Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1908-06-27
BOOTH MADE ESCAPE
Fled to Mexico and Only Five Years
Ago Committed Suicide in
Oklahoma.

Detroit, Mich, June 23.-Finie L.
Bates, Of Memphis, attorney, has
published book entitled the "Es-
cape and Suicide OF John Wilkes
Booth Mr.. Bates claims to have
positive proof that Booth, the asas-
sin of President Lincoln, not only es-
capped after killing the president In
Washington in April, 1865, but lived
until 1908, committing suicide in
Oklahoma.
The author further alleges that
Booth made a confession to him
some eight years ago in which he
implicated Andrew Johnson, vice
president of the United States, as be-
ing an accomplice
Here is the main part of the con-
fession as related by Bates in his
book:
1T had never entered my head to
kill President Lincoln until the az
ternoon of the day / committed the
deed. | and others had tried for a
year and half to kidnap Lincoln
and take him to Richmond as host
age Of war We came to Washing
ton that day to make final effort,
but when we arrived in the city we
learned for he first time that Gen.
Lee had surrendered.
we went Immediately O the
Kirkwood hotel to meet Vice Presi-
dent Andrew Johnson and told him
further efforts to kidnap the presi-
dent were now useless, when John
son remarked will you falter at
this supreme moment.
Then he added: Are you too
fainted-hearted to kill him?.
The book quotes contradictory
statements by Gen. Lew Wallace,
Gen. Dana and others regarding the
disposition of the body supposed to
be that of John Wilkes Booth, one
account SITTING that it was buried
in prison yard, another that it was
buried on an island and third that
it was sunk in the Potomac river.
According to Bates story Booth,
instead of being shot by Boston Cor
bett in Virginia, April 26, 1866, es-
capped, while another of the conspi-
rators met death. Under the name
of John st. Helen, Booth is declared
to have lived in Texas and other
southern states, and to have finally
killed himself in Enid, Okla. His
confession exonerated Mrs. Surratt,
who was hanged for completely in the
crime.
Says Booth Confessed to Him.
Bates is now practicing law in
Memphis, Tenn. He claims to have
met Booth in 1872 in Glenrose Mills,
Tex, and to have represented him in
case. Booth or st. Helen, as he
was called, became i'll and made a
confession. swearing Bates to secre-
cy until after his death.
He stated that he had gone to
Ford's theater to kill Lincoln on
Johnson's promise that Gen. u. S.
Grant would not be present with the
president in his private box in the
theater, After firing the fatal shot
he left the theater and rode away
on horse held by David A. Herold.
BY means of the password given him
by johnson he was able to leave the
city that night and made his way
to farmhouse, where a man named
Rudy met him to convey him to
party of Confederate troops still I'M
captured in northern Virginia.
In getting into a wagon to hide
Booth claimed that he lost his papers,
and that these were taken by Rudy,
who was later killed by Boston Cor
bett. This cleared the way for his es-
cape, and he got away in disguise
after lying in hiding with southern
sympathizers until a fractured ankle
had healed. BY slow stages he made
his way to Mexico, living there until
he considered it safe to return to the
United States. He was disguised
throughout as a wounded Confederate
soldier.