Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-04-26

| To have been mistaken for John
Wilkes Booth or one of his accom-
| nlices. and to have been arrested on
, a charge of completely in the assas-
sin,,a ton of President Abraham Lincoln,
/ was the experience of w. D.. Bower,
/ a. half century ago. Mr.. Bower. for
more than forty years a resident or
State Center. has seldom spoken Of
his exciting adventure at Rockford,
! Ill.,. in April. 1865. but after seeing
"The Birth of a Nation" in this city
recently he became reminiscent and
recalled the event, which undoubted-
~ was the most thrilling in his career.
Bower was young man in IS and
was then living on his fathers farm.
bout twenty miles south of Rockford.
lie frequently visited the city and 1t
CHANGED that on the Monday following
the death of Lincoln he went to Rock
ford on business He went to the
hotel at which he was accustomed to
stop and was shown to room in an
addition to the building, the only ac-
, cess to the room being from an out
side stairway. The house was crowd
ed that night and young Bower had to
be content with sharing his room with
two others.
The landlord, well known to Bower,
took the lad to his room and told him
the other occupants of his sleeping
quarters probably would be in later.
Bower, like every one else in Rockford
that night. had but one thought in
mind-the Staying of the president and
the big rewards offered for the appre-
hension and arrest of the ConspiratorS.
Rudely Awakened From Sleep.
Bower fell into a fitful sleep and
shortly after midnight was suddenly
awakened by the clamp of n hand
upon his shoulder. Half awake the
young man suddenly sat up in bed to
find his couch surrounded by ten or
dozen determined looking men. At the
foot of his bed stood a man with
kerosene lamp. which threw faint
light upon the invaders of his room.
and by his side stood an officicus
looking individual who had laid his
hand upon the young mans shoulder.
The startled youth moved as to
throw off the hand of his tormenter
bot the right hand of the latter. grip
ping "A heavy revolver. went to the
boys head and he could feel the cold
steel pressed against his temple.
You'd better surrender" came the
command. and the lad felt the barrel
of the gun against his head. His act
ions of the previous day flashed thru
his mind, but he could recall nothing
which should have caused his arrest.
He tried to recover his composure. but
his strength failed as the menacing
weapon was pressed closer to his head.
What do you want me for?" he
asked family.
You know what we want you for"
was the answer. Here. you fellows"
the officious one continued, search his
Clothes
Young Bower demonstrated and in
sisted on knowing why he was under
suspicion. The search of his clothing
apparently failing to reveal any con-
nection of Bower with the crime for
which he was wanted, the officer be-
came impatient.
Come" he said. I'VE want you for
the assassination of Lincoln"
Young Bower. a patriotic youth, re-
covered his compoSure instantly.
"If that's what you want me for.
take me along" he cried. Il can soon !
prove my innocence" ,..kz-
Given a chance to explain, Bower !
told who he was and what he vas do |
ing in Rockford. The landlord was !
called, identified the boy. and then ad-
monished the sheriff and his posse for !
their action.
Talk in Sleep Responsible.
Explanations followed and it devel-i
oped that the other occupants of the !
room. coming in late. discovered Bow !
er and. in their fancy, pictured the
sleeping lad as Booth or one of his
fellow conspirators In his sleep, so
they asserted, the farmer boy had
shouted sic semper tyrannus" and !
had moaned, They'll get me; they'll
get me-"
with the big reward in mind the two
men FASTENED to impart their suspic |
ions to the sheriff, who at once as
sembled a posse to make the arrest !
No one had thought of the landlord. |