Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-12

confess 1 feel more easy as the prisoner
at the bar than l do as lecturer. Then
I felt confident of success; now I do not
Then / had gentlemen of known ability
to do all my talking for me, now. unfor-
tunately. have to do 1t for myself, and
l feel lily capable of performing the task;
still I hope you will all judge me kindly
l am not here to surprise you by an orator
ical effort-not at all-but only to tell a
simple tale. feel that some explanation.
perhaps. indeed. an apology, is due you
for my appearance here this evening. In
presenting this lecture before the public
do 1t in no spirit Of justification. In
! the trial of sixty-one days l made my
/ defense to the world, and have no need or
desire to rehearse 1t: nor do appear for
| self gorifca ton. On the contrary, l dis
like notoriety and leave my solitude and
! ohscurity unwilingly Neither is II an
| itching for notoriety or fame. / stand
here through the force OF that which has
obliged many other men to do things quite
! as stasteful-pecuniary necessity. for the
supply of which no more available chan
mel presented itself This is reason
easily appreciated So you will take IL
kindly l trust as the ground we have to
go over together will guarantee sufficient
interest to repay your kind attention. In
this my first lecture I will speak of my
| introduction to ]. Wilkes Booth. his plan
| its falure-our final separation-my trip
from Richmond and thence to Canada-then
| by orders to Elmira-what was done there
the first intimation l had OF MT LIN
| concealment there. and final departure for
| Europe At the breaking out Of the war
! was a student at ST. Charles College In
Maryland but did not remain long there
! after that important event. / left in July.
| 1861 and returning home commenced to
! take active part in the stirring events
of that period. I was not more than eight
! cen years of age, and was mostly en-
gagged in sending information regarding
the movements of the United States troops
| stationed In Washington and elsewhere,
and carrying dispatches to Confederate
| boats on the Potomac.
Evaded the Detectives.
We had regular established line from
Washington to the Potomac, and. being
the only unmarried man on the route,
had most of the hard riding to do. laugh
teri I devised various ways to carry
the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. in the heel of
my boots, sometimes between the planks
of the buggy. confess that never in my
life did I come across a more stupid set
Of detectives than those generally en-
ployed by the United States government
They seemed to have no idea Whatever
! Maryland and moved to Washington,
| where / took still more active part In
the stirring events of that period 1t was
| a fascinating life to me. 1t seemed as II
l could not do too much or run too great
/! risk
In the fall Of 1864 was introduced to
| John Wilkes Booth. who. was given to
understand. wished to know something
about the main avenue leading from
Washington to the Potomac. We met sew
eral times but as he seemed to be very
reticent with regard to his purposes and
very anxious to get all the information
out of me he could, refused to tell him
anything at all.
| At last I said to him: 1T Is useless for
YOU Mr. Booth, to seek any information
from me at ALL know who you are and
;y,fo
He hesitated some time, but finally said
he would make known his views to me
provided 1 would promise secrecy.
I replied: Il will do nothing Of the kind.
You know we'll am a southern man. If
you cannot trust me we will separate
He then said: II will confide my plans
to you, but before doing so l will make
known to you the motives that actuate
me. In the northern prisons are many
thousands of our men whom the United
States government refuses to exchange.
You know as we'll as / the efforts that
have been made to bring about the de-
sired exchange. Aside from great suffer-
ing they are compelled to undergo, we are
sadly in want of them as soldiers. We
cannot spare one man. whereas the United
States government is willing to let its own
she has no need of them. 1 have a
proposition to submit to you. which l
think if We can carry out would bring
about the desired exchange"
Closeted in Secret
There was a long and ominous silence
which l at last was compelled to break
by asking, Well sir, what is your propo-
sit:on?"
He sat quiet for an instant, and then.
before answering me. arose and looked
under the bed. into the wardrobe. in the
doorway and the passageway, and then
said. I'VE will have to be careful, walls
have ears
He then drew his chair close to me and
In whisper said, 1T is to kidnap Presi-
dent Lincoln and carry him off to Rich
mond."
.'kidnap President Lincoln,' / said. 1
confess that l stood aghast at the propo-
sition. and looked upon 1t as foohardy
undertaking. To think of successfully
seiZing Mr.. Lincoln in the capital of the
United States. surrounded by thousands
of his soldiers, and carrying him off to
Richmond looked to me like a foolish
idea. l told him much. He went on
. TO tell with what facility he could he
seized in and about Washington. as COR
: example In his various rides to and from
, the Soldiers Home, has summer residence
He entered into minute details Of the pro-
posed capture. and OF the various parts
to he performed by the actors in the per-
| formanCe / was Observation-Disclosures
and in fact. I might also say, frighten-