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After Tyrell's hard work he was rewarded with a portrait of Lincoln.Witch Abe's son gave him

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The trial of Hughes and Mullen. At the Spring field court room were there were being sentenced.

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CBS Television Distribution's marked a milestone 1,100 weeks -- more than 21 years -- as TV's top syndicated court show in the week ended Oct. 22.

Judy, which has closed out the last four seasons as syndication's highest-rated show, clocked a three-week high and syndication-best 6.7 live plus same day household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research, advancing 2% in a week where the majority of shows were flat to down.

The week was the last full week before the start of the November sweep, which runs Oct. 26 to Nov. 22.
Related: CTD Renews 'Judge Judy' Through 2020-21, Acquires Library
CTD's Hot Bench dipped 4% to a 2.3, remaining in second place among the court shows.

Following Hot Bench were Warner Bros.' People's Court and Judge Mathis and Twentieth's Divorce Court, all of which were flat at a 1.6, 1.1 and 1.0, respectively. Trifecta's Judge Faith faded 14% to a 0.6.

Elsewhere in daytime, CTD's Dr. Phil remained the talk leader for the 59th straight week, despite dipping 3% to a 3.4. Phil also was the only talk show to improve over last year, adding 3%.

Among daytime's key demographic of women 25-54, Phil also led talk for the week with a 1.4. Three shows tied for second place in the demo at a 1.0: Disney-ABC's Live with Kelly and Ryan, NBCUniversal's Maury and Warner Bros.' Ellen DeGeneres.

Back in households, Live was the only talk show out of 15 to improve on the prior week, growing 5% to a 2.3, its highest rating since the week of May 1 to take over second place, shoving aside Ellen, which was unchanged at a third-place 2.2.

Maury and Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams both were flat at a 1.5 and 1.4, respectively. NBCU's Steve, starring Steve Harvey, backtracked 7% to a 1.3 after hitting a four-month high in the prior week. NBCU's conflict talkers Steve Wilkos and Jerry Springer both stayed at a 1.2, tying CTD's Rachael Ray, which celebrated its 2,000th episode during the week and remained at a 1.2.
Related: Wendy Williams Faints During Live Halloween Broadcast
Sony Pictures Television's Dr. Oz, Warner Bros.' Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen, NBCU's Harry, CTD's The Doctors and Warner Bros.' The Real all held steady at a 1.1, 1.0, 0.9, 0.8 and 0.8, respectively.

Among the rookies, CTD's Daily Mail TV, which airs in back-to-back half-hours in many markets, retained the household lead for a fifth straight week with a steady 1.0. Among women 25-54, Daily Mail TV delivered a 0.5.

Twentieth's Page Six TV remained at a 0.7 in households, but tied Daily Mail TV in the key demo.

Entertainment Studios' Funny You Should Ask dropped 20% to a 0.4 and was unchanged at a 0.2 among women 25-54. Scripps' Pickler & Ben stood pat at a 0.3 for a fifth straight week and remained at a 0.2 in the key demo.

In access, Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud lost 4% to a 6.4 to remain the game leader, while CTD's Jeopardy! fell back 5% to a 6.1 without contestant Austin Rogers, the New York City bartender whose 12-show and $411,000 winning streak ended Oct. 12. Still, CTD's Jeopardy! remained in second place among the games while CTD's Wheel of Fortune held in third at a 5.9 for a third straight week.

Disney-ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire appreciated 6% to a season-high 1.7, although the show had been flat at a 1.6 for all six weeks of the young syndication season.

Disney-ABC's viral video show RightThisMinute moved up 7% to a 1.5. NBCU's off-net true-crime strip Dateline was unchanged at a 1.3.

In access, CTD's magazine leader Entertainment Tonight held with the prior week at a 3.0. CTD's Inside Edition sagged 3% to a 2.8. Warner Bros.' TMZ and NBCU's Access Hollywood both slipped 7% to a 1.4 and 1.3, respectively. Warner Bros.' Extra was steady at a 1.2. Trifecta's Celebrity Page declined 33% to a 0.2 from a 0.3.

Warner Bros.' The Big Bang Theory rose 6% to a 5.1. Twentieth's Modern Family eroded 8% to a new series-low 2.2. Warner Bros.' Two and a Half Men moved up 5% to a 2.1. SPT's newcomer The Goldbergs gave back 5% to a 1.8. Twentieth's Family Guy slipped 6% to a 1.6. Twentieth's Last Man Standing and Warner Bros.' Mike & Molly remained at a 1.5 and 1.4, respectively. Warner Bros,' 2 Broke Girls eased 8% to a 1.2, while Twentieth's The Cleveland Show and SPT's Seinfeld both stayed at a 1.1.

Further down the chart, rookies Warner Bros.' Mom fell back 11% to a 0.8, while CTD's The Game was unchanged at a 0.4 for the sixth straight week.

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Syndication Ratings: 'Judge Judy' Marks 1,100 Weeks as Top Court Show

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CBS Television Distribution's marked a milestone 1,100 weeks -- more than 21 years -- as TV's top syndicated court show in the week ended Oct. 22. Judy, which has closed out the last four seasons as syndication's highest-rated show, clocked a three-week high and syndication-best 6.7 live plus same day household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research, advancing 2% in a week where the majority of shows were flat to down.

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The robbers go 40 miles northeast and tried to sneak on the train.They hoped that they would get away

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After a long over night train they ended up in spring field to carry out the robbery.hopefully get away with the robbery.

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Hughes and Kenally were arrested at the hub.They both were guilty and sentenced many years in prison.

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You Can Eat Behind Bars At This Jail-Themed Restaurant

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The Logan county gang went for the heist.The were hoping not to get caught.

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AP

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Caretakers of Abraham Lincoln's tomb are on the defensive over an unflattering critique in National Geographic magazine and looming budget cuts that could threaten management of the historic site, even as they commemorate the 150th anniversary of the U.S. Civil War president's assassination.

For the state that calls itself the "Land of Lincoln," the timing of a ceremony Wednesday in Springfield to mark his death is awkward because Illinois faces a financial crisis and Gov. Bruce Rauner has proposed eliminating the state Historic Preservation Agency that manages sites including the tomb as it currently exists. He would roll the agency into another department.

What's more, the popular tourist site was pilloried in this month's issue of National Geographic magazine as having "all the historical character of an office lobby."

Recounting the route of Lincoln's funeral train to Springfield for burial, historian Adam Goodheart describes the tomb as "a disappointment" and reconstructed in "incongruous Art Deco style."

"It's strange to think that there is a place where Lincoln still physically exists in the world, let alone that it's a place like this," writes Goodheart, who is director for Washington College's Center for the American Experience in Maryland. Goodheart's publicist didn't immediately return a request for comment.

The hours and days the Lincoln tomb is open have been reduced, and it's staffed with fewer employees since state lawmakers last year cut $1.1 million funding for sites in the Springfield area.

AP

On Tuesday - the 150th anniversary of John Wilkes Booth's shooting of Lincoln, although the president was pronounced dead the following day - Joan Boatz and a group of former bridge club friends found the tomb's iron door locked, despite a sign saying the site should be open at that time. Chris Wills, spokesman for the Historic Preservation Agency, said the correct times when the site is open are posted on its website.

Pam VanAlstine, president of the Lincoln Monument Association, said she's deeply concerned about what more cuts might mean for the Lincoln site.

"We're all scared to death," said VanAlstine, who also serves as a volunteer tour guide. "We don't know how things are going to be run."

She and other supporters of how Lincoln's final resting place is presented to the public said the National Geographic portrayal was unfair.

"The author of the piece is certainly entitled to feel underwhelmed by the tomb's interior, but I think it's safe to say he's in the minority," Wills said.

