Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-05-16
THE CONSPIRACY.
THEATRE.
ExAmINArIONBKr THE COURT.
APPEARANCE OF THE THEATRE.
THE SCENERY UNTOUCHED.
THE PRESIDENTS BOX.
THAT MYSTERIOUS BAR.
DUST AND DARKNESS.

DUST AND DARKNESS. al..
At half-past nine O'Clock this morning the
members of the court, per agreement yester.
terday, visited Ford's Theater for the purpose
OF examining the premises and the localities
adjacent figuring in the evidence concerning
the assassination.
Company q, (2ith) Vet. Reserve Corps, (Maj
Steckner commanding) and which has been on
guard duty at the theater since the night Of the
assassination, were found vigilant at the ir
pest.
While the members Of the court were wait
ing in the lobby for the arrival ofsome of their
associates, it W as suggested by Assistant Judge
Advocate Bingham that the passage in the
building adjoining the theater to the south be
opened as there was some confusion OF state
ment In the testimony of witnesses as to the
point whether there was any entrance to the
theater at that side.
The keys were procured and the door opened,
when it was found that this passage commu.
nicated with the stage and also with the third
story of this adjoining building occupied by
the brothers Ford as q sleeping apartment.
The second story Is an adjunct to the theater,
communicating with the dress circle, and the
room is known as the promenade Saloon" of
Ford's, and is elegantly furnished, it will be
remembered, with mirrors, carpets, marble ca.
,bles, &c. The lower story is rented out as q
restaurant, and between the restaurant and
theater, as above stated, is this passage. which
leads directly back to the stage, on little lower
level than the stage.
Returnip 3 from an inspection of this passage,
the Court proceeded to the theater, passing In
by the usual entrance, and thence to the stage.
The stage is almost precisely in the condition
1t was at the moment of the assassination. The
scene third act, "American Cousin, ~ is set as
at that moment, with the red .curtained recess
in the center, used by "Asa Trenchard." The
box used by Mr.. Lincoln bears the same pic.
ture of Washington at its front, and q couple
Of flags are draped over the box as then, but
not the Treasury Guards flag, which caught
Booths spur on that occasion. The green
bare stage cloth has foot long rent at the point
where Booth struck the stage; but whether
made by him in his fall is not known.
A close inspection was made Of the stage box
and its surroundings, and especially the point
where the bar was inserted between the wall
and the door, whereby access to the box was
prevented while Booth was doing his bloody
work.
The curious fact, not before remarked,
was ELECTED that the excavation (some three
inches in length and one in depth) in the wall,
carefully, at some time previous to the assassi.
nation with neatly fitting piece Of wall paper,
similar in color to that on the wall, ard which
had evidently been pasted cper the excavation
corering it to the sight This accounts for the
fact, not heretofore explained, that such dis.
fgurement on the wall attracted no attention.
This piece Of paper-apparently a squarish,
oblong slip, judging from the paste IN arks-is
missing. Measuring the distance from the wall
to the angle Of the door, the brace must have
been some four or five feet in length and pre-
pared with some care to At exactly. The box
is in much the same condition as W hen the as.
sassinatien took place, with the exception that
the rocking chair used by MIR. Lincoln has been
removed.
Returning to the stage via the dress circle.
it was noticed that the guard on duty were
quartered quite comfortably In the spacious
promenade saloon. The seats in the theatre
were covered by heavy csat OF dust adding
something to the general feeling OF unpleas.
antness about the sombre, dimly Lit interior of
any theatre by day; and which was a thousand
times heightened on this occasion by the awful
sssciations now SO indissolubIy linked with
this building.
close inspection was next made of the rear
exit and it's approaches, by which Booth es
capped. Two doors were found in the rear one
of large size, perhaps fifteen feet by twenty,
hung at the top by hinges, and used onlv for
the passing in and out Of large articles, stage
machinery, &c, &c. This door, which is in
the centre OF the stage rear, was not open ON
the night OF the ASSASSINATION. The second
door, and the one used by Booth, is at the
northeast corner Of the stage. 1t is a small
door, not much higher than q tall mans head.
and mas sash and wooden shutter, the sash,
however, being unglazsd.
This door is mediately In the rear of the
passage between the slips and the wall on the
north side of the stage, and 1t was lutte per.
ceptible that the scenes had been carefully set
previous to the assassination by some accom-
plice Of Booth, SO as to afford much more than
the usual facility Of egress. Emerging to the
paved alley. over the rough pebbles of which
Booth spurred his horse on the fatal night, a
large rough carpenters bench strikes the eve
prominently and Is presently pointed out as
the bench on which Peanut John lay and
drowsed while holding Booths horse A halt
dozen soldiers were now seated upon 1t, oc.
cupying their time with carving ingenious
teys from wood as relics Of the place. Further
down the alley to the right is a sert of tumble.
down shanty, used by Booth to stable his
horse.
Immediately adjacent to the door through
which Booth passed to the alley are q flight of
steps descending to the room under the stage
North Of the stage and on the same level with
the stage is the Green Room, and the room re-.
served for theatrical stars, the latter room
being now occupied by the military guard as
an once Behind the slides at the scene shifters
stand was hanging slip Of paper, uppermost
or series OF similar slips, what appeared to
Do stage directions for setting the scenes of
play named curiously enough, "THR REBEL
CHIRFrAIN."
The Court having made q minute inyestiga-
ton Of the premises, serving TO give a clear
idea of all the different bearings OF the case so
far as this locality was concerned. proceeded
In ambulances, under escort Of detachment OF
the 9Th West Virginia cavalry, to the Commits.
sion Rooms, Penitentiary Building.
n~ slVINTH WARD UNCONDITIONAL
u9 UNION TIOK1T. -' ~
TO-