The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-08-21
SAYS BOOTH ESCAPED.

Finis l.. Bates, of Memphis. attor
ney, has published book entitled,
THE Escape and Suicio- of John
Wilkes Booth" Mr.. Bates c."irls to
have positive proof that Boot the
assassin of President Lincoln not
only escaped after killing the presi-
dent 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
implicated Andrew Johnson, vice
president of the United States, as
being an accomplice in the murder
Here is the main part Of the con
fession as related by Bates in his
book:
"It had never entered my head to
kill President Lincoln until the af
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 n hos
tage of war. We came to Washing
ton that day TO make final effort,
but when we arrived in the city we
learned for the first time that Gen
eral Lee had surrendered.
1--WE went Immediately to the Kirk
wood Hotel to meet Vice President
Andrew Johnson and told him fur
ther efforts to kidnap the president
were now useless, when Johnson re-
marked: "Will you falter at ihis
supreme moment?
Then he added Are you too
faint-hearted to kill him?"
The book quotes contradictory
statements by General Lew Wallace.
General Dana and others regarding
the disposition OF .ls .y,T osed
to be that of John Wilkes Booth, one
account stating that It was buried in
a prison yard, another that 1t was
buried on an island and third that
1t was sunk in the Potomac River.
According to Bates story Booth,
instead of being shot by Boston
Corbett in Virginia, April 20, 1865,
escaped while another of the con
spirators 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 exonerates Mrs. Sur
ratt 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 case. Booth, or st. Helen as
he was called, became i'll and made
a confession, swearing Bates No
secrecy until after his death
He stated that he had gone to
Fords Theater to kill Lincoln on
Johnsons promise that General u.
s. Grant would not be present with
the president in his pivate box In
the theatre. 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 farmhouse, where
man named Rully net him to con.
vey him to party of Confederate
troops still uncaptured in Northern
Virginia.
In getting into wagon TO hide
Booth claimed that he lost his pa
pers and that these were taken by
Ruddy, who was later killed by
Boston Corbett. This cleared the
way for his escape, and he got away
in disguise after lying in hiding with
Southern sympathizers until frac.
tured ankle had healed BY slow
stages he made his way to Mexico.
living there until he considered il
safe to return to the United States.
lie was disguised throughout as a
wounded Confederate soldler.--New