The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-04-20
Details of the Assa.slna,ion.

SenQS details oil the cV0nlS preceding
Fthe assassination of the President, anC
!, his last hours. About half past sever
P. NJ, Hon. George Ashmead called a
sthe White House, and was ushcred in
to the parlor. where Schuyler Colfa1
WAS seated, waiting for short inter
view with the President on busines:
(which had bearing upon his proposed
overland trip, A few moments elapsed
swhen President Lincoln entered the
,room, and a short conversation took
splace, touching upon various matters
.The President was in happy and
sjovial frame of mind. Mr.. A:hmead
desired to see hin on special business
Iand there being no time to attend to
lit then, the President took out u card
land, placing it on his knee, wrote as
follows;
''Allow Mr.. Ashmcad and friend to
come to me at 9, A. NJ, tomorrow.
TSigncd,1 "a. LINCOLN.
"Apcil II, 1865"
These were the last words that he
pcnned. twas the last time that he
3signod his name to any order, docu.
/. .ment or message. Mr., Lincoln finally
Stated TINT he must go to the theatre,
land warmly pressed Speaker Colfax
.and Mr.. Ashmcad to accompany him,
but they excused themselves on the
score of previous engagements.
At about 8 o'clock this afternoon,
;Mr. and Mrs Lincoln started for the
carriage, helatter taking the arm of
Mr.. Ashmcad; the President and Mr..
,Colfax walking together. As soon as
the President and Mrs. Lincoln were
seated in the carriage, the latter gave
iorders to the coachman to drive around
ito Senator Harris residence, for Miss.
Harris. AS the carriage rolled away,
they both said "Good bye" Good
bye" to Messrs Ashmead and Colfax,
and the carriage had in q moment more
disappeared from the ground in front
of the White House.
A fcw moments later party Of four
persons, the President and Mrs. Lin.
coin, Miss, Harris and Mr.. Rathburn,
of Albany, step'son of Senator Harris,
arrived at the Theater. and entered
the front and left hand upper private
box. A moment before the attack
was made, the President was leaning
forward, resting his head on his hand
in his accustomed careless way, his
eyes bent upon the stage, and enjoying
a hearty laugh.
Miss Harris, who was in the box
with the President, makes the follow ]
ing statement:
Nearly one hour before the commits.
sion Of the deed, the assassin came to-
the door of thcsbox and looked in, to-
take n survey Of the position Of its oc.
1t was supposed Mt tho time
that it was either mistake or the ex-
crcisc of impertinont curiosity. This
circumstance attracted no particularI
attention at the time. Upon his en-
tering the box again, Major RathburnI
roso and asked the intruder his bust
ness. He rushed past the Major with.
out making reply, and placing hisI
pistol close to tho back of the Presi.
dents head, actually in contact with
it, fired, and instantly sprang upon
the cushioned banister of the box,
when ho made n backward plungcI
with his knife, aimed at the face orj
breast,of Mr.. Lincoln. Major Rath-
burn, springing forward TO protect the
President, received the stab,in his arm
The murderer then jumped upon the
stage and objected his escape.
The rapidity with which all was
committed upon tho President was as,
tonishing.
Mrs. Lincoln saw the form of n per-
son go down from the box and thought
Mr.. Lincoln had fallen out, and looked
to see if she could see him on the floor;
and barely saw tho culpit jump to the!
stage when all was over. She turnedI
her eyes to the box and saw Mr.. Lin
coins head had dropped forward uponI
his breast, and at once realized what
had transpired. The murder of theg
President was at once announced att
Growers Thoator. Little Tad. LincolnS
was in attendance there, and tho mo-
ment he heard the statement he secmcdI
10 so almost crazy. le shricllod and
5obbcd in Il hcart-ronding manner
The poor boy was taken to the Whitcs
House, and was quieted wlfen it wasI
oscertainod that his father was stilli
alive.
From the moment the President was!
shot up to his dcath he was inscnsiblo,l /
md exhibited no signs of pain. Hei
recognized no person, and, in fact | be-
ievo did not open his eyes. BloodI
troubled his breathing, often makingI
1t exceedingly difficult. lie was watch
cd with tender care, and all that couldi
bo was done for him.
Vice. President johnson visited thel
President during the night, but re-;
mained only about an hour; in fact,
many of those who had rushed TO as
sist in taking care Of the President
found that their presence obstructod,
rather than gave assistance, and, there
iorc, loft. Among these were manyl
of Congress and Western
men. The number present was re-
duccd to but few before he breathedi
his last. About five clock this morn
ing, | reached tho house whore thel
President lay in his dying agonics.-
He was lying upon the bed, apparent
ly breathing with great difficulty, HeI
was entirely unconscious, rs he hadI
been over since his assassination. His
eyes worc protrudiag from their sock