The Cecil Whig., 1865-04-22
The Nations Loss
ASSASSINATION OF
President Lincoln


Fu4l Details of tle Assassination
President Lincoln was assassinatcd at
Ford's Theatre. in Washington. on Friday
night, the 18th inst, by j. Wilkes Booth -
| We select the following account of the hor-
rible tragedy and movements of the ,tssssin
on the night preceding the commission of
the crime, from the correspondence of the
| New York World. Without exception, il is
the best and most circunstar,ial account, if
| the whole of it be based upon fact, of any
we have hitherto seen; ard, if we dare say
so, is one of the most Dramatically detailed
accounts of an appalling incident in national
history which has ever been offered to any
! nation:
Some very deliberate, but not at all extra
| ordinary, movements were made by hand
some and extremely well dressed young
man in the city of Washington last Friday
At about 1l} o'clock, A. NJ. this person.
whose name is j. Wilkes Booth, by profcs-
spcculations, sauntered into Ford Theatre,
on Tenth, between f. and F. streets, and ex.
changed greetings with the man at the box
office. In the conversation which ensued
the ticket agent informed Booth that box
was taken for Mr., Lincoln and Gen. Grant
who were expected to visit the theatre, and
contribute to the benefit of Miss Laura
| keene and satisfy the curiosity of large
audience. Mr.. Booth went away with Jest,
and lightly spoken "Good afternoon. -
| Strolling down to Pumphrey's stable, on G.
street, in the rear of the National Hotel, he
engaged saddle horse, high strung, fast
| beautiful bay mare, telling Mr.. Humphreys
that he should call for her in the middle of
| the afternoon.
VISITS MR.. JOHNSON.
From here he went to the Kirkwood Ho-
| tel, on the corner of Pennsylvania avenue
and Twelfth street, where, calling for a card
and sheet of note paper, he sat down and
wrote upon the first as follows
For Mr.. Andre,c johnson:
don't wish to disturb you; are you at
| home? j. W. Boc7H.
To this message, which was sent up by
| the obliging clerk, Mr.. johnson Responded
that he was very busiy engaged. Mr.. Booth
smiled, and turning to his sheet of note-p pa
per, wrote on it. The fact, if fact it is, that
he had been disappointed in not obtaining
an examination of the Vice President s
apartment and knowledge of the Vice
Presidents probable whereabouts the ensu-
ing evening in no way affected his conpo-
|
unknown, was signed and sealed within a
few moments. Booth arose, bowed to an
acquaintance, and passed into the street.
| His elegant person was seen on the avenue
Il few minutes, and was withdrawn into the
Metropolitan Hotel.
| HE VISITS HIS STABLE.
| AT r. NJ. he again appeared at Pumph
rcys' livery stable, mounted the mare he had
| laic cfro a1
into an alley between Ninth and Tenth
streets, and thence into an alley relcadng
to the rear of Ford's Theatre, which fronts
on Tenth street, between f. and f. streets
Here he alighted and deposited the mare in
a small stable off the alley, which he had
hired some time before for the accommodate
ton of saddle, horse which he had recently
sold. Mr.. Booth soon afterward retired
from the stable, and is supposed to have re-
freshed himself at a neigAboring barroom
THE SCENE AT THE THEATRE.
At o'clock the same evening, President
Lincoln and Speaker Coifax sat together in
a private room at the White House, pleas
antly conversing. Gen. Grant, with whom
the President had engaged to attend Ford's s
Theatre that evening, had left with his wife
for Burlington, New Jersey, in the six o'cl' k
train. After this departure Mr.. Lincoln
rather reluctantly determined to keep his
| part of the engagement rather than to dis
appoint his friends and the audience. Mrs.
Lincoln, entering the room and turning to
Mr.. Coltax, said, in half laughing, half Sc
rious way, "Weli, Mr. Lincoln, are you going
to the theatre with me or not?.' 81 sup
pose shall have to go, Colfx," s&id the
President, and the Speaker took his leave in
company with Major Rathhone, of the Pro-
vost MarShsl Generals office, who escorted
Miss Harris, daughter of Senator Harris, of
New York. Mr.. and Mrs. lincoln reached
Ford's Theatre at twenty minutes before 9
O clock.
The house was filled in every part with q
large and brilliantly attired audience AS
the Presidential party assembled the stairs,
and passed behind the dress circle to the en-
trance of the private box reserved for them,
the whole assemblage, having in mind the
recent Union victories, arose, cheered, wav-
ing hats and handkerchefs, and manifesting
every other accustomed sign of enthusiasm.
The President last to enter the box, turned
before doing SO, and bowed a courteous ac-
acknowledgement of his reception.
| THE BOX.
| The box in which the President sat con-
sisted of two boxes turned into one, the
middle partition being removed, as on all
| occasions when state party visited the
theatre. The box was on a level with the
dress circle, about twelve feet above the
stage. There were two entrances-the door
nearest to the wall having been closed and
locked the door nearest the balusrades of
the dress circle, and at right angles with it,
being open and left open after the visitors
had entered. The interior was carpeted,
lined with crimson paper, and furnished with
a sofa covered with crimson velvet, three
arm chairs similarly covered, and six cane,
bottomed chairs. Festoons of flags hung
before the front of the box against back.
ground of lace.
THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE PARTY.
President Lincoln took one of the arm.
chairs and seated himself in the front of the
box, in the angle nearest the audience, where,
partially screened from observation, he had
the best view of what was transpiring on the
stage. Mrs Lincoln sat next him, and Miss
Harris in the opposite angle nearest the
stage. Major Rathbone sat just behind Mrs.
Lincoln and Miss Harris. These four were
the only persons in the box.
THE PLAY.
The play proceeded. The audience q,
Ford's, including Mrs. Lincoln, seemed to
enjoy it very much. The worthy wife of the
President leaned forward, her hand upon
| bar buebond'c kpao wotch;ru ayary coo,o IN