According to the State Historic Preservation Agency, the tomb and its receiving vault have seen more than $2.5 million in recent repairs and renovations, leaving it in what Wills describes as "excellent physical condition." The tomb's interior plaster and paint, and bronze and marble construction were renovated last year, and its interior lighting was upgraded for approximately $730,000.

AP

The state is currently working on waterproofing the receiving vault, repairing the stone structure's interior, and landscaping to direct water away from the vault, a roughly $390,000 project.

Lincoln's tomb was designed by Vermont sculptor Larkin Mead, who won a national contest. It was dedicated by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1874.

Originally built on what historians describe as an "inadequate foundation," it was reconstructed first in 1899, and then again in 1930 to give the public access to the interior burial chamber.

Today, the tomb, a circular structure topped with an obelisk, has its interior sheathed in alternating black and tan marble and is trimmed with bronze. Hallways stretch on either side of a rotunda to the family burial chamber, where Lincoln lies below an inscription "Now He belongs to the ages."

William Sparks, a visitor to the outside of the tomb Tuesday who took an Amtrak train from Green Bay, Wisconsin, said he had a copy of the National Geographic story with him at his Springfield hotel, but disagreed with its conclusion.

"It's absolutely gorgeous," he said of the site, even though he didn't get to see the interior of the tomb. "I don't get (the author's take) at all. This is very impressive."

___

Follow Kerry Lester on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/kerrylester

NOW WATCH: This is what happens to your brain and body when you check your phone before bed

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Illinois' financial crisis is ruining Abe Lincoln's tomb

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Caretakers of Abraham Lincoln's tomb are on the defensive over an unflattering critique in National Geographic magazine and looming budget cuts that could threaten management of the historic site, even as they commemorate the 150th anniversary of the U.S. Civil War president's assassination.

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This is the night the gang desided to rob Lincolns body.This was a big step in the misson.

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Who Was Abraham Lincoln?

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States and is regarded as one of America's greatest heroes due to his role as savior of the Union and emancipator of slaves. His rise from humble beginnings to achieving the highest office in the land is a remarkable story.

Lincoln was assassinated at a time when his country needed him to complete the great task of reunifying the nation. His eloquent support of democracy and insistence that the Union was worth saving embody the ideals of self-government that all nations strive to achieve. Lincoln's distinctively humane personality and incredible impact on the nation have endowed him with an enduring legacy.

Family

Lincoln was born to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. Thomas was a strong and determined pioneer who found a moderate level of prosperity and was well respected in the community.

The couple had two other children: Lincoln's older sister Sarah and younger brother Thomas, who died in infancy.

When young Lincoln was nine years old, his mother died of tremetol (milk sickness) at age 34, on October 5, 1818. The event was devastating to him, and young Lincolngrew more alienated from his father and quietly resented the hard work placed on him at an early age.

In December 1819, just over a year after his mother's death, Lincoln's father Thomas married Sarah Bush Johnston, a Kentucky widow with three children of her own. She was a strong and affectionate woman with whom Lincoln quickly bonded.

Early Life and Education

The Lincolns were forced to move from Lincoln's birthplace of Kentucky to Perry County, Indiana, due to a land dispute in 1817.

In Indiana, the family "squatted" on public land to scrap out a living in a crude shelter, hunting game and farming a small plot. Lincoln's father was eventually able to buy the land.

Though both his parents were most likely illiterate, Thomas' new wife Sarah encouraged Lincoln to read. It was while growing into manhood that Lincoln received his formal education - an estimated total of 18 months - a few days or weeks at a time.

Reading material was in short supply in the Indiana wilderness. Neighbors recalled how Lincoln would walk for miles to borrow a book. He undoubtedly read the family Bible and probably other popular books at that time such as Robinson Crusoe, Pilgrim's Progress and Aesop's Fable s

In March 1830, the family again migrated, this time to Macon County, Illinois. When his father moved the family again to Coles County, 22-year-old Lincoln struck out on his own, making a living in manual labor.

How Tall Was Abraham Lincoln?

Lincoln was six feet four inches tall, rawboned and lanky, but muscular and physically strong. He spoke with a backwoods twang and walked with a long-striding gait. He was known for his skill in wielding an ax and early on made a living splitting wood for fire and rail fencing.

Young Lincoln eventually migrated to the small community of New Salem, Illinois, where over a period of years he worked as a shopkeeper, postmaster and eventually general store owner. It was there that Lincoln, working with the public, acquired social skills and honed storytelling talent that made him popular with the locals.

When the Black Hawk War broke out in 1832 between the United States and Native Americans, the volunteers in the area elected Lincoln to be their captain. He saw no combat during this time, save for "a good many bloody struggles with the mosquitoes," but was able to make several important political connections.

Lawyer and Politician

In 1834, Lincoln began his political career and was elected to the Illinois state legislature as a member of the Whig Party.

It was around this time that he decided to become a lawyer, teaching himself the law by reading William Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England. After being admitted to the bar in 1837, he moved to Springfield, Illinois, and began to practice in the John T. Stuart law firm.

In 1844, Lincoln partnered with William Herndon in the practice of law. Though the two had different jurisprudent styles, they developed a close professional and personal relationship.

Lincoln made a good living in his early years as a lawyer, but found that Springfield alone didn't offer enough work, so to supplement his income, he followed the court as it made its rounds on the circuit to the various county seats in Illinois.

Children and Wife

Lincoln was married to Mary Todd on November 4, 1842. Todd was a high-spirited, well-educated woman from a distinguished Kentucky family.

When the couple became engaged in 1840, many of their friends and family couldn't understand Mary's attraction; at times Lincoln questioned it himself. In 1841, the engagement was suddenly broken off, most likely at Lincoln's initiative.

Mary and Lincoln met later at a social function and eventually married in 1842. The couple had four sons - Robert Todd, Edward Baker, William Wallace and Thomas "Tad" - of whom only Robert Todd survived to adulthood.

Before marrying Todd, Lincoln was involved with other potential matches. Around 1837, he purportedly met and became romantically involved with Anne Rutledge. Before they had a chance to be engaged, a wave of typhoid fever came over New Salem and Anne died at age 22.

Her death was said to have left Lincoln severely depressed. However, several historians disagree on the extent of Lincoln's relationship with Rutledge and his level of sorrow at her death may be more the makings of legend.

About a year after the death of Rutledge, Lincoln courted Mary Owens. The two saw each other for a few months and marriage was considered. But in time, Lincoln called off the match.

Political Career

Lincoln served a single term in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1847 to 1849. His foray into national politics seemed to be as unremarkable as it was brief. He was the lone Whig from the state of Illinois, showing party loyalty, but finding few political allies.

Lincoln used his term in office to speak out against the Mexican-American War and supported Zachary Taylor for president in 1848. His criticism of the war made him unpopular back home and he decided not to run for second term, but instead returned to Springfield to practice law.

By the 1850s, the railroad industry was moving west and Illinois found itself becoming a major hub for various companies. Lincoln served as a lobbyist for the Illinois Central Railroad as its company attorney.

Success in several court cases brought other business clients as well - banks, insurance companies and manufacturing firms. Lincoln also worked in some criminal trials.

In one case, a witness claimed that he could identify Lincoln's client who was accused of murder, because of the intense light from a full moon. Lincoln referred to an almanac and proved that the night in question had been too dark for the witness to see anything clearly. His client was acquitted.

DOWNLOAD BIOGRAPHY'S ABRAHAM LINCOLN FACT CARD

Lincoln and Slavery

As a member of the Illinois state legislature in 1834, Lincoln supported the Whig politics of government-sponsored infrastructure and protective tariffs. This political understanding led him to formulate his early views on slavery, not so much as a moral wrong, but as an impediment to economic development.

In 1854, Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which repealed the Missouri Compromise, allowing individual states and territories to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery. The law provoked violent opposition in Kansas and Illinois, and it gave rise to the Republican Party.

