Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1865-04-26
ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS
OF THE
ASSASSINATION of the PRESIDENT

from The correspondence of the n Y
heTaIa we take the following exceedingly
interesting details Of the frightful crime
"hioh has overshadowed the whole land
with gloom:
STATEMENT OF MAI. RATHBUN.
Inc PRESIDENTS box at Ford's Theatre
double one, or what ordinarily cousti.
tutes TWO boxes, in the second tier. at the
right OF the stage. When occupied by the
is removed, and the Two are are !RRuis !RRi Thrown
into one. This box is entered from mar.
row, dark hallway, which in turn is sepa-
rated from the dress circle by small door.
The examination of the premises discloses
the fact that the assassin had fully and
deliberately prepared and arranged them
Tor his diaboical purpose previous to the
assembling of the audience. A piece of
board one inch thick, six inches wide. and
about three leet in length served for a bar,
one end being placed in an indeatation
excayated in the wall for the purpose
about four feet from the floor. and the
other against the moulding of the door
panel, few inches higher than the end
in the wall, so that it would be impossible
TO jar it out Of place by knocking on the
door on the outside. The demon having
thus guarded against intrusion by anv Of
the audience, next proceeded to prepare
a means OF observing the position of The
parties inside the box. With gimlet or
small bit he bored hole in the docrpanel,
which he afterwards reamed out with his
knife, so as to leave it little larger than
n buckshot on the inside, while it was
sufficiently large on the outside in the
dark entry for him to place his eve
against with convenience, and see the DO
sllion OF the parties inside the box. Both
box doors were perforated in like manner.
But there were spring locks on each of
these doors, and it was barely possible
that they might be fastened. TO provide
against such an emergency the screws
which fasten the bolt hasps to the wood
had been partially withdrawn, and left so
that while they would hold the Aasps to
the wood they would afford little or no
resistance to firm pressure uron the door
from the outside.
DELIBERATE PREPARATIONS FOR THE
MURDER.
Having thus provided for sure and
easy entrance 10 the box, the next busi-
moss wrs In sncnre clear and unodsfruct-
such an arrangement OF the chairs andso-
fas as would place the occupants at con-
siderable distance from him. The rock
| ing or easy chair occupied by Mr.. Lincoln
was found in the front corner of the box
/ farthest from the stage. Another, for
| Mrs Lincoln, little more remote from
the front of the box, while the
other chairs and sofa were all placed on
the eide nearest the stage, leaving the
oentre Of the spacious box clear for the
bloody operations of the actor. These
preparations were neither conceived by n
maddened brain, designed By fool, nor
executed by drunkard They bear most
unmistakable evidence of genius, industry
and perseverance in the perfect accom-
plishment Of deliberate murder.
At few minutes past eight in the even
ing the President and Mrs. Lincoln called
at the residence of Senator Harris, corner
of Fifteenth and III streets, where they
took Miss Clara Harris and Major Henry
H. Rathbun, u. s. Army, into their car
riage, and proceeded to the THEATRE
Shortly after they entered the fatal box
the President seated himself in the chair
designed for him 10y the assassin: Mrs,
Lincoln took one near him, Miss Harris
the one at the opposite corner, fronting
the audience, and Maj Rathbun seated
himself upon the sofa, few feet behind
Miss Harris. There were no other per-
sons in the box, and no one entered or
left it until after the time of the assassind-
tion. Charles Forbes, the personal atten-
dant Of the President, had been told 10y
Mrs. Lincoln TO remain near the box, as
he might be wanted The President
seemed we'll, though somewhat sad, and
spoke very little. lie arose once during
the performance, went TO the door OF the
box, put on his oycrcoat and then return
ed to his chair and sat down
The deed was perpetrated during the
second scene of the third act Of the piece,
by some man who must have approached
stealthily and unseen through the dark
passage at the back of the box. Major
Rathbun was not aware of his presence
} till hearing the report Of a pistol, and
} looking round saw the flash, and dimly
through the smoke the form OF a man in
Itbe b5x. not more than six feet from the
President. As the Major sprang towards
. him he heard him shrek some word like
90 freedom, lie Ineu eeiAe' nllh' Aho
J assassin shook loose from the officers
grasp, and at the same time made a yio-
lent thrust at his left breast with the
knife which he held in his hand. Major
Rathbun caught the blow on his left arm,
near the shoulder, and at once sprang for
him asain bu! only succeeded il. grasp
inc his clothing, which be partly tore
from him as he leaped from the box to
the stage. The Major then cried out
+" Stop that man." and supposing it i'm.
possible for him TO escape through the
: crowd below, rushed back to the Presl
dent and to the aid of Mrs Lincoln, who
for the frst time realizing what had oo'
Cured, was shtieking for help. The Fres-
ident had not changed his position eT, ei,
cept that his eyes were clo's9 %,;or an" Rath,
head slightly 5ent forward MAJOR ,lsaiiv naiL
sounded. He went to the door OF !, sns !lSI
box for The f Psss9Gs uni nidiS ssa
tlui ~ H. and of the dark nail