Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-12
JOHN WILKES BOOTH
What Archives of Navy Depart
ment Show.
PUT ON BOARD A MONITOR
Joint Order of Secretaries Welles and
Stanton.
PUT ON BOARD A MONITOR
SECRETLY TAKEN BY COL. BAKER
Letter of Commandant of Navy Yard
to Secretary of Navy Re
senting the Action.


There has always been more or less mys-
terry regarding the remains of John Wilkes
Booth. the assassin of President Lincoln.
1t has been contended that the body of
Booth was never found and was never
buried. On the other hand, relatives of
Fl 9Th asserted that they had recovered the
from the government at Washington
ana inferred the remains in cemetery at
Baltimore, Md.
Research among the archives of the Navy
Department proves conclusively that the
body of Booth was secured by the military
authorities, but what disposition was made
of the remains is still mystery. Secretary
Gideon WeIles. In a communication to the
commandant of the Washington navy yard
under date of April 10, 1865. said: IF the
military authorities arrest the murderer Of
the President and take him to the navy
yard, put him in monitor and anchor her
out in the stream with strong guard on
vessel, wharf and in navy yard. Call on
commandant of Marine Corps for guard.
Have vessel Immediately prepared ready to
receive the criminal at any hour. day or
night. He will be heavily froned and so
guarded as TO prevent escape or INJURY 10
himself"
Twelve days later April 81, 1865 the COM
manGant of the Washington navy yard re-
ported to Secretary Welles as follows:
David c. Harold. prisoner, and the re-
mains of Wilkes Booth were delivered here
at 40 this morning. The body of Booth is
changing rapidly. What disposition shall
be made of It? 1t is now on board IRON
clad Montauk.'
OF the same date a Joint order. dated 10
o'clock am, and signed by Secretaries
Welles and Stanton of the Navy and War
Departments respectively, was received at
the navy yard saying: You VIII permit
Surg. Gen. Barnes and his assistant, ac-
companied by Judge Advocate Gen. Holt,
John A Bingham Maj Eckhart, William
G. Moore Col, l.. c. Baker, Lieut.. Baker,
Lieut.. Col. Conger, Charles Dawson, ]. l..
Smith, Mr.. Gardner. photographer. and an
assistant to go on board the Montauk ana
sec the body of John Wilkes Booth, I'm
mediately after the surgeon general has
ade his autopsy, you Will have the BODY
placed in strong box and deliver II to the
charge of Col Baker, the box being care
fully sealed"
Body Removed.
Shortly before o'clock of the same day,
April q, 1866, without any intimation to
the commandant at the navy yard the
body OF Booth was suddenly and secretly
taken from the Montauk by Col. Baker, who
had brought It early in the morning of the
So me day.
This mode of procedure was resented by
the commandant of the navy yard, who
wrote the Secretary OF the Navy April %
1868. regarding the TRANSACTION IN TINS let-
Ter the COMMUNICATE says. by IeLeSlStli
yesterday pm. L reported TO the depart
meht the removal OF lhe pooy OF tie as
sasshl booth from me MoiltAuh 10 tne
Chiled states dFsehai III clis oiS'fiSt NaH
supposed
IT have to report that the removal was
maze ehifeiy Without my hho"ieage OF
any FeIeFeaee 10 me pS re party OF ollcefS
ahd DINERS comm sSIoneH ny ile W ar an9
Navy depdI tinehIs 10 NiSi' tiie itoiIctau anu
the HfSL hllhatol' given me OF tue re-
moVal was from the executive oHcef' VINO
accompanies me iiiilteuIateiS 70 .iie "ild1t
with the we" OF aetei mining me Idet
called AT once iof eAPlAh3tioll from me
marine offlceir VINO reported that the pouy
was 80 suuueiilS anu uIeNpeGt GUY eliloNeo
10 the noat Wmeh conveyed II away that
ne mad no opportunity OF reporting before
une WORK was accomplished
inns unusuai trans cuol deprived me OF
opportunity OF lHcloslhg the poay In the
oox prepared lot IL as ofueFed by the de-
paftneHt. ne poA is no" on podFa inc
Mohtauk ana ie1aS lot oeltNefH@ Wheh
caiied lor.
Accompanying t!ie IetteI Ci the cofn-
inandaht 70 the secretary OF the Navy was
the report OF the executive oincer. ddteo
April -, Isb9, III "hich he SAID; 1t ap-
pears from the best Information can
gather from the oif1cers OF the snip that on
the 9th instant, at 100 am, tug came
alongside, on board Of which was Col.
Baker the detective, with dead body
said to be that of j. w. Booth, the assassin.
Said body was passed on board with the
implied understanding that II had been put
on board for safekeeping.
mo orders whatever were left with the
officer of the guard or the commanding
officer of the vessel concerning 1t. nor was
any written authority for disposing of
y, sNo"n most informaI and nnn,,,i,arv mo-
ceeding. which should have been nipped in
the bud The only restrictions to viewing
ehe corpse Wefe ~ en * ana w9rfmeh
sons Lrnnn r. the officars oe tt. 80, "a
navy were permitted to come on board.
lady accompanied by two naval officers
came on poard 10 Visit the snip and not to
49, no ~, IN u a's =, r,,
parnes came on hoard and without ask
inc for the cantatn Of the puard or corn
handing Officer of the vasseI or sbowtne
ON writtan au+bor,tH, nv inforp,fn an1