This awakened Lincoln's political zeal once again, and his views on slavery moved more toward moral indignation. Lincoln joined the Republican Party in 1856.

In 1857, the Supreme Court issued its controversial Dred Scott decision, declaring African Americans were not citizens and had no inherent rights. Though Lincoln felt African Americans were not equal to whites, he believed America's founders intended that all men were created with certain inalienable rights.

Senate Race

Lincoln decided to challenge sitting U.S. Senator Stephen Douglas for his seat. In his nomination acceptance speech, he criticized Douglas, the Supreme Court, and President James Buchanan for promoting slavery and declared "a house divided cannot stand."

During Lincoln's 1858 U.S. Senate campaign against Douglas, he participated in seven debates held in different cities across Illinois. The two candidates didn't disappoint the public, giving stirring debates on issues ranging from states' rights to western expansion, but the central issue was slavery.

Newspapers intensely covered the debates, often times with partisan commentary. In the end, the state legislature elected Douglas, but the exposure vaulted Lincoln into national politics.

President Abraham Lincoln

With his newly enhanced political profile, in 1860, political operatives in Illinois organized a campaign to support Lincoln for the presidency. On May 18, at the Republican National Convention in Chicago, Lincoln surpassed better-known candidates such as William Seward of New York and Salmon P. Chase of Ohio.

Lincoln's nomination was due in part to his moderate views on slavery, his support for improving the national infrastructure, and the protective tariff.

In the general election, Lincoln faced his friend and rival, Stephen Douglas, this time besting him in a four-way race that included John C. Breckinridge of the Northern Democrats and John Bell of the Constitution Party.

Lincoln received not quite 40 percent of the popular vote, but carried 180 of 303 Electoral College votes, thus winning the U.S. presidency.

Lincoln's Cabinet

Following his election to the presidency in 1860, Lincoln selected a strong cabinet composed of many of his political rivals, including William Seward, Salmon P. Chase, Edward Bates and Edwin Stanton.

Formed out the adage "Hold your friends close and your enemies closer," Lincoln's Cabinet became one of his strongest assets in his first term in office, and he would need them as the clouds of war gathered over the nation the following year.

Civil War

Before Lincoln's inauguration in March 1861, seven Southern states had seceded from the Union, and by April the U.S. military installation Fort Sumter was under siege in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.

In the early morning hours of April 12, 1861, the guns stationed to protect the harbor blazed toward the fort signaling the start of the U.S. Civil War, America's costliest and bloodiest war.

Lincoln responded to the crisis wielding powers as no other president before him: He distributed $2 million from the Treasury for war material without an appropriation from Congress; he called for 75,000 volunteers into military service without a declaration of war; and he suspended the writ of habeas corpus, arresting and imprisoning suspected Confederate States sympathizers without a warrant.

Crushing the rebellion would be difficult under any circumstances, but the Civil War, after decades of white-hot partisan politics, was especially onerous. From all directions, Lincoln faced disparagement and defiance. He was often at odds with his generals, his Cabinet, his party and a majority of the American people.

Emancipation Proclamation

On January 1, 1863, Lincoln delivered the Emancipation Proclamation, reshaping the cause of the Civil War from saving the Union to abolishing slavery.

The Union Army's first year and a half of battlefield defeats made it difficult to keep up morale and support strong for a reunification of the nation. And the Union victory at Antietam on September 22, 1862, while by no means conclusive, was hopeful, giving Lincoln the confidence to officially change the goals of the war.

Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation stated that all individuals who were held as slaves in rebellious states "henceforward shall be free." The action was more symbolic than effective because the North didn't control any states in rebellion and the proclamation didn't apply to Border States, Tennessee or some Louisiana parishes.

Gettysburg Address

On November 19, 1863, Lincoln delivered what would become his most famous speech and one of the most important speeches in American history, the Gettysburg Address.

Addressing a crowd of around 15,000 people, Lincoln delivered his 272-word speech at one of the bloodiest battlefields of the Civil War, the Gettysburg National Cemetery in Pennsylvania.

The Civil War, Lincoln said, was the ultimate test of the preservation of the Union created in 1776, and the dead at Gettysburg fought to uphold this cause.

Lincoln evoked the Declaration of Independence, saying it was up to the living to ensure that the "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth," and this Union was "dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."

A common interpretation was that the President was expanding the cause of the Civil War from simply reunifying the Union to also fighting for equality and abolishing slavery.

Civil War Ends

Following Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, the war effort gradually improved for the North, though more by attrition than by brilliant military victories.

But by 1864, the Confederate armies had eluded major defeat and Lincoln was convinced he'd be a one-term president. His nemesis, George B. McClellan, the former commander of the Army of the Potomac, challenged him for the presidency, but the contest wasn't even close. Lincoln received 55 percent of the popular vote and 212 of 243 Electoral votes.

On April 9, 1865, General Robert E. Lee, commander of the Army of Virginia, surrendered his forces to Union General Ulysses S. Grant. The Civil War was for all intents and purposes over.

Reconstruction has already began during the Civil War as early as 1863 in areas firmly under Union military control, and Lincoln favored a policy of quick reunification with a minimum of retribution.

He was confronted by a radical group of Republicans in the Senate and House that wanted complete allegiance and repentance from former Confederates. Before a political debate had any chance to firmly develop, Lincoln was assassinated.

Abraham Lincoln: Assassination

Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865, by well-known actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C.

He was taken to the Petersen House across the street and laid in a coma for nine hours before dying the next morning. His death was mourned by millions of citizens in the North and South alike.

Lincoln's body lay in state at the U. S. Capitol before a funeral train took him back to his final resting place in Springfield, Illinois.

Legacy

Lincoln is frequently cited by historians and average citizens alike as America's greatest president. An aggressively activist commander-in-chief, Lincoln used every power at his disposal to assure victory in the Civil War and end slavery in the United States.

Some scholars doubt that the Union would have been preserved had another person of lesser character been in the White House. According to historian Michael Burlingame, "No president in American history ever faced a greater crisis and no president ever accomplished as much."

Lincoln's philosophy was perhaps best summed up in this Second Inaugural Address, when he stated, "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."

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Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States and is regarded as one of America's greatest heroes due to his role as savior of the Union and emancipator of slaves. His rise from humble beginnings to achieving the highest office in the land is a remarkable story.

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The construction of the Transcontinental rail road is completed.The two tracks meet at Promontory Point in Utah.

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There have been several excellent books published over the years that thoroughly cover the Transcontinental Railroad subject. As a result, this article could, in no way, come close to those works. However, it is my hope that the information presented here provides a brief synopsis on the topic. You may be surprised to learn that its genesis predates the Civil War's outbreak by nearly a decade. According to the book, " The Northern Pacific, Main Street Of The Northwest: A Pictorial History" by author and historian Charles R. Wood in the spring of 1853 Secretary of War Jefferson Davis (who later became president of the Confederate States of America) initiated the task of surveying western routes to the Pacific Coast. There were eight different options put forth running along various parallels from north to south. Due to the ongoing issue of slavery, however, Congress could not come to a consensus on which. As a result the entire undertaking went dormant. Tensions between northern and southern states reached a crescendo when Abraham Lincoln was elected president on November 6, 1860. Only weeks later, South Carolina formally seceded from the Union (December 20, 1860); soon afterwards several others followed, Confederate forces opened fire on federal troops stationed inside Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor on April 12, 1861, and the Civil War was upon the nation.

