Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-04-19
THg DEAD PRESIOENT,
More about the Assavsfna~.E sd
eubseg uens Metferss-Tha = IA. -ys--
House IA which e President Died.
Ppearanee Of the White HOase.
Tuz PREPARATIoNs FOR THE MURDET

Tue PREPARATIoEs FOR THE MURDER.
The Presidents box at Ford's thester is
S double one, or what ordinarily constitutes
two boxes, in the second tier, st the left of
the stsge. When occupied by the Presi-
Dental party the separating partition is
removed, and the two are thus thrown in-
to one. This box is entered from narrow,
dark hallway, which in turn is separated
from the dress circle by smalldoor. The
examination of the premises disclosed the
fact that the assassin had fally and delib-
erately prepared and arranged them for
his disbolical purpose previous to the as
sembling of the audience. A piece of
board one inch thick, six inches wide and
about three feet in length, served for bar,
one end being placed in an indentation ex-
csVated in the wall for the purpose, about
four feet from the floor, and the other
against the molding of the door panel,
few inches higher than the end in the wall,
SO that it would he impossible to Jar it out
Of place by knocking on the door on the
outside. The demon having thus guarded
against intrusion by any of the audience,
next preceded to prepare means Of OBJ
serving the position of the parties inside
the box. With gimlet or small bit he
bored q hole in the door panel which he
afterwards resmed out with his knife 30 az
to leave it little larger than buckshot en-
the inside, while it was sufficiently large on
the outside in the dark entry for him to place
his eye against with convenience, and seethe
position occupied by the President and his
friends Both box doors were perforated
in like msnuer. But there were spring
locks on each of these doors, and 1t was
barely possible that they might be fastened.
To provide sgsinst such, an emergency
the screws which fssten the bolt hssps to
the wood had been partially withdrawn,
and left so that while they would hold the
hasps of the wood they would afford little
or no resistance to firm pressure upon
the door from the outside
DELIBERATE PREPARATIONS FOR THE MUIR
DER.
Having thus provided for 8 sure and
easy entrance TO the bcx, the next business
was to insure q clear and unobstructed
pssssge TO the locality of the victim by
such an arrangement of the chairs and
sofas as would place the other occupants
at considerable distance from him, the
rocking or easy chair occupied by Mr..
Lincoln in the front corner of the box
fsrthest from the stsge, another for Mrs.
Lincoln little more remote from the front,
while the other chairs and sofa we're all
placed on the side nearest the stage, leaving
the centre of the spacious box clear for the
bloody operations of the actor. These
preparations were neither conceived by
msddened brain, designed by fool, nor
executed by a drunkard. They bear un-
mistakable evidence of genius, industry
and perseversncein the perfect accomplish
ment of deliberate murder.
SCENE OF THE MURDER.
Scores of people were seen all day look
ing at the house in which the President
breathed his last. Artists were there
sketching it and the theatre opposite. The
house is plain three story brick building.
The front entrance is reached by winding
steps, fifteen or twenty in number, so char
scteristic Of this locality, but style almost
unknown in New York. There is nothing
about the building to make it attractive.
THE ROOM IN WHICH THE PRESIDENT DIED.
Thereon in which Mr.. Lincoln was laid
when taken into the dwelling is in the
rear part of the building, and at the end of
the main hall, from which rises stairway.
The walls were covered with a brownish
paper, figured with white. It Is quite
smRll-not over ten feet in width and if
teen in length. Two or three engraVings
and photograph hung upon the walls.
The eDgrsvings were copies of the "Vil-
lsge Blacksmith" and Herring's HStable
and Bsrnysrd Scenes" The photograph
was one taken from an engraved COPY of
Rosa Bonheur's "Horse Fair" The only
furniture in the room was bureau covered
with crotchet, table, eight or nine plain
chairs, and the bed upon which Mr.. Lin
coin lay when his spirit took its flight. The
bedstesd was low walnut one, with head
board from two to three feet high. The
floor was csrpeted with Brussels, consider
ably worn. Everything on the bed was
stained by the blood of the Chief Magis-
trste of the nation. It was in this quiet
but humble plscethat the separation OF the
soul and body tookplsce. It wss here that
the spirit took its departure and left the
earthly cssket stiff, cold and motionless.
It was here that the honored and beloved
lesder-the Moses who has conducted us
through the wilderness of frstricidsl war,
like Moses Of old, after being permitted to
view from sfsr the promised heritage of
his psople-perished ere they had entered
upon its enjoyment.
MRS. LINCOLN REMAINS SECLUDED.
As yet few visitors, and only those who
are known to sympsthize deeply in the
family sffiiction, have been admitted to the
mansion. In this hour of her deep aflic-
tiOn Mrs. Lincoln has been attended only
by General J. B. s. Todd and her two sons,
Robert and little Tad, until to-day. Mrs.
Secretary Welles has been with her all day,
Mrs. Lincoln has refused to receive any
visits of coincidence, and has consented to
see only Secretary Stanton Of the Cabinet,
who had an interview with her this after.
noon to ascertain her wishes in regard to
the funeral ceremonies. Her sister, Mrs.
Grimsley who has been much with her. is
expected to srrive here on Tuesday next.
THE APPEARANCE OF THE WHITE HOUSE.
The interior of the White House to-day
presented scene Of over rwhelming sadness.
An air of desolstion pervaded the whole
building. The officers and domestics of the
household moved about with noiseless trest.
IS if fearful to disturb the last sleep of the
great good heart which was stilled forever,
or to arouse the grief of the mourners who
were sobbing over their irreparsble be-
reaYement.
The body of the late Chief Magistrate
of the nation was temporarily laid out in
one of the upper rooms of the house,
known as the guests room, IN the north
west corner of the building. No change
has been made in the arrangement of the
furniture. In the middle of the room were
two undertsker's stools, covered with black