Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-04-24
Letter rom the .sAsa Trcnchard'' of the
Tragedy.
{ From the Chicar

FROM the Chicago J0urnaI1
Mr.. William j. Hawke, OF this city, who re-
sides al No. 25i Stale street, has received let
Ter from his son Harry, who is a member of
Laura keene's theatrical company, who were
playing nOur American Cousin at Ford's The
atrs, IN Washington Oh the night of the horrid
tragedy. be gives some new facts in refer.
fnce 10 the assassination ami the assassin. We
are permitted to publish the letter, which is
WASHINGTON, Sunday, April 16-This is
the first opportunity have had TO write to
you since the assassination OF our dear Pres.
ldent On Friday hight, as i have been in ems.
tocy nearly ever since. l was one OF the priu.
cipal witnesses of that sad affair being the on
iy one on the stage at the time OF The fatal shot
1 was playing ASA Trenchard." in the
"American Cousin" The sold LADY, of the
Theatre had Just gone Of the stage, and was
answering her exit speech when l heard the
shot nred. turned, looked up At the Presi-
dents box, heard the man eXclairn, &C. Sac Ssnper
IyrdRnui," saw him jump from the box. seize
the flag on the stall and drop TO the stage: hs
slipped when he gained the stage; but he got
upon his feet in moment, brandished large
Knife, saying, 'The South shall be freeb' armed
MS race In the direction i stood, and recog.
niZed him as John Wilkes Booth He ran 10
wards me, and seeing the knife thoppht 7
was the one he was after, ran of the stage and
up flight OF stairs. He made his escape ont
of door, directly in the rear of the theatre
mounted horse and rode of.
The above all occurred in the space OF n
quarter OF minute, and at the time / did not
know that the President was shot, although.
me. ''''"o"
am now under one thousand dollars hail
10 appear as witness " hen Booth is tried. il
All the above have sworn to. yo, NAV
imagine the e1eiement in the theatre uhicb
was crowde with cries of {, h. mniC "a
sWno was he!" etc, from every ona Is. min
In about fifteen minutes after The o pieseut-
khe President was carried out and ac. lence
street. i was requested to walk dou,o Tue
police headquarters and give nv ex,t 40 tne
They then put me under one thousand do.Ice;
bend, 10 appear at ten O'Clock next rorntna
then walked about the city for some tins a
the city was wild with excitement and tssn
went 10 bed. AT half-past three / was caIIsa
by sn aid or the President, to GO TO the housa
where he was lying. to give another Statement
before Judge Carter, Secretary Stanton and
other high officials assembled there I did So
and went 10 bed again. On Saturday gave
bail.
II was the saddest thing ever knew. Tbs
city only the night before was illuminated, and
every body was SO happy. Now IL is ali sad
ness. Eyeryb body looks gloomy and sad
On that night the play was going Off so ,rali
Mr. and Mrs Lincoln enjoyed II so much. She
was laughing At my speech when the shot was
fired In fact, IL was one laugh from the tim
the curtain went up until IL ,and to think ~
such a soTrowfnl ending. II Is an era in NV
life that shall never forget. IncIosed ia a
Piece OF the fringe OF the flag the President was
holding when shot