Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-06

the navy yard at Washington and then
seen on a steamer in the river.
After the death of Booth strong doubt
existed whether the body brought to the
navy yard at Washington was that of
the man who had assassinated the pres-
dent. In fact, it was openly asserted it
was not the body. Probably in conse-
quence of this commission of high func-
tionarleS of the government was formed
to obtain evidence as to it's identification,
and | received summons to appear be-
fore il. As | very busily, and. |
thought. more uSefully engaged in rem
derins service TO the living than in exam
ming the bodies of the dead. and as no
authority for the summons was shown. |
did not respond to it. But in short
time a second and more peremptorI II .es-
age came, directing me TO appear before
the commission. and. at that time the
Inter arma silent leges' power WAS in
full force. | deemed ii most prudent to
obey. | therefore started for the navy
yard with my son, then a mere lad, how
a practicing physician in this CITY. ON
my way a third messenger was met on
his way to my house, who was no less
than the chief of the detective corps. the
roted Col. Baker
He returned. conducted me on board
cabin. where the commissioners were
ing my contumacy, / was very politely
received. I was then told it had been
stated to them / had removed a tumor
from the neck of Booth. and they
wished to know if / would identify
the body, go on deck and examine it
thoroughly and make my report. The
body was on deck, completely concealed
by tarpaulin cover. and Surgeon Cen
eral Barnes and his assistants standing
near it. BY his order the cover was
removed, and. to my great astonish-
ment. revealed body in whose Inca
ments there was to me no resemblance
surprise was SO great ] at once said
to Gen. Barnes. There is no resem-
blance in that corpse to Booth. nor can
! believe it to be that of him. After
looking at il for u few moments /
asked, Is there scar upon the back
of it's neck? He replied There is. and
l said. If that is the body of Booth
let me describe the scar before it is
seen by'me.' and | did so as to its posi-
ton, its size and its general appear
ance SO accurately as to cause him to
say, You have described the scar as
well as if you were looking at II. and
it looks, you have described IT. more
like cicatrix of burn than that
naue DE d opeTdliol HC
body being then turned, the back OF
the neck was examined and my mark
was Enthusiastically found by me upon
it. And 1t being afterward. at my re-
quest, placed i'm a sitting position.
standing and looking down upon 1T. |
was finally enabled to imperfectly rec
ognize the features of Booth.
But never in a human being had
greater change taken place from the
man whom / had seen in the vigor of
life and health as in that of the hag
gard corpse which was before me in
its yellow and discolored skin. its un-
kempt and matted hair and it's whole
facial expression sunl~n and sharpened
by the exposure and starvation 1t had
The right lower limb was
greatly confused and perfectly black
from a fracture of one of the long
bones of the leg.
AN autopsy was then made by the
assistants of Gen. Barnes. which proved
that the bullet which killed him had
passed between two of the vertebrae Of
the neck. causing their fracture and
lesion of the spinal cord. The body
was secretly and at night buried in the