The Beginning, The 1820s and '30s

A New Industry Takes Flight, The 1840s

The 1850s, A Blossoming Industry

The 1860s, Railroads In The Civil War

Heading West, The 1870s

A Standard Time Achieved, The 1880s

Safety And Steel, The 1890s

The "Golden Age" Comes To A Close, 1900-1920

The "Silver Age," Streamliners And The 1930s

Railroads In World War II, The 1940s

The Industry In Decline, The 1950s

Mergers And Bankruptcies, The 1960s And 1970s

With the country in turmoil the North now had the freedom to choose whichever route it wished and settled on the central option. As note, President Lincoln was a true believer in the endeavor not only for its potential economic benefits but also its nationalistic importance. Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 and first entered politics at a very young age when, at just 23, he tried to gain a seat within the Illinois state legislature. He had been fascinated by railroads since their introduction back east, believing they were the future in transportation. In his authoritative book, " The Men Who Built The Transcontinental Railroad, 1863-1869: Nothing Like It In The World," author Stephen Ambrose notes that Lincoln stated during a campaign speech, " no other improvement...can equal in utility the rail road." As a lawyer he defended the Illinois Central against the state in a case involving tax exemption. Then, on an even more important issue he won a landmark decision in 1857 regarding the railroads' right to bridge navigable waterways. In that case, he successfully represented the Mississippi & Missouri Rail Road (predecessor to the better remembered Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad or "Rock Island"). It was the first to cross the mighty Mississippi River in 1856 but within a year a steamboat had collided with one of the bridge's piers. The steamboat company sued for the structure's removal but Lincoln successfully argued otherwise.

Establishing the Transcontinental Railroad, The Central Pacific Gets Under Way

In 1853, Congress first directed Secretary Davis to survey three routes to the Pacific coast; the northerly line would run along the 49th parallel near the Canadian border, the central would depart from the small community of Omaha, Nebraska Territory (Nebraska achieved statehood on March 1, 1867) at the 42nd parallel, and finally the southerly corridor would follow the 32nd parallel. Naturally, Southern loyalists, including Davis, argued for the latter and were so stubborn they refused to have any part in the enterprise if it built above the Mason-Dixon Line. The standstill remained unchanged until Lincoln's election, which saw Southern senators and congressmen walk out. This left their Northern counterparts the easy decision of choosing the central option. It was Greenville Dodge, an excellent engineer and decorated U.S. Army officer of the Civil War, who fervently believed, and ultimately swayed Congress, to back the Omaha routing. From this community along the Missouri River it would follow the Platte River nearly all the way to the northeastern Colorado border. At the town of North Platte, where the North Platte River and South Platte River split, the railroad would diverge slightly into Colorado, turn north along Lodgepole Creek into Wyoming Territory, slip past the Laramie Mountains, cross the Medicine Bow Mountains, and then head for the Green River. Once in Utah the line would aim for Salt Lake City, then the only noteworthy western settlement. Beyond this point, Union Pacific's planners were rather uncertain since a railroad, building east from Sacramento, California, was projected to meet them somewhere near the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

That railroad was the Central Pacific, the vision of Theodore D. Judah. While there were many who put great time, energy, and money into the venture his unyielding efforts in what he called "his" railroad (Central Pacific) laid the groundwork and firmly believed an acceptable route with manageable grades could be built through California's seemingly impenetrable Sierras. In 1859 he began lobbying for it and on January 14, 1860 even opened what was the dubbed the "Pacific Railroad Museum" inside the Capitol building. Unfortunately, as with everything in Washington, both then and now, Congress was slow to act There were many doubters and Judah was severely handicapped by not having the necessary materials needed to convince naysayers. So, he sailed back to California and obtained these by single-handedly surveying the entire route himself. As he had promised, Judah located a suitable grade over Donner Pass, running 115 miles from Sacramento to the Nevada state line. On November 1, 1860 he wrote up a loose incorporation for the "Central Pacific Railroad Company of California" but could find no financial support in San Francisco.

With no interested in San Francisco he traveled east to nearby Sacramento and located four businessmen eager and willing for just such a railroad; Charles Crocker, Collis P. Huntington, Mark Hopkins, and Leland Stanford. These individuals carried the monetary support necessary for incorporation under California state law (which in this case totaled $115,000 (or $1,000 per mile) and as a result, the Central Pacific Railroad of California (CP) was born on June 28, 1861. Sadly, despite all his hard work, the so-called "Big Four" eventually pushed their chief engineer out of the picture. Before Judah's death on November 2, 1863 (while attempting to wrest control from the group) he was able to witness the Pacific Railroad Act became law on July 1, 1862 with President Lincoln's signature To see a complete transcript of this act please click here. It was directed to " construct a railroad and telegraph line from the Pacific coast, at or near San Francisco, or the navigable waters of the Sacramento River, to the eastern boundary of California." With the passage of this act the CP adopted the agreement on October 7th and formally accepted it through the Department of the Interior on December 24th. To actually build the railroad, however, would require a great deal of land grants. Thanks to Senators Stephen A. Douglas (Illinois) and William R. King (Alabama) there was legislation drawn up for this purpose in 1850, which assisted in establishing new railroads west of the Mississippi River.

John Stover's book, " The Routledge Historical Atlas Of The American Railroads," notes that between 1850 and 1871 the U.S. government offered railroads 170 million acres of land to construct 80 different initiatives. During this time about 131 million acres were actually used, which helped build 18,738 miles of new railroad. One of the first to utilize land grants was the Illinois Central, which completed its original main line in 1856. For the Union Pacific and Central Pacific, they would receive ten alternate sections of federal land for each mile of track laid (or roughly 6,000 acres). According to the book, " Union Pacific Railroad," by historians Joe Welsh and Kevin Holland, an amended Pacific Railroad Act of 1864 increased this figure to twenty alternate sections (or around 12,000 acres for every mile completed). Additionally, there were government loans which varied from $16,000 to $48,000 per mile (depending on the topography). For Central Pacific, there was a catch, however; it was required to complete 50 miles within its first two years, 50 miles each year afterwards and be finished entirely by July 1, 1876 or lose all rights to its land grants and forfeiture of federal loans. On January 8, 1863 the CP formally got underway during a ceremony held in Sacramento. Curiously, only two members of the five founders were present, Governor Stanford (elected in 1861) and Charles Crocker; Huntington was in New York attempting to procure additional funding, Judah was back in the Sierras surveying, and Mark Hopkins simply wasn't interested in attending.

Launching The Union Pacific

Although both companies' track crews worked at a marvelously feverish pace, the Transcontinental Railroad wasn't exactly a fluid concept. It was slow in developing even after President Lincoln signed the 1862 act into law, which did not stipulate a meeting point aside from Central Pacific reaching the Nevada border and Union Pacific heading west of Omaha. After CP's groundbreaking, UP officials became increasingly impatient to get started; while this was technically not a race, all those involved clearly understood that whoever built more mileage would garner more money through loans and land grants. The UP (formally organized in May of 1863) was the only one actually created under the 1862 act; while Dodge fought for the Omaha routing, and later became a prominent figure in its construction, he was initially lured away to do his part in the Civil War. This left Thomas C. Durant ( As vice president and general manager, he was the most influential player at Union Pacific and was eventually successful in pulling Dodge away from the Army.) in control along with Peter Day (chief engineer), Samuel B. Reed (chief of construction), and the wealthy Ames brothers from Boston (Oliver and Oakes) who provided vital financial assistance.

The Union Pacific held its official groundbreaking ceremony on December 1, 1863, which included a great deal more pomp and circumstance than CP's; the governor of Nebraska Territory, Alvin Saunders, turned the first shovel of dirt while the day was filled with fireworks, cannon salutes, bands, and much more. Unfortunately, UP encountered controversy before work even got underway. As means of procuring the necessary capital and protecting stockholders' investments, a separate company was formed to handle all construction contracts. It was the idea of George Francis Train who, with Durant's blessing and assistance, purchased a small Pennsylvania company, the Pennsylvania Fiscal Agency, for $50,000 in March of 1864. They subsequently renamed it the Crédit Mobilier of America. As Mr. Ambrose's book details the scheme worked by having UP award contracts to paper corporations/individuals who then assigned them to Crédit Mobilier; essentially, all monies (largely federal loans) flowed through this company. It would then purchase UP stocks and bonds at par and sell them for a profit. It mattered not whether the railroad actually made money, or was even finished; those involved with Crédit Mobilier would reap huge profits. It became a major scandal that nearly bankrupted the railroad. The extra profits were then merely pocketed by Durant and his partners. The issue wasn't resolved until 1872 although little punishment was ever handed down to those responsible.

