Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-04-21

s The fllowiu. details of the a-. 'uaa.-
are related by Major Ba,baau. Uao was la
{ the Presidents box at The time Deliberate
Z preparations far the murder bad Ir.nI
(; yiously made. as am examination ta, -f.-
s shows that eyc-holos bad been rat through
s the outer and inner doors o. che HHs. aa.
s the screws Of the lock .ala-.
5 would force 10 OIL IT,, .a.- la t.e .
+ were so arranged a- TO ie.7ca clear ra-.r-a
WY 10 tie middle Nl Din .a'- eIair be-
8 ing in one Of tlc front CORNERS at t.s box.
Alta few minutes past eight iu tho even me-.
{ the Presil mt and Mrs lincoln ciI-l a- fh.
s residence OF senator Harris. csrnsrot tficeafa
and n streets, where they took Miss Clara Illr-
: MS and MAJOR Henry T. EAthduu. q. ). A.. Zoe
% their carriage, ami proceeded o. tlc -Hetfre.
Shortly after they entered ihe fatal ..I..sa tla-.-
: dent seated himself boz the seat designed iar him
+ rs the assassin Mrs. Lincoln t0ah one near
7 him. Miss Harris tine one ~ the opposite corner.
fronting the audience. aud Major Eatatuu -elt-
ei himself upon the sofa, feF i.c' teh.ad Mss
Harris. There were no other persons % the
box, and no one entered or LEFT il until about be
: time Of the assassination.
Charles Forhes, the personal attendant OF the
{ President, had been told by Mrs Lincoln to re-
s main near the box, as be might he wanted The
Z President seemed well, though somewhat sad.
: and spoke very little. lie arose once during
the performance. went TO the door tthe box.put
s on ms 0verc0at ant then returned 20 his chair
Z and sal down
: The deed Was perpetratei during the sec1udi
scene of the third act OF the piece. by some mani
s who must have approached steathily and un
seen through the dark passage 80 the back Of
I the box. Major Rathhun WIS not aware Of h,|
presence till hearing the report VI the pistol, lu
( looking round. the flash, and dImly through
. the smoke, the form of a man in the box, NOT
six feet from the President. As the Major spraug
s towards him he heard him shrek some word lkc'
I freedom" He then seized him. The assassin
shook loose from the officers grasp. and al the
same time made a violent thrust at his LET, breast
: with the knife which held in his hand. Major
: Rathbun caught the blow on his left arm ucarl
the shoulder. and At once sprang for him again,
: but only succeeded in grasping his clothing,
which he partly tore from him as be leapel from
the box TO the stage. The Major then erred out
'Stop that man., snd, supposing it impossible
for him to escape through the cr4gd below, rush
Cd back 10 the President and 10 The aid of Mr.
Lincoln. who. Tor the first time realizing what
had occurred was shrieking for help.
The President had not changed his position.
except that his eyes were closed and ms head
slightly bent forward. Major Rathhun saw az -
glance that he was mortally wounded lie went
to the door Of the box for the purpose Of pro-
curing medical aid, and 10 bic astouIshme-ut
found the outer door az the end Of the dark Lall
from which the boxes are entered, firmly barr,i
on the inside with piece of wood wel-,d
across about four feet from the floor. so that
those outside who were knocking for adnis-i
could not get in. Tearing away the fastening.
and passing in one or two persons who repre-
sented themselves surgeons. he requested
Capt Crawford to prevent all 9th sr persons from
entering the box, and begged the audience 60 .
iisperse.
When the surgeons had concluded their exam <
nations, 1t was decided to remove the boiy from
the theatre, and accordingly the whole party, :
including Major Rathhuu, who had charge of E
Mrs Lincoln. proceeded TO house opposite
Ia was now found that the Major was seriously 2
wounded, and becoming quite faint from loss OF
blood. lie was sent home by bis surgeon.
The whole time occupied from the nring oft
pistol in the box to the lespiug upon the stage, :
was not over thirty seconds The President Z.
never spoke or Enclosed bis eyes from this time 1
until hi death The clothing OF Major Rath- i
bun ami the dress OF Miss Harris were bespat- 8
tered with blood from the wound Of the Major. :
The wound Of the President did not bleed 40 &
all {