The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-04-24
CAUGHT IN WASH OF TIDE AND
ARE CARRIED UP RIVER
TWELVE MILES.
Narrowly Escape Capture by Federal
Gunboats-Finslly Land Again
in Maryland.
(By WINFIELD N. THOMPSON

(By WINFIELD NJ. THOMPSON)
Saying farewell to their friend in
need. Thomas A. Jones. the one-time
blockade unner" Of the Potomac.
who. from compassion and without
price. had guided them TO the river.
the assassin and mis- companion. Her
old, showed on In their skin from the
Maryland shore TO cross to Virginia in
the evening OF Friday. April 81. almost
AZ the hour that Booth. days be
fore, had fired the fatal shot at Lin
coin.
The little cove in which they had
en-. barked. Dents Meadow. was calm
and still. but as Herold rowed tine
boat out of IL in the white fog hat
soon obliterated all traces Of the bank
tho two heard In the broad river a
sound unfamiliar to either the rover
or the desperate. pain raCked nan
who sat In the stern seat n care
fully shielded with an oil Goa the can
do that lighted his compass.
II was the wash OF the food tide. OF
which Jones had failed to warn them.
{ ran strong In the channel and over
the shadows In the great stream. here
i've miles wide. In a short time the
voyagers we're in its grasp. being
swept steadily up stream. though they
sought by the aid OF the compass
needle to keep the boats head toward
the Virginia shore. where they hoped
TO effect a landing al MachodOc creek
Booth and Heroid had set out from
a point near Popcs creek Above there
the river makes a great turn around
Matthias Point. on the Virginia shore.
the actual course in consequence be
Ing for some miles nOrtheastward.
As they were swept into this great
bend the refugees lost their bearings
completely. Booth anxiOusly held the
candle over the Compas glass until
its drippings Obscured the rapid turn
ings 81 The card beneath. but Herold
could not lay a course from his
promptlnEs that brought them 10 land.
Near Federal Gunbosta
Hour after hour Herold rowed. lie
was not robust. and this labor prob
ably was the hardest he had ever done
I'm his life. His hands we're blistered
and his body ached
What passed between tho two men
as they YEARLY kept on. wrapped In
the FOG and darkness. cannot BE- told
Booth may have menaced Herold 10
keep hin. busy a. the oars. or tho
alarms they suffered may have been
spur enough 90 the poor youth.
OFTEN through the fog they could
hear sounds that told them they we're
ear boats. once A. was tho sound
q talking, again the splash ~ paddle
wheels The war patrol Of the river
by Federal gunbOats had not ceased
when the hue and CRY for Booth went
out. and own the river vas policed
with added vigilance 10 catch the a.
sassin. n possible. IN his passage %
the rver-for by this time he had
been traced into Charles county. Md.
Once they we're 30 near a gunboat
hey eaw its form loom through the
fog Resting on his oars and holding
his breath. We may believe. Herold al
lowed the skin 70 drift with tho tide
In the envelopinE gloon 20 safety
Had they been detected and had a
boat seized them there. blood doubt
less would have been spilled. for
Booth was armed with a carblne and
two pistols. and vas resolved that he
would never BE- taken alive
Ashore Again N Maryland.
A. last. - the deep era Of the
night va tightening under the ap
preaching day. they found themselves
on the edge OF the current In quiet
water and the shore appeared. Herold