The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-07-05

sage On d SosefnmeLl steamer IOI
Washington. ,.as
Let US now retura TO the evening
when Jet and his friends visited my
fathers house.
After meeting with failure I o be en-
tertained, Jet went To Mr.. CARROTS
where, after stating the urgent neces-
open hospitality.
He said that the no men were sol
diers from the confederate army. that
they came originally from the north,
and that they were afraid TO return
home at present, and wished to remain
south until excitement had passed
away; besides a wounded foot made
travel painful and irksome.
This satisfied M. Garrett. Jett
ven on to Bowling Green, the county
seat of Caroline county, situated on
the main highway of travel from Port
Royal, about eighteen miles distant.
The short stay of the visitors with
Mr.. Garrett must have been full Of
Intense excitement AID dread. Nothing
of course. was said by Booth to dis
close his identity
y The circulars, warning persons a
gainst ~harbOring him, were freely cast
abroad over the country.
4. One morning. while all were sitting
at the breakfast table, one of the Gar
rett boys, who had been into the viii
lage for mail and who had one
Of the circulars, publishing great re-
ward for the capture OF Booth, remark
ed as he read it, This is a nice sum
to have just now. BY Joe, if | might
find this Mr.. Booth, | should be tempt
ed to get possession of it." We may
imagine that his did no Iend to al
lay the alarm and mental anguish
which Mr. Booth suffered, as he sat
and heard himself made the subject
of such remarks. Put nothing was
said or done by him to cause the
slightest suspicion that so notorious
able roof.
! In this way passed on the usual mo-
notOny of life with the CARROTS IN
til the evening when the body of troop
ers crossed the river at the village
and marched on by AIR. CARROTS gate
on their way to Bowling Green The
trail Of the detective was growing watm
and the game was about to be f1ush7s
ed.
When from the house which was
I,1+ oL~r% ~ 49,
main road, Booth saw the soldiers
close upon him, he told Mr.. Gar
rett that he would go off into the
woods, since his presence might give
trouble if he was found there. He re-
! peated his excuse that he was a
northern man, fighting on the south
ern side. and might not have been jill
cluded in the amnesty granted by the
government. This was plausible to Mr..
Garrett and dit not excite any sus-
piciOn.
Into the woods Booth went accom-
panied by Harold.
A short time after dark. and after
the soldiers had disappeared they re-
turned, and requested that they might
he allowed to sleep in an old tobacco
barn during the night This was read
lily granted.
way, of logs with openings between the
logs through which air might enter
for the curing of tobacco. The place
was at that time, empty, save some
straw and a few farming implements
Here Booth was to spend his last night
on earth. He had a pistol with him.
When the cavalry passed the house
of Mr. Garrett, they ,Cde into Bowling
Green. There they captured Jet 1t
has always been believed by our people
that he betrayed Booth and disclosed
his whereabouts.
This is probable, as he found himself
in a most perilous position. His con-
| nection with Booth had been almost
thrust upon him. 1t is but natural
to suppose that to ave himself he
made a full disclosure, and led the SOL
diers to Booths hiding place
At all events. the cavalry retraced
their steps, and arrived at MI. Gar
| rett's just before day break.
They awoke Mr.. Garrett, and de-
manded that he give up a stranger
whom he was entertaining. Mr.. Gar
rett admitted that there was a stran-
| ger with him, and said that he was
asleep in his barn. To this place all
proceeded. It was toO dark to dis
Germ objects in the barn, but on the
outside they could be readily seen by
those inside. The door was opened
and the stranger was ordered to come
forth.
Booth de1ed them and swore that he
would kill the first man who entered.
He asked with great bravado that a