Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-29
WHO CAPTURED BOOTH
4 TALK WITH LIEUT.. DoHERTY'S
NEPHEW.
Mr.. J. E. Hoover States That Any
Claim by Other Than His Uncle
Cannot Be Substantiated.

A bill was introduced in Congress to In
crease the pension of E. j. Conger. late
{. lieutenant colonel of the 1st D. c. Cavalry,
to $50 month"; on the ground. 1t was stat
ed, that he commanded the detachment
that captured ]. wilkes Booth, who as
sassinated President Lincoln.
Mr. ] T. Hoover of this city, a nephew
of Lieut. E L. Doherty. the man who was
In charge OF the force that followed
Booth and caught up with him In the barn
of Garrett on the 18th of April. 1865. and
who made his report to the Secretary of
War on April 20. 1885. in speaking of the
incident to a Star reporter, said:
Some historians have asserted with
great positiveness that l.. B. Baker was in
direct and immediate charge of the troops.
Others claim and maintain with similar
force but without one jOt of substantiatinS
proof, that T.. j. Conger was in command.
None of these statements can be histori-
cally proven None of them is accurate or
true. On the other hand, 1t is indisputabiy
shown that l.. B. Baker and E. J. Conger
were detectives in the employ OF Colonei
L. c. Baker, SPECIAL agent of the War De-
partment, and were detailed by Colonel
Baker to accompany the detachment and
made subject to and acted upon the ADVICE
and orders of the commanding officer
''This country's most distinguished and
cultured statesman, and the historian OF
the tragic death-John Hay, Secretary OF
state. and private secretary to Abraham
Lincoln during his administration as chief
executive-states with great clearness and
unquestionable certainty VINO the COM
mandin- officer was
Secretary Hay says that on the night or
the 95th of April 1865, Lieut.. Edward +.
Doberty In charge of a troop of the 18th
New York Cavalry, arrested, In MS ped at
Bowling Green William Jett. confederate
soldier, and forced him to guide them 10
CARROTS farm. Booth and Herold were
In harm two three hunQTeu
feet from CARROTS house. When called
upon to surrender, Booth refused. ana
threatened to shoot young Garrett, wnom
Doherty had ordered into the Darn 10 get
his arms. At this juncture parley took
place. lasting minutes. Finally,
Booth realizing that he was beyond Inc
avenues of escape, offered to hght tne
party at a hundred yards, and when TINS
offer was declined cried out in theatrical
tone. Well, my brave boys, prepare d
stretcher for me-.
"Doherty then told him that he would
fire the barn; upon this Herold came Ola
and surrendered. After relieving Herold OF
his arms the barn was fired, and while 1t
was engulfed In flames. Booth, who was
clearly visible through the cracks in the
barn, was shot by Boston Corbett, sol
der of a gloomy and fanatical disposition,
which afterward developed into insanity.
The shot fired by Corbett lodged in the
back of Booths neck. not far from where
he (Booth) had shot the President. After
lingering about three hours, manifestly in
great pain, conscious but nearly inarticu
late, Booth died at o'clock in the morn
ing.
"Adverting to the report of Lieut.. Edward
P. Dohefty, filed with the Secretary of
War on the 10Th of April, 1865, l find the
following letter from A. R. Sewall, acting
assistant adjutant general to the COM
manding officer of the 10th New York Cav
airy:
4" The major general directs that you de-
tail twenty-five men, well mounted, to be
commanded by a reliable and discreet COM
missioned officer to report at once to Col
l.. c. Baker, special agent. War Depart
ment. III Pennsylvania avenue, opposite
Wizards Hotel
THUS 1t is clearly seen and conclusively
proven that Lieut.. Doherty alone is entitled
to the credit for capturing the assassin of
President Lincoln"
1t may be stated that Lieut.. Doherty re-
ceived his share Of the reward offered by
the government for Booths capture. and
that he married in this city. where he re-
sided for some time after the close of the
war. and that there are still many citizens
who we'll remember him as an estimable
citizen.