The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-12-31
Boston COrbett Is Located in
Atlanta Prison.
Escaped From Topeka Asylum
Many Years Ago.
LOCATION UNKNOWN.
Man Who Killed John Wilkes
Booth Thought Dead.
Warden McClaughry Was the
Man to Discover Him.

Leavenworth, Kan, Dec 31-"Bos-
ton" Corbett, the soldier who shot
John Wilkes Booth, the assassinator of
PRESIDENT Lincoln. has been found in
the federal prison at Atlanta, Ga, after
being lost to the world for years Many
years ago Corbett escaped from the
state insane asylum at Topeka, Kan,
and from that day his whereabouts
have been unknown.
M w McClaughry, special agent of
the department of Justice in supervision
OF the finger print bureau for the iden-
tihcation of prisoners, discovered Cor
cett through the records of the At
lanta prison. Several weeks ago he re-
ceiyed the records of number of pris-
oners there for his files in Washington.
Among them were the photograph and
record card Of one John Corbett, alias
that he thought he was so years old and
mad been confined in four insane asy
lumS, among them the Kansas state
asylum at Topeka.
While looking over the records one
day the idea struck McClaughry that
this might be the original Boston"
Corbett- He took the prison photograph
in the Lincoln museum in Washington
and there compared 1t with an old pic
ture of Corbett, the boy soldier, who
shot Booth The faces were evidently
the same, allowing for the alteration
that the years of hard life would make.
The more convincing evidence was in
the identity of the ears In the old
photograph the formation of the ears
is plainly shown. When compared
with those in the photograph of the
criminal they were found to be identi-
cal. 1t is a scientific fact established
by the Bertillon system that the form
and size of the human ear does not
change in life. The face is that of a
man between 80 and 20 years old.
The curator of the museum concurs
with McClaughry in the opinion that
the men are Identical
The officials of the prison at Atlanta
have questioned Corbett and he has ad-
mitted that he is the original Boston"
He told them of his escape from the
asylum at Topeka and of a sojourn in
the north. He says that he has been
confined in four insane asylums in as
many states. He has. since his escape.
been through Iowa, Nebraska and Illi-
nois.
Corbett was tried in the United States |
court at San Angelo, Texas, for per- |
Jury and sentenced to three years I'M |
prisonment in the federal prison at |
Atlanta, Ga. His time will expire on |
February Is. At the prison he is con- |
sidered an eccentric but is far from in |
sane.
Corbett enlisted in a-Kansas regiment |
during the civil war and was later
transferred to an eastern organization.
He was a member Of Col. Bakers regt-
ment which went in pursuit of Booth |
after he escaped from Washington. He |
shot Booth while he was secreted in |
burning barn a few miles from the city. |
Corbett was then 10 years old.
When his regiment was disbanded he
returned to Kansas and located near
Concordia. He lived in terror of his |
neighbors who disliked him. He was
daily in receipt Of threatening letters !
supposed to have been written by con
federates, who declared vengeance on |
him for the death of Booth. In the |
fields and in his tiny dugout on his |
forty acre farm near Concordta he wore |
Iov q If
Every man that drew near him was
halted and questioned. 1t was eternal
vigilance.
This vigilance frequently got Cor
bett into trouble ana one Gay SoIlIe
20 years ago he held up neighbor
who came on harmless mission. This
neighbor swore out a warrant Tor MS
arrest The constable, John Linton,
went out to arrest him: The constaDIe
went back to town with vivid pic
ture of Corbett in action impressed on
his mind. Two deputy sheriffs were
sent after him. but it was several
weeks before they could get MIN,
The trial was held in Concord1a-
William Krumm, lieutenant of police,
was living in the town at that time
and well remembers the trial, which
has since become tradition OF Con-
cordia.
Corbett sat listening to the testi-
rnony of his neiehbors and when a
statement was made that displeased
him he promptly called the WITNESS
liar in open court. The judge, A. b.
Chaffee, demonstrated several times
and threatened to fine Corbett for con-
tempt of court. Corbett paid no at
tention and soon after, repeated his
assertion that the witnesses were
liars.
.'I will fine you for contempt of
court" said Judge Chaffee. ut is the
decision of this court that you John
Corbett-
Corbett jumped to his feet and
swung a pair of revolvers in a threat
ening semi-circle over the crowd in
the court room.
''This court is adjourned" he bel
lowed.
The Judge, witnesses and bailif
fell over each other getting down the
narrow stairs and out of the court
room. Corbett leisurely made his way
home and was unmolested.
Tt was perhaps year later ne was
arrested, tried for insanity and sent
10 the asylum at Topeka. One day he
slipped out and mounted horse tied
nearby by some mysterious friend and
was gone. That was the last of Cor
bett Many times afterward he was
reported to have been killed or to I
have died in some institution but in
vestigation of each case failed to find
the real Corbett.
Kelsey for Commissioner.
Scott Kelsey. who has spent thirty
Of bic life resident of Shaw |