By December of 1864, Dey had graded some 23 miles west of Omaha but was then told to change the route (following Mud Creek) in an attempt to amass additional profits for Crédit Mobilier and more land grants. Disgusted, he resigned on December 7th and was later replaced by Greenville Dodge. It took Durant several years to finally persuade the noted engineer to leave the army. When the Transcontinental Railroad got underway, Dodge originally agreed to join UP once the war was over. When hostilities ended and he still failed to show, Durant became exasperated. At the time, Dodge was leading regiments west of the Missouri River as head of the Department of the Missouri to eliminate the Indian threat which stretched from the Plains to the Rocky Mountains. He finally signed on with Union Pacific in the spring of 1866 and was given complete authority. Like Judah at Central Pacific, no other individual was quite as important to Union Pacific as Greenville Dodge; he brought strong, militaristic leadership that got things done quickly and efficiently. He was further aided by an army of Irish veterans, who were already well-versed in taking orders.

Racing From The East And West

There is no doubt that Union Pacific's feat was masterful in its own right although it can be strongly argued that Central Pacific's endeavor was more impressive given its private incorporation and the added difficulty of laying a grade through the rugged Sierra Nevada's. It also had to ship all new equipment, supplies, and construction materials 15,000 miles around South America's Cape Horn to reach California. In his book, " Southern Pacific Railroad," author Brian Solomon points out that actual work commenced some ten months after the formal groundbreaking festivities. While the Chinese workers worked tirelessly and efficiently, it was Collis Huntington who kept the money flowing and things on schedule; the CP got underway from downtown Sacramento near the Sacramento River waterfront with an initial task of bridging the American River a few miles to the west. On October 26, 1863 the first rails were spiked down and soon, tracks reached nearby 21st Street. Just a few weeks later, on November 10th, the company's first locomotive, the 46-ton, 4-4-0 Governor Stanford (an 1862 product of the Norris Locomotive Works, this machine is preserved today at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento), made its first run over this stretch, which drew great fanfare.

Tunnels On The Central Pacific

Tunnel #1: Located at Grizzly Hill, 514.7 feet in length. The bore was widened in 1913 to support double-tracking.

Tunnel #2: Situated about 1 mile east of Emigrant Gap, this bore was 271 feet in length; daylighted 1923-1924.

Tunnel #3: This bore is at Milepost 180.7 near Cisco. When originally built it was 280 feet in length.

Tunnel #4: Very near Tunnel #3 at Milepost 181, it was originally 92 feet in length.

Tunnel #5: Located only four miles west of Tunnel #4 at Milepost 185, it was 128 feet in length; daylighted in 1895.

Tunnel #6: The famous bore in the Sierras also known as "Summit Tunnel" it was 1,659 feet in length. The structure was bypassed in 1997.

Tunnel #7: Situated at Milepost 194.1 it is 100 feet in length; later daylighted and then covered with a snowshed before being abandoned.

Tunnel #8: This structure sits at Milepost 194.3 near Black Point. It is 375 feet in length and is no longer in service.

Tunnel #9: This bore is located at Milepost 194.9 and is 216 feet in length; now abandoned.

Tunnel #10:This tunnel is at Milepost 195.1 and is 509 feet in length; now abandoned.

Tunnel #11: Based at Milepost 195.4 it is 577 feet in length, now abandoned.

Tunnel #12: At Milepost 195.7 it is only a mile west of Tunnel #11; the structure is 342 feet in length and is now abandoned.

Tunnel #13: Situated at Milepost 200.1 near Andover it is the second-longest at 870 feet in length.

Tunnel #14: Located at Milepost 222 it is 200 feet in length and was bypassed following a line change in 1913.

Tunnel #15: Located at milepost 225 (Quartz Spur); originally 96 feet in length. The bore was daylighted in 1895 and the grade was abandoned in 1913 following a line change.

By early 1864 the relatively gentle topography directly east of Sacramento allowed crews to complete 22 miles quite quickly. On March 25th, the very same Governor Stanford pulled a load of granite from nearby mines, which provided the Central Pacific its first revenue freight earnings. On May 13, 1865 service opened to Auburn, a location that also marked the Sierra's foothills. The right-of-way roughly followed the North Fork of the American River as it passed through Colfax, Dutch Flat, and Emigrant Gap before reaching Summit Tunnel (tunnel #6) near present-day Norden. As its name implied, this bore was situated at the summit of Donner Pass and was the longest of the fifteen tunnels needed through the mountains (excluding snow sheds); it was 1,659 feet in length and 124 feet deep. It was finished in August of 1867 a full year since it had all began (August 27, 1866). It sat a 7,042 feet above sea-level and was blasted out of the mountain using nothing more than picks, shovels, black powder, nitroglycerin, and considerable sweat and blood. It had so delayed ongoing work that grading crews had pushed ahead into Nevada months earlier.

After Summit Tunnel received its rails on November 30, 1867 the pace quickened and on June 18, 1868 the CP's tracks reached Reno, Nevada (154 miles east of Sacramento). By then, Greenville Dodge was blazing his way across the Great Plains. In some cases, graders were some 200 miles ahead of track-layers! The UP's progress was as follows: by late July of 1866 it stretched 153 miles to Grand Island; on October 6th rails were 247 miles west of Omaha; and finally by September 21, 1868 the line had reached the Green River, more than 750 miles from the Missouri River. The speed of construction led to the infamous "Hell On Wheels," a traveling town which followed the railroad. It was little more than a collection of partying, gambling, drinking, and promiscuous behavior enabling workers to relax after a hard day's work. While Union Pacific's leadership struggled to keep this wildness under control the bigger issue turned out to be Indians. At first, UP had no trouble and the local Pawnee even assisted in the work. However, west of central Nebraska the Cheyenne and Sioux were not so friendly; these tribes regularly attacked survey parties and construction crews in an attempt to turn back the white man. Dodge initially felt his men could deal with the problem directly by remaining armed at all times. But with victims being horribly mutilated and the attacks continuing, federal troops were eventually required.

The Meeting At Promontory Summit

The last year of construction, particularly the final six months, were a blitzkrieg; once the Central Pacific cleared the Sierra's they raced eastward across the Nevada desert while Union Pacific did the same through Wyoming. As each railroad entered Utah the race took on a whole new meaning with both wanting to build just a little further than the other; CP had survey crews as far as east as Echo Canyon, Utah and UP as far west as Humboldt Wells, Nevada. It was more than just pride, however. As the book, " Railroads In The Days Of Steam," notes the government was paying upwards of $96,000 for every new mile constructed, which included a 400-foot-wide right-of-way. Obviously, not only did more mileage mean more territory but also greater revenue. The issue came to head in early 1869 when Union Pacific and Central Pacific grading crews met between Ogden and Promontory where, in some cases, they were only a few feet apart! Neither side wanted to give in although it was obvious time, money, effort, and resources were being wasted. Today, these redundant grades can still be seen. Finally, on April 9, 1869 Greenville Dodge and Collis Huntington met in Washington, D.C. and agreed the official meeting point would be Promontory Summit, Utah.

