Lincoln's non pardon

[RJNorton]

Thanks, Betty. I have tried to find it in books such as Lincoln Day By Day but never with any success.

Here's the way the story goes:

When Beall was captured Booth sought Washington McLean, of Ohio, then in Washington, John P. Hale, United States Senator from New Hampshire, and John W. Forney, to aid in Beall 's release. Forney was induced to implore the President to exercise clemency. Hale, McLean and Booth, were driven at midnight to the White House, the President was aroused and there was not a dry eye in the room as Booth knelt at the feet of Lincoln, clasped his knees and begged him to spare Beall 's life. All present joined in the request. At last Lincoln with tears streaming down his face took Booth by the hands and promised Beall's pardon. The next morning, Seward said when informed by Lincoln what he had done, that public sentiment in the North demanded that Beall should be hung and he threatened to resign should the President interfere. Seward carried his point and Beall was hanged.

http://archive.org/stream/presidentlinco...k_djvu.txt