The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-04-17


O'Clock, noon, on Wednesday, the 10th instant The
various religious denominations throughou the country
are invited to meet in their respective places worship
NJ that hour for the purpose of oenzng occasion
with appropriate ceremonies
W. HUNTER Acting Secretary Of State.
MRS. LINCOLN REMAINS SECLUDED.
As yet few visitors, and only those who known 70
sympashise deeply In the family action have been ad
mtted 70 The mansion In this hour Of her deep affection
Mrs. Lincoln has been attended only by General q
Todd and her two sons, Robert and little Tad until TO-
day. Mrs Secretary weles has been with her all day
Ars Lincoln has refused receive any visits Of con-
d0ence nd has consented only Secretary Stanton
OF the Cabinet who had interview with her this after
noon to ascertain her wishes in regard 10 the funeral
ceremonies. Her sister, Mrs. Grmsley, who has been
m"oh with her is expected TO arrive here Tuesday
next Mrs Lincoln has been much prostrated by this
and mournfu tragedy which, in the moment OF his
greatest triumph has bere her Of him whose greatness
and goodness her great pride She has, however,
borne the blow with heroic rmnss and while trying 70
comfort her sons for their great loss has under the
mnisratons of Dr. R. K. stone the family physician,
been enabled 70 bear the blew that has befen her
household.
Yesterday Surgeon General Barnes Dr. stons the late
Presidents family physician Drs Crane, Curtis Wood
ward Toft and other eminent medical men, performed
an autopsy on the body Of the President.
The external appearance Of the face was that Of a
deep black stain about both eyes Otherwise the face
was very natural.
The wound was the left side Of the head behind
a line with and three inches from the left ear.
The course OF the ball obliquely forward, toward
the right eye crossing the brain obquey few inches
behind the eye, where the ball lodged.
In the track OF the wound were found fragments OF
bone which had been fov ward Inv fha ha
The ball was found mbedded in the anterior lobe Of
the west hemisphere of the brain
The orbit plates of both eyes were the seat Of COM
mnuted fracture and the orbs of the eyes were filed
with extravasated blood
The serious injury to the orbit plates due TO the
centre coup the result of the intense shock of large
a projecte fired closely TO the head
The ball was evidently Deringer, hand cast, and
from which the neck had been clipped
shaving of lead had been removed from the ball in
its passage through the bones OF the skull and was
found in the or6ce Of the wound The first fragment OF
bone was found two and half inches within the BRAIN
the second and larger fragment about four inches from
the orhce. The ball lay still further in advance The
wound was half an inch in diameter.
The coffin of the President measures In the clear six
feet and six inches in length, and eighteen inches n
breadth at the breast.
strong military guard has been placed around the
residences Of the several Cabinet officers and the
Executive mansion.
ADDITIONAL ACCOUNTS OF THE ASSASSINATION.
Several have been given Of the circumstances
attending the murder Of President Lincoln The follow
Ing thrilling and detailed accounts have been obtained
from those who were Immediately in attendance upon
him just BEFORE at the time Of the murder and just
after the fatal shot was fred They may differ in
minor details from some Of those hitherto gven but in
the mainsagree with them and the differences may be
accounted for by the various impressions received in
moment Of SO much intense excitement.
MAJOR RATHBuN's STATEMENT.
The Presidents box at Ford's theatre double one
or what ordinarily constitutes two boxes In the second
tier at the left Of the stage When occupied by the
Presidential party the separating partition is removed
and the two are thus thrown into This box is
entered from narrow dark hallway which in turn is
separated from the dress circle by small door The
examination Of the premises discoses the fact that
the assassin had fully and deliberately prepared and
arranged them for his disbolca purpose previous
TO the assembling Of the audience. piece Of board
inch thick six inches wide and about three feet In
length served for bar end being placed In an in
dentation excavated in the wall for the purpose
four feet from the oor and the other against the mold
ing OF the door panel few inches higher than the end in
the WALL that It would be impossible TO jar out Of
place by knocking the door the outside The de-
having thus guarded against intrusion by any Of the
audience next proceeded 10 prepare Of observ
ing the position Of the parties inside the box With al
gimet small bit he bored hole In the door pane
which he afterwards reamed out with his knife so
to leave 1t little larger than bucksho the inside
while sufficiently large the outside in the dark
entry for him to place his eye against with convenience
and the position occupied by the President and his
fria Rot hnv dnn nd In
But there spring locks each Of these doors
and 1t barely possible that they might be fastened
To provide against such emergency the screws which
fasten the bolt hasps TO the wood had been partially
withdrawn, and left that while they would hold the
hasps to the wood they would afford little or no resist
ance 10 nrm pressure upon the door frem the outside
DELIBERATE PREPARATIONS MURDER.
Having thus provided for sure and easy entrance to-
the box the next business to insure clear and
unobstructed passage 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 /he rocking or easy chair occupied
by Mr. Lincoln found in the front Of the
farthest from the stage Another for Mrs Lincoln al
little remote from tho 'front.' while the other chairs
and sofa all placed the side nearest the stage
leaving the centre OF tho spacious box clear for the
bloody operations Of the actor These preparations we're
netner conceived Dy nhddened brain designed by al
fool, executed by drunkard They bear most un-
mistakable evidence Of genius industry and persever.
anse in the perfect accomplishment Of deliberate
murder
At few minutes past eight in the evening the Presi.
dent and Mrs Lincoln called at the residence Of Senate
Harris, corner Of Fifteenth and II streets where they
took Miss Clara Harris and Major Henry r. Rath
bun, United States Army into their carriage and pro-
ceeded to the theatre. shortly after they entered the
fatal box the President seated himself the chair de-
signed for him by the assassin. Mrs Lincoln took one
near him, Miss Harris the at the opposite corner
fronting the audience, and Major Rsthbun seated him
self upon the sofa, few feet behind Miss Hars There
no other persons in the box and entered or
left II until about the time Of the assassination Charles
Forbes the personal attendant Of tho President had
been told by Mrs Lincoln TO remain near the box he
might be wanted The President seemed we'll though
somewhat sad, and spoke very little He arose once
during the performance went TO the door Of the box put
his and then returned 10 his chair and sat