The Great Salt Lake

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, Greenville Dodge originally considered crossing the Great Salt Lake via a causeway as the Union Pacific approached Ogden. Although an incredibly expensive endeavor, doing so would have offered easier grades and fewer miles. However, when the lake was sounded he discovered it to be 14 feet higher in 1868 than it had been nineteen years earlier. As a result, he deemed the project unfeasible. In the end, the great lake was crossed. Several decades later, in 1899, plans commenced on a water level route that would directly span the lake to its north with Lucin as the western terminus of the old alignment. The Ogden & Lucin Railroad was a paper company created for the express purpose of building the Lucin Cutoff and work officially began in March of 1902. It was originally hoped the route would be a complete causeway, similar to what was built later. However, construction techniques at the time, while advanced, were not able to stabilize the right-of-way, as it kept sinking below the water's surface. As a result, engineers decided on a more conventional approach; long earthen approaches built of stone-fill with a wooden trestle in the center. The cutoff officially opened on January 1, 1905. Surprisingly, the old Promontory Branch remained in service for several years until it was finally abandoned during June of 1942. In June of 1959 a new causeway replaced the original structure.

As part of the deal, Central Pacific purchased Union Pacific's trackage from Ogden to Promontory Summit (totaling about 50 miles) for $4 million. The agreement was also spurred for monetary reasons as the newly elected President Ulysses S. Grant put an end to public subsidies. And, just like that, the Great Race was over; Union Pacific was finished first, reaching Ogden (1,028 miles from Omaha) on March 7, 1869. Central Pacific required another month but by April 17th had finished to Monument Point, more than 700 miles east of Sacramento and just 20 miles west of Promontory Summit. The two railroads' grand ceremony and meeting was originally scheduled for May 8th but due to heavy rains in the Weber Canyon, Union Pacific's train was delayed. As a result, the festivities were pushed back to Monday, May 10th. Several dignitaries were present including Leland Stanford and James Harvey Strobridge (chief of construction) of Central Pacific and Greenville Dodge, Thomas Durant, John Duff (director), Sidney Dillon (director and head of the Crédit Mobilier), Samuel B. Reed, Herbert M. "Hub" Hoxie ( An Iowa delegate who was later awarded a construction contract to build UP's first 100 miles. When Dodge took command, he was given a job as transfer agent out of Omaha.), Jack and Dan Casement (brothers who led track-laying gangs), and Colonel Silas Seymour ( Officially listed as a consulting engineer, he is said to have had no real authority although was promoted by and answered to only Durant.)

There was also the train crews; Central Pacific's 4-4-0 #60, " The Jupiter," was headed by George Booth (engineer), R.A. Murphy (fireman), and Eli Dennison (conductor) while Union Pacific's 4-4-0 #119 had Sam Bradford at engineer, Cyrus Sweet as fireman, and Benjamin Mallory (conductor). The famous "Golden Spike" was the work of David Hewes from San Francisco, a businessman who wanted to invest in the CP project from the start but did not have the money to do so. The intricate decoration was six inches long but not of solid gold. Instead, only a large, 18-ounce gold nugget sat atop it with the entire piece was valued at $350 (today, it is preserved at Stanford University). Finally, there was a "Last Tie" crafted from beautiful laurel wood and a silver-headed hammer. Once everything was in place, Stanford was given the honor of driving the spike; afterwards a local telegrapher wired the word "Done!" With that, great celebrations erupted throughout the country. Arguably the railroad industry's most famous image was taken at the event when The Jupiter and Union Pacific's 4-4-0 #119 were photographed coupler-to-coupler as many dignitaries and patrons surrounded the locomotives. Today, you can see two of the original Golden Spikes (a total of six were used); the original is housed at the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University and another is on display at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento.

Home › Railroad History › Transcontinental Railroad

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There have been several excellent books published over the years that thoroughly cover the Transcontinental Railroad subject. As a result, this article could, in no way, come close to those works. However, it is my hope that the information presented here provides a brief synopsis on the topic.

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Lincoln was shot and killed at fords theater.The killer was John Wilkes Booth.

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Just five days after celebrating the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia, euphoria in the North suddenly plunged into grief and despair when President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on 14 April 1865.

The murderer was John Wilkes Booth, a 26-year-old actor and fervent Southern sympathizer, who shot Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., while the president was enjoying a performance of Our American Cousin.

A determined 12-day manhunt ensued, which Booth and fellow-conspirator David Herold managed to avoid by riding into Maryland, crossing the Potomac River, and hiding out in rural northern Virginia. Before dawn on 26 April 1865, the law and federal forces caught up to them. The fugitives were hiding in a barn on Richard Garrett's farm, which the detectives and cavalrymen surrounded.

Herold surrendered, but Booth vowed to fight to the last. With a mortal gunshot wound in his neck and the barn on fire, Booth finally staggered out of the barn and was captured. He was in great pain, and died two agonizing hours later on the porch of the Garrett farmhouse.

The news of the shooting of John Wilkes Booth made the front pages of newspapers all across the country.

Here is a transcription of this article:

Booth the Assassin

He Is Traced to His Hiding Place

He Refuses to Surrender Himself

The Capture of Harold [Herold - ed.]

Booth Shows Fight

The Barn Set on Fire

Death of the Murderer of Lincoln!

How Booth Was Discovered

Loyal Negroes Guide His Pursuers

His Body at Washington

Full Particulars of the Pursuit and Capture

Official Gazette.

WASHINGTON, April 27, 9:30 A.M.

Major General Dix, New York:

J. Wilkes Booth and Harold were chased from the swamp in St. Mary's county, Maryland, to Garrett's farm, near Port Royal, on the Rappahannock, by Colonel Baker's force.

The rear of the barn in which they took refuge was fired. Booth, in making his escape, was shot through the head and killed, lingering about three hours, and Harold was captured. Booth's body and Harold are now here.

(Signed) Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War.

(Port Royal, Va., near which Booth and Harold were taken, is on the south side of the Rappahannock, about twenty miles below Fredericksburg. The belief heretofore entertained that Booth, after committing his crime, took refuge in the southern counties of Maryland, with a view to crossing the Potomac into Virginia, is confirmed.)

The Pursuit and Death of Booth.

(Special dispatches to the Inquirer.)

WASHINGTON, April 27.

Booth, after assassinating President Lincoln and making a tragic exit from the stage of the theatre, mounted his horse and rode off, accompanied by an accomplice, named Harold, a young Marylander [23-year-old David Herold - ed.]. To avoid suspicion, they separated, meeting at a place called Marlboro.

Booth, in jumping from the box, had fractured one of the small bones of his left leg, just above the ankle, and the limb had swollen during the ride, causing much pain. Harold took him to the house of a Dr. Mudge [Samuel A. Mudd - ed.], where the boot was cut off and the limb bandaged.

The two fugitives remained some days in Maryland, and Harold states that he saw the cavalry and detectives very near their place of concealment several times.

They were harbored by sympathizers with the Rebel cause, and the only persons who have given any information about them are those loyal Southerners who are easily distinguished by their dark skins.

Col. Baker on the Track of the Assassins.

Meanwhile, Colonel L. C. Baker, Provost Marshal of the War Department, had taken no part in the search made in Maryland for Booth by a large military force, aided by Colonel Olcott and the New York detectives, as he was waiting for some definite information of his whereabouts.

On Monday afternoon he received intelligence that Booth and Harold had probably crossed the Potomac at Swan's Point. Those engaged in searching for them did not know that they had crossed. Having consulted maps of Virginia, which he obtained from the office of the Coast Survey, Colonel Baker made up his mind that Booth and Harold must have gone to the vicinity of Port Royal, a quiet village below Fredericksburg, on the Rappahannock.

He accordingly wrote to General Hancock, requesting him to detail a commissioned officer and twenty-five cavalrymen to report to anyone he might designate. He then gave instructions to two of his detective force, Lieutenant Luther B. Baker and E. J. Conger, formerly Lieutenant-Colonel of the cavalry regiment which Colonel Baker commanded.

