Evening star., 1947-07-27
New Slant on the Booths

questioning. Asia, expecting the
birth Of another child, was permitted
to remain in Philadelphia. Had the
letters she wrote at that time fallen
into the hands of Federal authori-
ties, it is unlikely she would have
gotten off so easily. With bitter
words, she confided to a friend:
IT can give you no idea of the
desolation which has fallen upon us.
The sorrow Of his death (John
Wilkes is very bitter, but the dis
grace is far heavier. Already people
are asserting that 1t is political
affair-the work Of the bloody re-
bellion-the enthusiastic love OF
country, etc.-but am afraid to US
it will always be crime.
"Junius and John Clarke have
been two weeks today confined in
the Old Capital prison, Washington,
for no completely or evidence. Junius
wrote an innocent letter from Gin
cinnati, which by wicked miscon-
struction has been the cause of his
arrest. He begged him (Wilkes) to
quit the oil business and attend to
his profession. not knowing the oil
signified conspiracy in washington
as it has since been proven that all
employed in the plot, passed them
selves of as oil merchants
Papers Caused Arrest.
John Clarke was arrested for
having in his house package OF
papers upon which he had never
laid his hands or his eyes. but after
the occurrence when I produced
them, thinking it was will put here
for safe keeping-John took them to
the United States marshal, who re-
ported to headquarters, hence this
long Imprisonment for two entirely
innocent men.
IT would not object at present to
have back for my private use all the
money they have squandered on
sanitary commissions, hospital en-
doWments, relief OF soldiers widows
and the like, for the good done by
them as actors and citizens goes for
nothing towards proving their in
nocence, and it might well have
been rendered to a better purpose.
IT suppose they will be examined
in the leisure Of the court and re-
turn home to be nursed through a
spell OF illness-as one gent has
done who was released last week
and whose arrest proved only farce
as general somebody in authority
expressed 1t. Poor old country, she
has seen her best days, and I care
not how soon I turn my back upon
her shores forever. 1t is the history
Of the Republic over again.
Moved to England.
Ut was shocked and grieved to see
the names Of Michael OLaughlin
and Samuel Arnold. am still some
surprised to learn that all engaged
in the plot are Roman Catholics.
John Wilkes was of that faith
preferably-and 7 was glad that he
had fixed his faith on one religion
for he was always of pious mind
and I won't speak Of his qualities,
you knew him. -.
Edwin is here with me. Mother
went home to New York last week.
She has been with me until he came.
Il told you I believe that Wilkes
was engaged to Miss Hale. They
were most devoted lovers and she
has written heart broken letters to
Edwin about it. Their marriage
was to have been in a year, when she
promised to return from Spain for
him, either with her father or with
out him. That YVES the decision
only a few days before the fearful
calamity. Some terrible oath hur-
ried him to this wretched end. God
help him. -"
Three years after the tragedy the
Clarkes moved to England where
Asia remained until her death In
1888. Although her husbands trips
back to the United States for the
atrical engagements, and her sepa-
ration from the Booth family. en-
quilted her in loneliness, she did not
alter her determination to live
abroad. Twenty of her flfty-three
years were spent in self-imposed
exile.
Her husband, and their son, Cres-
ton, brought her body to Baltimore
for interment in the Booth family
lot at Greenmount Cemetery. The
burial ceremony was read by a
Catholic priest above white oak
casket on which was brass plate
giving her age as 81 years. But
in one of these unpublished letters
Asia wrote to friend that on
November 10, 1856. she would be
81 years old.