The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1920-12-02

mission as major by brevet in April,
1865, from Presiden Andrew jackson,
for gallant and meritorous conduct
before Petersburg" Other commits
sions followed swiftly and honors were
poured upon the gallant soldier. He
was made lieutenant colonel july 8,
1865, by the president, as his commits
sion states ''for special and efficient
service during the confinement, trial
and execution of the conspirators.
Col. Rath's connection with the exc
cution of Mrs. Surratt and the other
traitors who planned the death Of the
Union leaders, is matter Of history.
Washington was under martial law at
the time of their trial and they we're
turned over TO him. The conspiracy
itself was one of the most terrible ever
known and was planned by John Wilkes
Booth.
A Selena, Ala, paper of December,
1864, opened a subscription fund to eff
feet the assassination Of Lincoln, Sew
ard and Johnson, who were hated
throughout the south. The feeling was
so strong that a letter found in the
Confederate archives from one Lieut..
Alston shows the bitterness felt to-
ward Abraham Lincoln better than
anything else
This Confederate officer wrote jeff
Davis after Lincolu's S reelection, offer
ing TO rid the country of some of her
deadliest enemies by striking at the
very hearts blood of some of those
who seek to euchain her i'm slavery. 30
This shameless proposal was referred
To the secretary of war and finally sent
to the Confederate adiutant general
endorsed. "tor attention. "
A little band of malignant secession !
lists, consisting of John Wilkes Booth.
an actor Of q family of famous play
ers: Louis Powell. alias Payne. "a dis /
banded rebel soldier from Florida
George ALerodJa former coaehm8ker,
spy and blockade runner of the P0tl- |
mac David r. Her0d. drug clerk /
Samuel Arnold and Michael O'Laugh- |
In. Maryland secesslOnist and Confed- /
crate soldiers, and John II. SuTatt. /
met at the home of Mrs. Mary h. Sur
ratt, ail H. street, in Washington. ID. &. |
AT this time Christian Rath was
provost marshal of the city, and since .
was under martial law. hc
was brought into intimate connection
with the cunsp.rat0rs. Booth was the
It9der of the traitors. He was q young
man ot 26, strkiugly handsome with /
hs pale olive face. dark Ceys and ease
and grace at manner inherited from his
theatrical ancestors.
Booth was a fanatical secessiouist.
lie had assisted at the capture and eN-
acutlon OF John Brown, and had a furi-
1us spirit " resentment against ] in-
.olu and the Union party. After Linz
,.on was reelected Booth. stung bv
appointment. went TO Canada. |
where he consulted with Confederate
leaders there and conceived the scheme
. capturing the president and taking
um to Richmond.
Ca March Booth created a disturb
iuee az Che eau.u. iu "a futile attempt
10 force himself into the passage
'nere Lincoln walked 90 reach bis au- 4,
'artments. After this the couspirators /
we're rather frightened and some of
hen r.a.E wanted to back down. uut
hey were more afraid of Booth than .
# aytHn- else and be kept them to-
-ether.
After Lees surrender. in an access Is
q maIel and rage akin o. madness. be
allied them together and assigned ta {
ach bus part .n the new ana terrible
rime, plans fog which had arisen sud- 4
enly Qua of tfe ruins of the abandoned q
iluctllu scheme. lt was brief. sim d
le and terrible. Powell. or PAYNE. b
vas 90 murder Seward Atzerodt was 5
lgneq On remove Andrew johnson. @
nd Booth was TO murder President o