The escort, which subsequently reported and started off under the orders of Detectives Baker and Conger, belonged to the Sixteenth New York Cavalry, which has for some months been looking after Moseby's guerrillas over in Virginia.

The Commander of the Escort.

Lieutenant Edward P. Dougherty [Doherty - ed.], who commanded the escort, was at one time a resident in Boston. When the Rebellion broke out he came here as a private in the New York Seventy-first, in which regiment he fought at the first Bull Run. He afterwards enlisted in the Berdan Sharpshooters, and was then transferred into the Sixteenth New York Cavalry, where he has so distinguished himself as to secure promotion.

He was especially commended last fall when, on making a reconnaissance near Culpeper Court House with a small force, he encountered Kershaw's Rebel cavalry division, but gallantly cut his way out.

Booth's Executioner.

Sergeant Boston Corbett, who shot Booth, is a religions enthusiast, who has made the character of Cromwell his study. He was born in England, is about thirty-three years old, and is by trade a hat finisher.

About seven years since, while in Boston, he experienced religion, and when baptized, assumed the name of the city where he became converted, and since then he has always prayed for Divine instruction before taking any step in life, and he says that he has always been prompted what to do.

He was at one time a prisoner at Andersonville, Georgia, and was one of a party of sixteen who escaped. They were hunted down with bloodhounds, and only himself and one of his companions were brought back alive.

On the Sunday after President Lincoln was assassinated Sergeant Corbett obtained leave to attend services at McKentree Chapel here, and there prayed fervently that the assassins might be punished.

How the Assassins Were Discovered.

The detectives and their escort went down on a steamboat to Belle Plain, where they landed before day on Monday morning, and struck across for the Rappahannock.

There is a ferry above Port Royal and the ferryman denies having ferried over any men answering to the descriptions of Booth and Harold. But a colored man looking over Lieutenant Baker's shoulder at a photograph of Booth, which he was showing the ferryman, exclaimed: "I saw that man across the river - he was in a wagon with three other men." The loyal although sable Virginian was right. It appears that Booth and Harold had crossed the Potomac in a canoe, for which they paid three hundred dollars, and were met on the Virginia shore by two Confederate officers with a two-horse wagon. Booth wore a gray suit without any military insignia of rank.

At Port Royal the detectives learned that one of the Confederate officers had a sweetheart at Bowling Green, and had probably gone there. So the party started in pursuit, passing on their way a farm where resided two brothers named William and John Garrett [the farm belonged to their father, Richard Garrett - ed.], who have been in the Rebel army, their house being about a quarter of a mile from the road.

After having gone about three miles from the Garretts' house the party met a loyal Virginian, of dark skin, of course, and from him learned that Booth and Harold were at the Garretts'. "Right about!" was the word, and about three o'clock in the morning the pursuers arrived there.

Statement of the Garretts.

Here let us state what the Garretts say about their visitors who came to their house on Friday or Saturday of last week.

The fugitives were brought in a wagon by two Confederate officers, who spoke of Booth as a wounded Marylander on his way home, and that they wished to leave him there a short time, and would take him away by the 26 th.

Booth limped somewhat, and walked on crutches about the place, complaining of his ankle. He and Harold regularly took their meals at the house, and Booth kept up appearances well.

One day, at the dinner table, the conversation turned on the assassination of the President, when Booth denounced the assassination in the severest terms, saying that there was no punishment severe enough for the perpetrator. At another time someone said, in Booth's presence, that rewards, amounting to $200,000, had been offered for Booth, and that he would like to catch him, when Booth replied, "Yes, it would be a good haul, but the amount would doubtless soon be increased to $500,000."

After our cavalry passed towards Bowling Green, Booth and Harold applied to one of the Garretts for two horses, that they might ride to Louisa Court House, but he fearing that the horses would not be returned refused to let them go. Some words of recrimination passed between Booth and Harold, and the Garretts becoming suspicious that all was not right urged them to leave. This they refused to do unless they could be supplied with horses; and the Garretts then said that if they remained they must sleep in the barn. One of the Garretts went to sleep in the corncrib, fearing, as he says, that the strangers would steal their horses.

Preparations for the Capture.

On returning to the Garretts' house, Lieutenant Baker halted his force and going in obtained a reluctant confession from the brother there where the criminals were. Going out again, Lieutenant Baker aroused his escort, who had nearly all gone to sleep, and took them to the barn, around which he stationed them. He then advanced to the door and knocking with the butt of his revolver said, "Booth, we want you." "Here I am," replied the assassin, "who are you, Confederate or Yankee?" Lieutenant Baker informed him who he was and summoned him to surrender, but met with a defiant refusal.

Quite a parley ensued, Harold at one time expressing a desire to surrender, which Booth rebuked, denouncing him as a coward. Booth could see the party outside through the cracks of the barn, but they could not see him. He swore that he would never be taken alive, and declared that he could kill at least five men and then kill himself, should they attempt to break into the barn.

The Barn Fired.

At last, Lieutenant Baker, fearing that the guerrillas and the paroled Rebel soldiers, with whom the country swarmed, would come to the rescue, posted the cavalrymen around the barn and going to one end of it, which was filled with hay, pulled some through a crack and lighted it. The flames ran up the crack to the top of the haymow, over which they spread. The inside of the barn was now lighted up.

When Booth first saw the fire he clambered up on the mow, and vainly attempted to extinguish it. He then returned to his position on the floor between the two doors, with his back against the haymow, a revolver in each hand, and a Spencer carbine between his legs.

Harold Surrenders.

Meanwhile, the soldiers had approached the barn, and Harold, dropping his pistol, gave himself up, receiving Booth's malediction as he left the burning barn.

Death of Booth.

Just afterwards the roof over the haymow began to crack as if it was falling in, and Booth made a movement. Some of those who were watching him say that he was about to kill himself, while others declare that he was intending to break out and escape. Be this as it may, Sergeant Corbett had a sight at him through a wide crack with his cavalry six-shooter, and pulled [the] trigger. The ball entered about where the President was shot, but passed entirely through Booth's head. The murder has been avenged. "It's all up now," shrieked Booth, "I'm gone," and he staggered towards the door of the barn. Lieutenant Baker received him, and taking him from the blazing barn, laid him on the ground, then sat down and took his head in his lap.

Booth did not deny his crime, and showed no signs of repentance or of humanity, except to ask Lieutenant Dougherty to give a message to his mother. His death was not easy, but at three minutes after seven his spirit passed away into the presence of an avenging God.

Return of the Escort.

Nothing remained for the party to do but to regain their steamboat at Belle Plain.

How Harold Was Taught to Walk.

They had to bring Booth's body in a cart, and at first Harold had to walk, to which he, as a Maryland gentleman, objected; but after a rope was placed around his neck with a slip noose, and the other end of it was fastened to a cavalryman's saddle he started off, taking good care that the rope should not tighten.

The Remains of Booth.

From Belle Plain Lieutenant-Colonel Conger rode overland to Alexandria, and reported to Colonel Baker yesterday afternoon, at half-past five.

When he left there were some hopes that Booth's wound was not mortal.

Colonel Baker went to Alexandria to meet the steamer, and since then the body of Booth, by direction of the Secretary of War, has remained in his custody.

Surgeon-General Barnes, with an assistant, made an autopsy on the remains this afternoon. Their final disposition is unknown to the public as yet.

Such are the leading events of the escape, pursuit and arrest of the assassin of President Lincoln, obtained from unquestionable sources.

Of course, every member of the expedition, civil or military, regards himself as the principal agent, and some wonderful stories are told; but what I have stated may be relied upon as correct.

