Wilkes Booth In Hiding

Am important featue of tlie April Century is George Alfn-d Towns'iid's account of "llow Wilkes Booth croaeed the Potomnc." There is a gap in llie historv of Wilkes Bootli's crime, between trta disappi'arance in, the pines of southeastern Maniand and nis re-appearanee 111 Virginia, wheie lie was killed, and tliis aiticle (the inforniationof wliich wassupplied by Thomas A. Jones, an actor in tlie escape) it is believed closes tliis !l;ip. Jones's lirst encounter with the fngitives is descibed as fullows : " Booth and Herold were sent into tlie short pines, ind here Jones fouiul tliem. He suys tbat as ie was advaneing into the pines lie came ipon a bay mare, with black legs, inane, iud tail, and a white star on the forehead; lie was s:iddled, and rovinc; around in a ittle cleared place as If trying to nibble omcthino; to eat. Jones took the mare and tied lier to a tree or stunip. Hn then advanced and guve what he calis the countersign, or whistle, whicli hedoes not )recisely remenibernow, though hetliinks t was two whistlesin a peculiar way, and a whistle after an interval. Tne tirst persou he saw was Herolil, fully armed, and vith a caibine in his hand, coming out to see wlio it was. Jones explained tbat be md been sent to see tliem, and was then taken to Booth, who was but a few rods 'arther along. "Booth was lyln(( on tlie ground. wrapped up in blankets, with bis foot supported and bandajred, and acrutch beside him. His ruinpled dress looked respectable for tbat country, nd Jones says it was of black cloth. Hs face was palc ¦ all times, and never ceased to be so durinjr the several days (hut Jones saw him. He was in great pain fiom his broken ankle. whlcU had suffered a fracture of one of tlie two boues in the le;, down close to the fnot. It would hot have riven him any vcry great puin but for the exertion of his escape, wliich irritati-d It by Bcraping the euds of the broken bone perhaps in tlie flesh; uvns tioiv highly irritated, anil wbichever way the man mu veil lie expressed by u tvvitcli or a groan the paii Ik; felt. Jones says that this pain vas moreor lesscontiiiuou, and was greally agsriavated by the peril of Booth's situation- unable to cross tlie river without assistance, and unable to walk any distante whutever. Jones believes that Booth did not rise from the gromid at auy time until he was finally put on Jones's horse to be taken to the water-side some days aftcrward. "Booth's iirst solicitude seemed to beto learn what mankind thoughtof the crime. That queation he put almost immediately to Jones, and continued to ask what different classes ot people thought about it. Jones told him thatit wasgratifyitig news to most of the men of Southern sympathies. He frankly says ihat he himself at first ri'ga-ded it as gooi! news; but somewhat later, wlieu he saw the injurious consequences of the crime t the South. he changed his niind. Booth desirei! news)apers if they could be had, which WOU ld couvey to hiin an idea of public fceling. Jones soon obtained newspapers for lilui, and coiitinued to seud thera In; and Booth lay there, where the pines were so tliick that one could not see more than thiity or forty feet Into them, readins what the World had to say about his case. He seemed never tired of inforination on this one su')jecr, and the only thiug besides he was solicitous about was to get across the river into Virginia. "Joni'S say Booth admittcd that he was the man wliokillid Lincoln, and expiessed no regret for the act, knowing all tlie cooKqoamn t involved. He haiped again md again upon the neei'ssity of his crossng the dver. He said If he could only get to Virginia he SÜItl have medica! at;enoance. Jones told him frankly that he would receive no medical atteudance in Marylaiul. Saidhe: ' The country is full of soldiers, and all that I can do foryou is to g;t you off, f I can, for Cox's protection and my own, and for your own safety. That I will do foryou, if theie is any way in the world to do it.' " When I received thU account froin Mr. Jones, I asked him question after question tosee if I could extract any Information as to what Booth inqulred about while in that wilderness. I askcd if he spoke of his mother, of wheie he w is going when he reached Virffinia, of whether he meant to act on the stage again; whether he blamed himself for jumping from the theater box; whether lie expressed any apprehensioiis for Mis Surratt or his fiiends in Washington. To these and to many other questions Jones unifornily replied : ' No, he did notspeak about any of those things. He wanted food, and to cross the river, and to know what was said about the deed.' Booth, he thlnks, wore a slouched hat. At Hrst meeting Booth in the pine-s, he proved himself' to be the nssussiu by showing upou liis wrist, in India ink, the inilials J. W. B. He showed the same to Capt. Jett in Virginia. Jones says Booth was a determined man - not boasting, but one who would have sold hU ife dear. He said he would not be taken .ilive." "One soweth and anotherreapetli," iá a . verity that applies to evil as well is good - George Eliot. Füolisliness rushes into publicity to tlraw attention, wliile [utellicnce kecps in the background to observe. "But," saiil the serenaded man, "Imust go out a:id make a speech. Sometliing must be done to stop the playing of that baBd."