The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-05-04
THE FLIGHT AND FINAL CAPTURE
OF BOOTHS ACCOMPLISH, SURRATT

arrived at his mothers home In Wash
inston. While making a change OF
gnderclothing he showed a friend.
Louis j. Wiechmann. who boarded In
.ne mouse some of the gold he had
received This money was represent
ed at the trial OF Booths associates
as part OF the price paid by the Con
ieuerate government for the murder
OF Lincoln.
Having refreshed himself at home.
Surratt continued his journey. The
next day he called at Booths home. In
New York. and was told Booth was
not there. On April 6 Surratt arrived
at Montreal. registered at the ST
Lawrence Hall Hotel as John Harri-
son, and delivered his dispatches TO
General Edward G. Lee. a Confederate
omcer. They related to the money
affairs OF Confederate agents in Can
ada
| Sent to Elmira az a Spy.
Surratt remained In Montreal until
April IL, when he was sent BY Gen
era1 Lee 10 Elmira, y. Y, TO make
sketches of the Federal prison there,
with view to a delivery of the Con
federate prisoners IL contained. for
the Confederates in Canada did not
realize that the war was virtually at
an end.
Surratt arrived in Elmira next day.
registering at the Brainard House as
John Harrison. He sketched the
prison and retired about 10 o'clock.
The next morning at breakfast he
heard that the President had been
assassinated. but did not hear the
name OF the Assassin. 1T never oc-
| CURED to me for an instant that II
could have been Booth" he after
ward declared
His mind was on Booth. neverthe-
/ n In tnl nh ~
ice and sent a message addressed -.
w. B." TO Booths home In New York,
graph me-"
AS he passed the message through
the wicket he heard man say,
Junius. Edwin and John Wilkes" II
then flashed upon his mind that Booth
was the assassin.
He took the message away from the
operator but It was too late. The
man had seen II. Tossing IL back
walked out of the ONCE.
The bells were tolling. minute guns
| were booming. flags were az half
stan. Everybody was discussing the
assassination: but as yet Surratt did
not know the part ascribed TO him in
the crime.
Sought a. an Assassin.
Surratt wished. however. to leave
lElmira. He wanted to go to Balti-
b, more, but there was no train. lie
took train to Canandaigua. and. ar
irving there found there would be no
train out until Monday morning. II be-
ing Saturday night.
House as John Harrison. sunday he
went TO church. Monday morning at
breakfast he rad in a paper: The as
sassin OF William III. Seward and ais
son Is John II. Surratt" He could
scarcely believe his senses. lie read
the words over and over, Then. with
an effort at calmness. he paid his dill
! and left the hotel. taking a train 70
Albany and thence TO Montreal
On the morning of April Is he was
back at his hotel there. registered,
! and in a short time took his bag ana
left. He had found a friend, Con-
federate sympathizer named Porter
field. who would shelter him in MS
house.
Surratt was a week at Porterfield's.
while detectives from Washington. &C.
lcompanied by Wlechmann, sought him
In Montreal. Their search led TO his
hiding place, which he left just be
fore their arrival
Leaving Montreal in a cab with a
friend, Surratt drove nine miles down
the ST. Lawrence. Securing n canoe
they crossed the river and struck on
lsouthward. Their objective was the
village OF ST. Liboure. 40 miles south.
On the evening OF April p surratt
and his friend were received into the
home Of Rev. Charles Boucher. a no
man Catholic priest AZ st LAboure.
Surratt gave bis name az Charles
Armstrong. and said that he was IN
ldiniculties over the American war.
and was travelling for his health.
Qar.ssd 4. D.-.t &c..