This is, however, but the second act in the great conspiracy, the first act of which cost us our President. Other arrests have been made.

Other arrests are to be made, and in due time the public will learn the extent and the deliberate wickedness of the whole crime. They will also see that much of what has been published about arrests of the party who attacked Secretary Seward and other matters are bosh: Colonel Baker has detected the criminal, and the Secretary of War, who knows the facts better than anyone else, gives him the credit.

Appearance of the Body.

Booth's moustache had been cut off apparently with scissors, and his beard allowed to grow, changing his appearance considerably. His hair had been cut somewhat shorter than he usually wore it.

Booth's body, which we have before described, was at once laid out on a bench and a guard placed over it. The lips of the corpse are tightly compressed, and the blood has settled in the lower part of the face and neck. Otherwise the face is pale and wears a wild, haggard look, indicating exposure to the elements and a rough time generally in his skulking flight. His hair is disarranged and dirty, and apparently had not been combed since he took his flight. The head and breast is alone exposed to view, the lower portion of his body, including the hands and feet, being covered with a tarpaulin thrown over it. The shot which terminated his accursed life entered on the left side at the back of the neck, a point, curiously enough, not far distant from that in which his victim, our lamented President, was shot.

A Spencer carbine, which Booth had with him in the barn at the time he was shot by Sergeant Corbett, and a large knife, with blood on it, supposed to be the one which Booth cut Major Rathbone with in the theatre box on the night of the murder of President Lincoln, and which was found on Booth's body, have been brought to the city. The carbine and knife are now in the possession of Colonel Baker, at his office.

Booth had upon his person some bills of exchange, but only about $175 in Treasury notes.

The bills of exchange, which are for a considerable amount, found on Booth's person, were drawn on banks in Canada in October last. About that time Booth was known to have been in Canada.

It is now thought that Booth's leg was fractured in jumping from the box in Ford's Theatre upon the stage, and not by the falling of his horse while endeavoring to make his escape, as was at first supposed.

The Captured Assassins.

The greatest curiosity is manifested to view the body of the murderer Booth, which yet remains on the gunboat in the stream off the Navy Yard. Thousands of persons visited the yard today in hopes of getting a glimpse at the murderer's remains, but none were allowed to enter who were not connected with the yard. The wildest excitement has existed here all day, and regrets are expressed that Booth was not taken alive.

Sergeant Corbett.

It is said that in pulling the trigger upon Booth, he sent up an audible petition for the soul of the criminal.

The pistol used by Corbett was the regular large-sized cavalry pistol. He was offered a thousand dollars this morning for the weapon with its five undischarged loads.

An Autopsy.

This afternoon, Surgeon-General Barnes, with an assistant, held an autopsy on the body of Booth.

Booth Not in Rebel Uniform.

It now appears that Booth and Harold had on clothing which was originally of some other color than the Confederate grey, but being faded and dusty, presented that appearance.

Booth's Mistress.

The news of Booth's death reached the ears of his mistress while she was in a streetcar, which caused her to weep bitterly, and drawing a photograph likeness of the murderer from her pocket, kissed it fondly several times.

The Demeanor of Harold.

Harold, thus far, has evaded every effort to be drawn into conversation by those who have necessarily come in contact with him since his capture, but his outward appearance indicates that he begins to realize the position in which he is placed, and that there is no hope for his escape from the awful doom that certainly awaits him. His relations and friends, in this city, are in the greatest distress over the disgrace that he has brought upon himself.

Bowling Green.

Bowling Green, near which place Booth was killed, is a post village, the capital of Caroline county, Virginia, on the road from Richmond to Fredericksburg, forty-five miles north of the former, and is situated in a fertile and healthy region. It contains two churches, three stores, two mills and about three hundred inhabitants.

An online collection of newspapers, such as GenealogyBank's Historical Newspaper Archives, is not only a great way to learn about the lives of your ancestors - the old newspaper articles also help you understand American history and the times your ancestors lived in, and the news they talked about and read in their local papers. Did any of your ancestors serve during the Civil War? Please share your stories with us in the comments section.
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Lincoln's Assassin, John Wilkes Booth, Shot Dead

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Just five days after celebrating the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia, euphoria in the North suddenly plunged into grief and despair when President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on 14 April 1865.

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By this time over 50% percent of the currency was fake.Making his a problem because they couldn't find the counter filters.

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PayPal shares are up nearly 60% since the company spun out of eBay in July 2015. The rise has defied skeptics who thought PayPal would get steamrolled by much larger players in the payments industry. But instead of trying to be an alternative to credit and debit cards, the company returned to its pioneering roots, solving problems that Visa and Mastercard had yet to address.

Some $25 billion flowed through Venmo, PayPal's peer-to-peer payment platform, in the last year -- transaction volume doubled in the latest quarter. The service has changed the way friends split bills and pay rent. It's one more nail in cash's coffin. Venmo has yet to provide much revenue for PayPal, though, so the company is focused on getting Venmo users to use their accounts for e-commerce purchases.

PayPal has other big plans, as well. The company bought international money-transfer service Xoom shortly after the spinoff and acquired bill-payments service TIO Networks in July. CEO Dan Schulman tells Barron's Next that the acquisitions push PayPal toward its goal of "democratizing financial services," by making it easier for people to manage money even if they don't have bank accounts. Of course, that noble goal has a business rationale as well, by exposing PayPal's core product to a larger set of customers.

Barron's Next recently spoke with Schulman, who's passionate about payments to the point where he's made his staff leave their offices to cash checks without the benefit of their bank accounts. The exercise has helped him identify other friction points in the payment system that PayPal can try to fix.

Below are excerpts from our conversation with Schulman.

What gets you most excited right now?

The progress we're making towards democratizing financial services. Two billion people around the world and maybe 70 million or so people in the US are underserved by traditional financial institutions. They stand in line for sometimes over an hour just to cash a check. It costs 2% to 5%. Then when you get cash, you really can't do much with it. It could cost you $8 to $10 to take that cash that you just paid 2% to 5% to get, to now transform that into a money order to pay your cable bill. Technology can make the managing and the moving of money much more of a right than a privilege for the affluent.

People worry about what will happen to cash users and people who don't have bank accounts with the rise of more digital banking and payment options.

I think it's the opposite. Really interestingly, there is more smartphone penetration in lower income demographics than in higher income demographics because it's the only device they use to access information online. For those who are underserved, managing and moving money is like a part time job. It takes 10% of disposable income -- the same amount they spend on food -- on unnecessary fees and interest rates. We can make a big difference in that.

You have a lot going on with Venmo now as you add new capabilities and try to make money off the service. What can users expect?

Venmo certainly hit a chord with the millennial generation and it is clear that we are benefiting from network effects. Everybody has Venmo, and if you don't have Venmo, somebody wants you to have it. People open the app several times a week not just to make a transaction, but to see what their friends are doing. Now we are taking the next step, which is to start to enable the Venmo customer to use it in more contexts. That's Pay with Venmo, which is allowing Venmo users to use their Venmo accounts anywhere where PayPal is accepted. If you see a PayPal button as a Venmo user, you will be able to click it and have a seamless checkout experience. We're in the process of rolling this out and it will be largely complete by the end of the year.

Since it's a still PayPal button, the consumer will have to know that PayPal and Venmo are part of the same company.

That's kind of what we are now communicating out, but we don't want to do it until we get a critical mass of PayPal merchants. We'll make sure that everyone knows about it, because the whole service is viral by nature. Eventually we will have what is called dynamic button painting, which means that we'll know when you log onto a merchant's site whether you're a Venmo user or a PayPal user and we will dynamically render that "pay" button to who you are.

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PayPal CEO: Moving Money Shouldn't Be So Hard

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Ben Boyd a very well known counterfeiter was arrested.He was sentenced to two years in the Iowa state prison.

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