Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 April 1890 — LINCOLN’S SLAYER. [ARTICLE]

LINCOLN’S SLAYER.

Queer Story of a Mysterious Passenger Told by a Quebec Auctioneer. Detroit (Mich.) dispatch: Thomas Casey, a Quebec auctioneer, was in Detroit the other day and told the following story: In June, 1865, the schooner Emma was loaded with oil at Montreal for Nassau. Among her cargo were seven large trunks consigned to “J. W. 8., Nassau, to be called for.” The schooner was caught in a storm and wrecked. She was picked up by some Quebec sailors and the wreckage put into the Court of Admiralty, where it was ordered sold. Mr. Casey was the auctioneer. When the sever, trunks were brought to him he opened them and found, them filled with theatrical wardrobes of all descriptions, jeweled daggers, rich velvet suits, manuscripts of plays, and a thousand and one little essentials for producing Shakspere's plays. Mr. Casey sold the goods by the order of the court, realizing something like S3OO. The money remained in the hands of the court, and no steps were taken to find J. Wilkes Booth, the owner, or the relatives of the owner, who was at that time supposed to have been lost in the schooner. Mr. Casey investigated the case after part of the goods had been sold, but was unable to find any trace of the missing owner. He did not know the Booths, and, aside from the fact that the costumes all borfe the initials “J. W. B.” knew notning of J. Wilkes Booth. Part of the goods he kept as there was no sale for them. He has now learned enough of J. Wilkes Booth and his action in 1865 to assure himself that the seven trunks found on the derelict wfere none other than thoso of Edwin Booth’s brother.