The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1865-04-27
LAST HOURS OF TIE PRESI- :
DENT.


lowing statements Of gentlemen Of in
tclligonCo ard high position deserve 10
be quoted;
carr. m'GowAS'sACc or THE AssAs.
sjSAriON.
The following statement Of Capt.
| Theodore McGowon, A. A. q. to Gen
Augur. may be implicitly relied on as a
cofrCc, version of the assassination OF
\ Mr. Lincoln;
On the right OF Friday, April Ia, 1865
IN company with friend, | went tu
FJrj's thcatcr. Arriying there just oiler
the entrance OF President Lincoln unu
the party accompanying him, my friend
lLitut. Crawford, aud I, after viewing the
Pres dential party from the opposite side
OF the dress circle, went TO the right side
and TOOK seats IN the pussagc above the
seats Of the dress circle, aud about five
! feet from the door OF the box occupied by
/ President Lincoln. During the pcrlur.
nance, the attendant Of the Presideut
came out and took the chair nearest th
door. | sat. aud had been sitting, about
four feet to his lett and rear, for some
(lime
/ ! remember that man. whose face |
do not distinctly rccullect, passed me aud
Inquired Of one setting near who the
Presidents IN, sscuger was, and learning,
lcxhlbited to him an envelope, apparently
lcflicia, having printed hcudlng aud
.upcrscribcd in n bold hand. could
cot read the address, aud did not try.
think ! know il was meant for Lieut.
Gen. Grant. That man went away.
Sometime after vas disturbed IN my
seat by The approach Of man who
desired to pass up on the aisle in which
! was sitting. Giving him room, by bcud-
Iirg my chair forward he passed me, an !
stepped one step down upon the level
hcluw me. Standing there, be was Ol-
most in my line of sight, aud | SAW him
while watching the plav. He stood as
| remember, one step above tho messcn.
lgcr, md remained perhaps one minute
apparently looking at the stage and
orchestra below. Then he drew NUN.
Der of visiting cards from his pockt t,
from which with some attention, he drew
or selected one. These things | saw
/ idi,iincily. saw him stoop, and | think,
d sccnd to the level with the messenger,
and by his right side. He showed the
card to the messenger, aud as my nticn-
ton was then more closely fixed upon the
play, do not know whether the card
was carried in by tho messenger, or his
couscut given 10 tho entrance OF this mUu
who presented IL. saw u few moments
after, the same nan entering the door Of
! the lobby leading to the box aud door
closing bchud him. This was seen
b cUuse could not Tail. from my posi-.
ton, To obs rye it; the door side of the
prusccnium b, aud the stage were all
,,-i.hi. tho direct and obliquo lines Of my
sight. How long | watched the play
after entering do not know. II was
perhaps two Ur three miHutcs; possibly
four. The house was perfec' ly still; the
large Hudeucc listening t. the dialogue
between FLORENCE Trcrchard" and
I"Muy Meredith" when the sharp report
Of pistol rang through the house. 1t
was apparently fred behind the scenes,
on the right OF tue stage. Looking to-
ward il aud behind the Presidential box =,
while il startled Dll, il was evidently nc.
ccptcd by ty,ry on; in the Thcater as an
Introduction to some new passage, seve-
raj or which had been interpoiatcd in the
carly part Of the play. A moment alter
mau l'Hpcd from the front of the box
directly down nine feet on the stage, aud
ran rat iiy across it, bnrc-heudcd, hold.
/ mg an unshcathcd dagger in his rig 1T
/ hand, the blade OF which flashed bright
in the gas ght us he c1me within ten
feet of The opposite rear exit. | did not
see his face as he leuped or ran, but |
am cunYinccd that he is the man | saw
enter.
As he leaped he cried distinctly the
motto of Virginia, "Sic Scmper Ty
rdanis." The hearing of this and thC
sight Of the dagger explained fully to M
i the nature OF tie deed he hal committed
, In an instant he disappeared behind tn
sidc-scene. CONSERVATION seemed for
, moment to rivct every one to his seOt
and the next moment confusion reignc,
supremc. | saw the fculures Of the maj
distinctly before he entered The box, hov
ing surveyed him contempiuGusly befor,
he entered, supposing him 10 be an IN
bred fellow who was pressing n selfish
matter upon the President in his hours o.
leisure. The assassin Of the President
ia about five feet uinc and u half inches
high, black hair, and, think, eyes Of tht
same color. 10 did not turn his fac
lmore ,hun quarter front, as artists tern
/ il. His face was smooth, os remember
with tho exception Of a moustnche o
moderate siz., but Of this am not posi-
tive. He WINS dressed in u black coat
epprOximAtiEg 20 dress lrork, dlrl
pants, and wore q stiir.rimmed, 1at-toppcd
round crowned black hat, Of felt think
He was a gcnllenHny looking person
having no decided or oblruding murk. HC
seemed for a mument or two to survey
the house with the deliberation Of al
habilue OF the .heatcr.
INTERESTING LETTER FROM MUNsELL B
FIELD, ESQ.
On Friday evening, April IA, 1865,
Was reading the evening paper in ih'
reaJing-roum Of Willard's Hutol, at ubou
\ l01s O'clock, when I was startled by the
rel ort lhlt On etempl hnd been made I
few minutes before TO ussassinale th'
President at Furd's Theater. At first
could scarcely credit u, but in few
minutes the statement was confirmed by
a number Of people who c1me in sepa-
rately, all telling the same story. Abou
fiheen minutes previously had porte'
with MIR. Mollen, of tic Treasury De
purlm- mt, and he bad retired 10 hi
room. Immediately on receiving thu
intelligence | notified him Of il, and ",
: together proceeded to the scene Of III
i alleged assassination. We found 10
' Only considerable crowds on the street
leading 10 the theoter, and of the hous
directly opposite, where the Preslden
had been carried sGter the attempt upo
% his life. With some difficulty obtaine
o linTess 10 the bouse.
l was at once Informed by Miss HaI
il RI, daughter Of Senator Harrls, that tn
President was dying, which statemer
Is WAS confirmed by taree or four other pei
~ sous whom / met 10 the nall; but | wa
IdQaiFaa nnf tn an,t, t,,,.tir "a his aanI