The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-28 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENIMI, APRIL 28, 1865.

The Assassination of President Lincoln

(REUTER'S EXPRESS.)
The following are the particulars of the assassina-
tion of President Lincoln, and the attempt on the
Life of Mr. Seward :

"WASHINGTON, April 14.
President Lincoln and wife, with other friends,
his evening visited Ford's theatre for the purpose
of witnessing the performance of the American
Cousin.' It was announced in the papers that
General Grant would also be present, but that gen-
tleman took the late train of cars for New Jersey.
The theatre was densely crowded, and every-
body seemed delighted with the scene before them.
During the third act, and while there was a tempo-
rary pause for one of the actors to enter, a sharp
report of a pistol was heard, which merely attracted
attention, but suggesting nothing serious, until a
man rushed to the front of the President's box,
waving along dagger in his right hand, and ex-
claiming, Sic semper tyrannis,' and immediately
leaped from the box, which was in the second tier,
to the stage, making his escape, amid the bewilder-
ment of the audience, from the rear of the theatre,
and, mounting a horse, fled. The screams of Mrs.
Lincoln first disclosed the fact to the audience that
the President had been shot, when all present rose
to their feet and rushed towards the stage, many
exclaiming, Hang him ! hang him !' The excite-
ment was of the wildest possible description, and of
course there was an abrupt termination of the
theatrical performance. There was a rush towards
the President's box, when cries were heard to
stand back and give him air. Has any one
stimulants ?' On a hasty examination it was
found that the President had been shot through
the head, above and below the temporal bone,
and that some of the brain was oozing out.
He was removed to a private house opposite the
theatre, and the surgeon-general of the army and
other surgeons sent for to attend to his condition.
On an examination of the private box blood was
discovered on the back of the cushioned rocking-
chair in which the President had been sitting, also
the partition, and on the floor a common single-
barrelled pocket pistol was found on the carpet. A
military guard was placed in front of the private
residence to which the-President has been conveyed.
An immense crowd was in front of it, all deeply
anxious to learn the condition of the President. It
had been previously announced that the wound was
mortal, but all hoped otherwise. The shock of the
community was terrible. At midnight the Cabinet,
with Messrs. Sumner, Colfax, and Farnsworth,
Judge Curtis, Governor Ogleby, Meigs. Colonel
Hay, and a few personal friends, with Surgeon-
General Barnes and his immediate assistants, were
around his bedside. The President was in a state
of syncope, totally insensible, and breathing slowly :
the blood oozed from the wound at the back of the
head, and the surgeons exhausted every possible
effort of medical skill, but all hope was gone. The
parting of his family with the dying President is too
sad for description. The President and Mrs.
Lincoln did not start for the theatre until 15 minutes
after eight. Speaker Colfax was at the White
House at the time, and the President stated to him
that he was going, although Mrs. Lincoln had not
been well, because the papers had announced that
General Grant and they were to be present, and as
General Grant had gone North, he did not wish the
audience to be disappointed. He went with appa-
rent . reluctance, and urged Mr. Colfax to go
with him ; but that gentlman .had. made other

engagements, and with Mr. Ashman, of Massa-
chusetts, bade him good night. When the excite-
ment at the theatre was at its wildest height, re-
ports were circulated that Secretary Seward had
also been assassinated. On reaching this gentle-
man's residence, a crowd and a military guard were
found at the door, and on entering it was also
ascertained that the reports were based on
truth. Everybody there was so excited that scarcely
an intelligible word could be gathered, but the facts
are substantially as follows :—About ten a man
rang the bell, and the call having been answered by
a coloured servant, he said he had come from Dr.
Verdi, Secretary Seward's family physician, with a
prescription, at the same time holding in. his hand
a small piece of paper, and saying, in answer to a
refusal, that he must see. the Secretary, as he was
entrusted with particular directions concerning the
medicine. He still insisted on going up, although
repeatedly informed that no one could enter the
chamber. The man then pushed the servant aside,
and walked heavily towards the Secretary's room,
and was then met by Mr. Frederick Seward, of
whom he demanded to see the Secretary, making
the same representations which he did to the ser-
vant. What further passed in the way of colloquy
is not known, but the man struck him on the head
with a billy, severely injuring the skull, and felled
him, almost senseless. The assassin then rushed into
the chamber, and attacked Major Seward, Pay-
master U.S. Army, and Mr. Hansen, a messenger
of the State Department, and two male nurses, dis-
abling them all. He then rushed upon the Secre-
tary, who was lying in bed in the same room, and
inflicted three stabs in the neck, but severing, it is
hoped, no arteries, though he bled profusely. The
assassin then rushed down-stairs, mounted his horse
at the door, and rode off before an alarm could be
sounded, and in the same manner as the assassin of
the President. It is believed that the injuries to the
Secretary are not fatal, nor those of either of the
others, although both the Secretary and Assistant-
Secretary are both very seriously injured. Secretaries
Stanton and Welles, and other prominent officers of
the Government, called at Secretary Seward's house
to inquire into his condition, and there heard of
the assassination of the President. They then pro-
ceeded to the house where he was lying, exhibiting
of course intense anxiety and solicitude. An im-
mense crowd was gathered in front of the Presi-
dent's house, and a strong guard was also stationed
there, many persons evidently supposing he would
be brought home. The entire city to-night presents
a scene of wild excitement, accompanied by violent
expressions of indignation and the profoundest sor-
row. Many sped their way to the military autho-
rities to have despatched mounted patrols in every
direction in order if possible to arrest the assassins
The whole metropolitan police are likewise vigilant
for the same purpose. The attacks, both at the
theatre and at Mr. Seward's house, took place at
about the same hour (10 o'clock), thus showing a
preconcerted plan] to assassinate those gentlemen.
Some evidence of the guilt of the party who have
attacked the President are in the possession of the
police. Vice-President Johnson is in the city, and
his headquarters are guarded by troops.
" Intense sorrow is depicted in all countenances
at the terrible events that occurred in Washington
last night, and the grief of all good men is apparent
everywhere at the demise of the President. No flags
were hoisted in this city this morning until the state
of the President was known, when they were all
placed at half-mast. The people appear perfectly
horrified, and the utmost rage is felt towards all
known secessionists and rebel sympathisers. An-
other Washington despatch says the audience in the
theatre heard the shot, but supposing it to be fired
in the regular course of the play, did not heed it till
Mrs. Lincoln's screams drew attention. The whole
affair, including the escape of the assassin, occupied
scarcely half a moment. The assassin is about 30
years of age, sft. 9in. high, sparely built, of light
complexion, and of• genteel appearance. He entered
the box, which' is known as the state box,*being the
upper box on the right hand side from the dress
circle, in the regular manner. When he emerged
from the box after the deed he was followed across
the stage by a gentleman who sprang out from an
orchestra chair. He rushed through the side door
into an alley, thence to the avenue, and mounted a
dark bay horse, which he apparently received from
the hand of an accomplice, dashed up to F-street,
and thence toward the back of the city. The escape
was so sudden that he effeetually eluded pursuit.
In the night cavalry and infantry scoured the city in
every direction for the assassins, and the people
were almost mad with excitement."
LATEST PARTICULARS.

