Year: 1868

AAhMEiis httiA iAlliituadbtlf ~ bCu AOOus
and they, with my sons, took seats on my
front porch. After remaining some time,
they proposed going to bed. My son John
NJ. objected TO their sleeping in my dwell
ing house; they then said they would sleep
under my porch he told them we had
very bad dogs, and they would probably
attack them during the night; they then
said that they would sleep in an clubhouse;
he told them we had tobacco house that
had hay and fodder in it; they said they
would then 60 and sleep in that. lie car
ried them to il, opened the door and they
went in he then came to the house, but
becoming uneasy for fear these men might
get up in the night and take our horses and
go of, he and his brother concluded that
they would take their blankets and go and
sleep in a corn house that was between the
tobacco house and stable, and guard their
horses but fearing these men might get up
and endeavor to get the horses, and as they
were heavily armed, they might have some
difficulty with them, they concluded they
would lock the tobacco house outside and
keep them in until the morning. They
then went into the corn house to sleep.


About 2 o'clock A. NJ, was aroused by
my dogs barking very fiercely. | got up,
went to my window, and saw that my house
was surrounded by cavalry. | immediate
ly drew on my pantaloons, and without put
ting on the balance of my clothes, opened
my end door to my close porch, and when
/ did so, three men rushed in, one of whom
presented pistol to my breast and asked
me if there were not two men in my house.
] told them there were not; he then said
unless you tell us the truth, you will be a
dead man in a minnie. | told them these
men were here in the evening about the
time they passed the road, but went to the
woods and afterwards came back and got
their suppers, but that did not know then
where they were. One of the men called
TO one that was in the yard, to hand in a
rope, and they would hang me, as was not
telling them the truth.


About this time my son John NJ. came
in at the door and said, Pa, these soldiers
are in pursuit of the two men that were
here; we had better tell where they are
One of the officers said who are you and
where did you come from. He told him
that he belonged to the place. The officer
ordered him to say 10 more, but go and
show them the house in which these men
were, upon peril of lis life They then
put me under guard at my door and kept
me there until after the man Boyd was
shot. They surrounded the tobacco house,
and the officer in command (COl. Conger)
made my son open the door and go in the
house and demand the arms of the two
men, and their surrender. He told Colonel
Conger that he was afraid to 90 in, but he
flpoot,rnA HIM ,tnlnpr, ha Al H. ,rn,,1I
shoot him he then went in and said, Mr.
Boyd, ,.there is a force of fifty men around
this house, who demand your arms aud
your surrender. He ordered my son away,
and seemed to be in the act of drawing his
pistol, and he ran out One of the officers
then demanded their arms and surrender,
and said he would give them FIVE minutes
to determine, and if they did not do it, the
house would be fired. Boyd, alias Booth,
said, Captain, give me n chance; withdraw
your men fifty yards from the house, and
will come out, but don't burn the mans
house he is innocent he knows not who
| am. Col. Conger then ordered my son to
pile brush outside of the house for the pur-
pose Of firing it, and while doing so, Boyd,
alias Booth, came near the place and said,
"NOung man, you had better not come here
again, for you will be in danger" Soon
after this the house was fired, and then


through one of the spaces between the


planks, one of the officers Sergeant Cor


bit) shot Booth. He was gotten ont of the


house directly, and brought TO my dwell


ing, and laid on mattrass in my front


porch, and died at Z o'clock His corpse


was taken soon after by the caval-
ry in a cart and carried to a land


ing on the Potomac river, and from


thence TO Washington city. Harold, the
other man, surrendered, and was taken by


the soldiers to Washington. Alter Booth


was shot. WIN. Jett (whO the officers had


arrested at Bowling Greenl, was brought
TO my house, and my son, John NJ. and |,
both had conversation with him, and told
him that he ought to tell the officers all
| about his bringing Booth 10 my house, and


Of our knowing nothing of who he was. He
said he had told them all about it, and that
| they knew we were innocent as to any


knowledge Of the identity of the man
| This was the first time my son had ever
| spoken to Jett. Col. Conger said he would
either have TO take me or my son to Wash,
| ingtOn, and he supposed had better go, az


the boys could do more labor than | could
| at home but upon the representation o.
| my bad health, he concluded to take them
| They were carried TO Washington and pui


in prison in close confinement and KEEP


there for two weeks, after which they wer,


taken out of prison, but kept in Washing


ton two weeks longer, before they wer'


allowed to come home.