Evening star., 1932-01-24


I am satisfied he looked to see If he could put
1T out; but he could not, it was burning too
rapidly.
"I started to go around to the front OF the
barn again, and when was about half around
I heard the report of a pistol. I went on
around to the door, went in, and found Lieut..
Baker looking at him, and rather holding or
raising him up I said he had shot himself;
Baker said he had not I asked where he was
shot. We raised him up and the blood ran
out of his wound. I then said, Yes, he has
shot himself Lieut.. Baker replied very earn
estly he had not 1 said that We must carry
him out or this will soon be burning u.s. We
took him up and carried him out on the
grass, a little way from the door, beneath .
locust tree. I went back into the barn to see
If the fire could be put out, and returned to
where he was lying; before this supposed
him to be dead; he had all the appearances of
q dead man: but when came back his eyes
and mouth moving; called Immediately
for water, and put some on his face; he seemed
30 revive and attempted to speak; put my
ear down to his mouth and heard him say,
Tell my mother I died for my country l
repeated the words to him and said, Is that
what you would say?' He said, Yes"
Lieut.. Baker also said that CARROTS farm
was in Caroline County, Va, miles south OF
Port Royal, on the road to Bowling Green,
and further related that he stayed with Booth
until 10 minutes after he declared dead
was not even a chance for his subsequent re-
covery and escape, and further Identification
was made by the same officer in his testimony
of a file taken from the person of Booth after
he was wounded as we'll the assassins
knife belt, cartridge box, pistol, pocket COM
pass carbine and bills of exchange
CERGT. BOSTON CORBETT told at the
- trial how he came to shoot Booth, saying:
81 could then see him distinctly in about
the middle of the barn; he started at first to-
wards me and I had full front dress view
of him; I could have shot him much easier
than at the time I did but long he
made no demonstration I did not shoot him;
I kept my eye on him steadily; he turned to-
wards the other side; he brought his piece up
to an aim, and I supposed going to fight
his way out; thought the time had come,
and took a steady aim upon him and shot
him; the ball entered his head little back
of the and came out little higher on
the other side of the head. He lived, think,
until about o'clock that morning, perhaps two
or three hours after he was shot; did not hear
him speak after he was shot, except to cry out
when he shot; others stated that he did
utter words after that but did not hear any
after I shot him"
When asked if he knew Booth before the
occurrence, he replied mo; but I was per-
his leg broken, and also from his desperate
replies that he would not be taken alive that
he the man."
Perhaps the most conclusive evidence we
have that the body of Booth was brought TO
Washington and buried here is to be found
in paper written by the late eminent surgeon
and Washingtonian, John Frederick May,
which is to be found in the records of the
Columbia Historical Society. This paper was
read in 1909 by William Henry Dennis,
well known member Of the bar, and it was
hoped at the time it would set at rest an
agitation similar to what are having today.
Here are the essential parts of the facts as
recorded by DR.. May:
Some time before the assassination Of
President Lincoln fashonably dressed and
remarkably handsome young man, accom-
panied by friend, entered my office in Wash
ington and introduced himself to me as Mr..
Booth After some ordinary conversation, he
told that he was playing an engagement
with Miss Charlotte Cushman, and was much
annoyed by a large lump on the back Of his
neck which for some time past had been
gradually increasing in size and had begun
to show above the collar line of the ordinary
theatrical costume. He said that he wished
to have 1t removed and he particularly en-
Joined me to say Gf questioned upon the fact
of has having undergone surgical operation)
that 1t was for the removal of bullet from
his neck But he did not give any reason
for this request.
Ii\ A /ITHOUT promising to observe this in
Wv junction, I examined his neck and
found on the back of it and rather on the
left side quite large fibroid tumor, but which
could have no connection with bullet, to
its origin or in any other way. I advised its
removal but at the same time told him that
I would take it out on one condition, which
was that he should suspend his engagement
at the theater and observe absolute rest. He
replied that he did not wish to do this-in fact.
he could not. then explained to him the
Importance of his remaining quiet after such
an operation, upon the ground of his per
sonaI appearance; that there were two prin-