44 The excitement throughout Washington is in-
tense, and the horrible proceedings of last night are
the only theme of conversation. The assassin of the
President left behind him a hat and a spur. The
hat was picked up in the President's box, and has
been identified as one belonging to the suspected,
The spur had dropped upon the stage, and that also
has been identified as one procured at a stable where
the same man hired a horse in the evening. Two
gentlemen who went to the Secretary of War to ap-
prise him of the attack of Mr. Lincoln, met at the

residence of the former a man muffled in a cloak,
who, when accosted by them, hastened away. It
had been Mr. Stanton's intention to accompany Mr.
Lincoln to the theatre and occupy the same box,
but a press of business prevented him. It therefore

seems evident that the aim of the plotters was to
paralyse the country by at once striking down its
head, beard, and arm. As soon as the dreadful

events were announced in the streets, Superinten-
dent Richards and his assistants were at work to

discover the assassins. Ina few moments the tele-

graph had aroused the whole police force of the city.
Mayor Wallash and several members of the city
government were soon on the spot, and every pre-
paration was made to preserve order and quiet ;
every street was patrolled. At the request of Mr.
_ _

Richards, General Augur sent horses to mount the

police. Every road leading out of Washington is
strongly picketed, and every possible avenue of

escape thoroughly guarded. Steamboats about to

start down the Potomac were stopped. The Chro-

nicle says as it is expected this conspiracy originated
in Maryland the telegraph flashed the mournful news

to Baltimore, and all the cavalry were put upon ac-
tive duty. Every road was picketed, and every pre-
caution taken to prevent the escape of the assassin.

A preliminary examination has been made by Super-
intendent Richards and his assistants. Several per-
sons were called to testify, and the evidence is
conclusive to this point, viz—that the murderer of

the President was John Wilkes Booth. His hat was

found in the private box, and identified by several
persons who had seen him within the last two days ;
and the spur which he dropped by accident after he
jumped on the stage was identified as one of those

which he had obtained from the stable where he had

hired his horse. This man Booth has played more

than once at Ford's theatre, and is, of course,

acquainted with its exits and entrances ; and the

facility with which he escaped behind the scenes is
easily understood. The person who attempted to

assassinate Secretary Seward left behind him a

slouched hat and an old rusty navy revolver. The
chambers were broken loose from the barrels, as if

dune by striking. The loads 'were drawn from the
chambers, one being but a rough piece of lead, and

the others smaller than the chambers, were wrapped

in paper, as if to keep them from falling out."

MEETING OF AMERICANS IN LONDON.
Yesterday afternoon a meeting of American gen-
tlemen was held at the Grosvenor Hotel, Pimlico

(convened by the Hon. Fernando Wood), for the
purpose of expressing some sentiment with reference
to the late lamentable intelligence from the United
States.

Mr. ROBERTS moved that the lion. Fernando
Wood should take the chair, upon which, and before
the motion could be put,
Dr. BLACK, who was announced as a loyal gen-

tleman from Kentucky, said he had come to the
meeting direct from the American Embassy, at the
request of Mr. Adams, their representative in this
country, with whom and other gentlemen he had
been in consultation as to the best steps to be taken
on this dreadful and solemn occasion. The gentle-
man to whom he had alluded thought that an op-
portunity should be given to all Americans resident
in the metropolis to testify their sorrow in a becom-
ing manner. (Hear, hear.) With that view th6y