The Washington herald., 1915-04-11
By WINFIELD M. THOMPSON.

JOHN WILL
This picture shows the assassin he appeared W
=. resolution to murder him From the
While the National Capital was re-
joicing over the surrender Of Lee and
the end of the war. and while Presi-
dent Lincoln, newly come from captured
Petersburg and Richmond. was receiv-
ing the joyous congratulations of many
callers at the White House. there passed
in and out among the happy crowds in
Washington. on streets. in hotels, thea
tiers. and other public places. young
man whose mind was centefed on killing
the President
This was John Wilkes Booth. He was
not like the traditional assassin. skulk-
ing with lowering brow and furtive eye.
but bright and gay, with a winsome
manner that disarmed suspicion and
made men like him on sight
Watching and waiting to take Lin
coins life. he went blithely from place
to place. busy with his plans of death.
yet apparently carefree and even joy
Gus. He had moved thus for months
about Washington. and also on various
journeys. long and short-to Baltimore
New York. Boston. and Montreal-lead-
ing what seemed a normal life. yet al
fall Of Lincoln.
At first he had planned to kidnap the
President. take him South, and offer
him in exchange for all the Confederate
prisoners held in the North. This plan
falling, he had embraced the dark pur-
pose Of assassination. and had nour-
ished 1t secretly in his bosom until 1t
mastered him and controlled his every
thought.
In his first plan Booth had drawn
about him such persons as he needed
for his work and could control without
explanations. When that plan failed he
held most of these dupes about him. to
do his bidding in the darker work. He
had no confidants. no advisers. no part
ners; all the persons he enmeshed in
his net Of crime were subjects of his
will. obeying him blindly and at times
unwillingly.
Booths Beauty of Person.
The personality and occupation of
John Wilkes Booth combined to afford
him unusual facilities for the dispatch
Of his crime. for by reason of them his
gotngs and comings were not questioned.
His family name was known all over
the country. As an actor he was at
home wherever there was a theater. II
he chose to spend week in Baltimore
or In Boston. or a month in Washington,
his professional connections gave proper
color to his movements: and wherever
he went he won mems hearts.
Booth was q years old. He was de-
scribed as tall and full of slender
grace" His features were regular. his
eyes large, black and very expressive,
and his curling black hair fell over a
white and intellectual brow
He WAS horn RAJ MOO,
more. Nd. in 1888. the youngest but one
Of the ten children Of Junius Brutus
Booth, who, although a famous actor.
drank to excess. and was at times in
sane In consequence. He died in 1857.
OF his sons. two became famous on the
stage. They were Junius Brutus and Ed
win Booth. John Wilkes might have won
fame like theirs, except for Incidence.
But he was q graceful and charming
hgure on the stage and his intermittent
appearances were sufficient to yield him
q liberal income.
On the night Of November Is, 1864. all
three brothers appeared in a performance
OF Julius Caesar at the Winter Garden
Theater on Broadway. New York. oppo-
the performance. Julius was cast as
Cassius. Edwin a. Brutus and John as
Marc Antony.
When Booth thus appeared with his
gifted brothers his mind was already full
OF his project to kidnap the President.
and with finding associates. He had al
ready secured in Baltimore, in Septem-
Der. two recruits. They were Samuel Ar
mold and Michael O'LAughlin. who had
been his schoolmates. Both had served
In the Confederate army.
DSOth In Maryland.
In October Booth had visited Montreal
and had deposited funds in bank there.
apparently for use in the event Of failure
and flight. He may also have communi-
Gated his plan to the Confederate COM
missioners there. though there IL no evil
dencs on this point.
Returning from Canada. Booth went
into Maryland to make arrangements
for transporting his captive and crossing
the Potomac. He carried letter from
Q Confederate sympathizer in Montreal
to citisen Of Charles County. DR..
Queen. whose guest he was for Satur-
day night With his winning ways. his
Southern sympathies and q plausible
story that he was looking about for q
country placs that he might buy, Booth
quickly won the confidence Of the people
h met here. To some he gave . hint
Of his plan.
sssvscs at q Mary's Catholic Church.
near Bryantown. and there was intro
auced 10 . Iocal pAysician, Dr.. Samuel
A. EuoA Booth asked DR.. Mudd II he
knew Of any one who had horse to sell.
Tho Aocfoe id. invited Booth to his home
and introduced him TO Z neighbor who
ooA hfm 9 hoToa Doo4h slept af DIR.
Nu11's hsuss that night
IA1D Vao tho boy1nninG ofe an &C.
suastaaee. g p eeaans1 % three med