The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-04-15
WASHINGTON, April Is, 1880 A. NJ.

WAohAN0ION, APAh AOj 11sOO a. IN
The President was shot in Theatre to-
night, and is perhaps MORALLY wounded.
SECOND DISPATCH.
The President is not expected to live
through the night. He was shot at the thea
tire.
Secretary Seward was also assassinated.
No arteries were cut.
President Lincoln and wife, with other
friends, this evening visited Ford's Theatre
for the purpose of witnessing the performance
of the American Cousin. 1t was announced
in the papers that Gen. Grant would also be
present; but that gentleman took the late
train of cars for New Jersey.
The Theatre was densely crowded, and
everybody seemed delighted with the scene
before them. During the third act, and while
there was temporary pause for one of the
actors to enter, sharp report of pistol was
heard, which merely attracted attention, but
suggesting nothing serious until man rushed
to the front Of the Presidents box, waving
long dagger in his right hand, and exclaiming,
"Sic semper Tyrannis," and Immediately
leaped from the box, which was in the second
tier, to the stage beneath and across to the OPP
posite side, making his escape amid the bewil-
derment of the audience from the rear of the
theatre, and mounting a horse, fed. The
screams of Mrs. Lincoln first disclosed the
fact to the audience that the President had
been shot. when all present rose to their feet,
and rushing towards the stage, many exclaim-
ing Hang him! Hang him!w
The excitement was of the widest pos
sible description, and of course there was an
Torrance. There was rush toward the Presi
dents box, when cries were heard to "stand
back and give him air." "Has any one stimu-
lants ?"
On hasty examination it was found that
the President had been shot through the head,
above and below the temporal bone, and that
some of the brain was oozing out. He was re-
moved to private house opposite to the
theatre, and the Surgeon General of the army,
and other surgeons sent for to attend to his
condition.
On an examination of the private box, blood
was discovered on the back of the cushioned
rocking chair on which the President had
been sitting; also on the partition, and on the
floor common single barreled pocket pistol
was found on the carpet. A military guard
was placed in front of the private residence to
which the President had been conveyed.
/ An immense crowd was in front of it, all
deeply anxious to learn the condition of the
President. 1t had been previously announced
that the wound was mortal, but all hoped
otherwise. The shock to the community was
terrible.
At midnight the cabinet with Messrs. Sum.
ner, Colfax and Farnsworth, Judge Curtis
Gov Oglesby, Gen. Meigs, Col Hay and few
personal friends, with Surgeon General Barnes
and his immediate assistants were around his
bedside. The President was in a state of syn
cope, totally insensible, and breathing slowly
the blood oozed from the wound at the bach
of his head. The surgeons exhausted every
possible effort of Medicinal skill, but all hope
was gone.
The parting Of his family with the dying
President is too sad for description.
The President and Mrs. Lincoln did no
start for the theatre until fifteen minutes aftel
8 o'clock. Speaker Colfax was at the Whit
House at the time, and the President stated
to him that he was going, although Mrs. Lin
coin had not been we'll, because the paper
had announced that Gen. Grant and they wer
to be present, and as Gen. Grant had gon
north, he did not wish the audience to be dis
appointed. He went with apparent reluctance
and urged Mr. Colfax to go with him, b1
that gentleman had made other engagement.
and with Mr.. Ashman Of Massachusetts,, BIZ
him'good night.
When the excitement at the theatre was a
its widest height, reports were circulate
that Secretary Seward had also been assassin
ated. On reaching this gentlemans residence