The Detroit times., 1908-06-11
L|NC0LN'S SLAYER
LIVED TILL 1903
IS CLAIM
BOOK TO BE PUBLISHED HERE
TO TELL STORY OF ALLEGED
ESCAPE OF JOHN WILKES
BOOTH AFTER ASSASSINATION.

A book is soon to be published In
Detroit which will cause something
OF stir. IL Is called the Escape and
Suicide OF John Wilkes Booth" and
Its author. Finis L. Bates. an attorney.
claims TO have positive proof that
Booth, the assassin OF President Lin
coin. not only escaped after killing the
president In Washington In April,
1865. but lived until 1903. committing
suicide In Oklahoma
The author further alleges that
Booth made confession to him some
eight years ago In which he impli-
Gated Andrew Johnson. vice-president
OF the United States, as being an ac-
complete in the murder.
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 after
| noon OF the day committed the deed.
I and others had tried for year and
hoih w hAuhdp anu ldhG hiih
10 Richmond as a hostage OF war. We
came to Washington that day to make
final effort, but when we arrived in
the city, we learned for the first time
that Gen. Lee had surrendered. We
went Immediately to the Kirkwood
hotel to meet Vice-President Andrew
Johnson and told him further efforts
TO kidnap the president were now use
less. when Johnson remarked: viii
you falter at this supreme moment?'
Then he added: Are you toe
faint-hearted to kill him."
The book quotes contradictory state
ments by Gen. Lew Wallace, Gen. Da-
ma and others regarding the DISPOSE
ton Of the body supposed to be that
Of John Wilkes Booth, one account
stating that he was buried In prison
yard. another that he was buried on
an island and a third that his body
was sunk In the Potomac river.
According to Bates story, Booth, in
stead Of being shot by Boston Cor
bett In Virginia. April 26 1865. es-
capped. while another OF the conspira-
tors met death. Under the name OF
John st. Helen, Booth Is declared to
have lived in Texas and other south.
ern states and TO have finally killed
himself in Enid. Okla. His confes-
sion exonerates Mrs. Surratt, who was
hanged for completely In the crime.
Bates is now practicing law In
Memphis, Tenn. He claims to have
met Booth In 1872 in Glenrose Mills.
Texas. and to have represented him
in a case. Booth. or St Helen as he
was called, became Ill and made a
confession. swearing Bates to secrecy
until after his death.
He stated that he had gone to
Ford's theater to kill Lincoln on John
sons promise that Gen. Y. S. Grant
would not be present with the presi-
dent In his private box in the theater.
After firing the fatal shot he left the
theater and rode away on a 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 a farm house
where a man named Rudy met him
20 convey him to a party OF Confed-
crate troops still uncaptured In north
err Virginia.
In getting into wagon to hide,
Booth claimed that he lost his papers
and that these were taken by Ruddy
who was later killed by Boston Cor
bett This cleared the way for his
escape and he got away in disguise
after lying in hiding with southern
sympathizers until fractured ankle
had healed. BY slow stages he made
his way to Mexico. living there until
he considered II safe TO return to the
United States He was disguised
soldier.
The book Is published by Newton
Hayes. publisher OF the Retail Drug
gist.