Evening star., 1927-05-22

brought from England in sailing yes
sells. were salvaged for the new town.
Before it's demise Port Tobacco had
a melancholy place in American his
tory for a few days. During the Civil
War 1t had become a hot-bed of Con
federate sympathizers, in common
with most of southern Maryland, with
it's big saveholders. The details. it is
likely, never will be known exactly,
but 1t seems certain now that during
the closing year Of the war there was
a carefully formulated plot to kidnap
President Lincoln somewhere in Wash
ington and rush him to the Charles
County town, where boats were held
in readiness to take him over the Po.
tomac into Virginia. Some Of the
leading citizens of Port Tobacco were
suspected Of being cognlzant of this
plot. It's principal agent was the
actor. John Wilkes Booth. Locally it
was represented in part by German
coach painter named George a. At
Zerodt, who was engaged as Il blockade
runner, and who afterward was one
OF the four persons hanged at the
old Capital Prison in Washington for
completely in the assassination. At
zerodt. it is now believed, had made
arrangements with several Port To-
bacco residents to have boats ready.
When he left the town he boasted in
the hotel barroom that when he came
back he would have money enough to
buy all Port Tobacco"
But the citizens of the little Mary.
land town had not contemplated the
tragic events which rose from this plot
and were shocked when news came to
them that the President had been mur-
dered And then Federal troops de-
scended upon them, for 1t was believed
that Booth had made his way from
Washington to Port Tobacco and was
hiding somewhere in the town, wait
ing an opportunity to cross the river.
Notice of a reward of 100000 for
information leading to the capture of
Booth was posted about the town, to-
gether with the warning that any one
caught harboring him would be held
equally guilty. Thomas A. Jones, a
plantation owner near Port Tobacco,
was in one of the hotels while Union
officers were making the 100000 offer.
That's a lot of money to pay for
one man. isn't it," Mr.. Jones re-
marked quietly.
He had been made practically bank.
rupt by the war and John Wilkes
Booth, with his solitary companion,
David Herold, even then was hiding
in a swamp on his plantation. Mr..
Jones was filled with contempt for
Booth for his part in the assassination.
But the murderer had made con-
| fidant of him against his will, and he
could not see his way clear to betray
| him. Instead. he secured Booth a
| boat to get across the river and
breathed a sigh of relief when he was
| gone.
The houses in and around Port
| Tobacco We're thoroughly searched al
that time. but Booth. broken leg and
all, slipped successfully through the
| few days later. Throughout the wal
| the town had been a principal station
Of the underground railway between
the North and the South. Through
this point the Confederate government
was able to keep in touch with Its
agents in Washington, in the North
ners hid out in the village. waiting fol
dark nights when II would be safe tc
cross the river. Most of the inhab
itants probable we're more or less
aware of the traffic.
1t Is In this corner OF Charles
| County by Chapel Point and Port
Tobacco Creek that most OF the his
tory Is concentrated. The old manor
houses in other sections still more
completely have disappeared. Fol
more than half century there has
not been trace Of the house on Mat
tawoman Creek, near the border Of
Prince Georges County. where My et