
the arsenal on horse car and were
followed by a wagon from Mr.. Har-
vey's establishment, driven by one Of
the latter's employees.
1.-The presentation of the presidents
order at once secured permission for
the transfer from the storehouse Of
the arsenal to the wagon of the box
containing the body recently exhumed
and in this four OF the soldiers as
sisted Messrs. Harvey and Weaver
got into the wagon and conveyed the
body to the formers place. ON r
street, making their entrance through
the alley in the rear. Though the box
containing the body had been fou'
years in the ground, it was not much
decayed and the lettering on it was
easily read.
IT was opened and the body fully
Identified After Edwin, who was ir
the front Office of the establishment.
was thoroughly satisfied he had pos
session of his brothers body he had
it placed in a plain coffin, still wrap
ped In blanket The body was
brought to Baltimore, Edwin return
ing on the same train The transfer
and reinterment in Greenmount we're
made without newspaper comment
which Edwin was particularly desiic-
GUS to prevent If possible, and bur o
few persons were aware OF what had
been done until some considerable
time afterwardi
"Ten years afterward the writes
had the above story Of the transfer O.
the body Of the assassin. and its re-
interment In the Booth lot IN Green.
mount, confirmed by Mr.. Edwin Booth
himself, who, although never yolun-
tarily referring 10 the painful sub
iect never surrounded it with any
mystery"