The weekly union record., 1865-04-22
"A NATIONAL CALAMITY
THE ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT
LINCOLN!

LINCOLN!
Attempted Assassination of Secretary
Seward-The Secretary's Son Severely
Injured-Seward's Attendant Fatally
Wounded-The Assassin of Lincoln is
j. Wilkes Booth.
WASHINGTON, April l4th.-President Lin
coin and wife, With other friends, this evening 2
visited the Theater, for the purpose Of witness
ling the performance of "Our American Cousin 7
| Ii was announced in the papers that General
|Grah would also be there, but that gentleman
took the late train of cars for New Jersey
|The Theater was densely crowded, and every
body 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 suggested
nothing serious until man rushed to the 'front.'
|of the Presidents box. waving long dagger
lin his right hand. exclaiIning. "Sic Semper
TyrGnnis ;" and Immediately lesped from the
box, which was in the second tier, to the stage
beneath, and ran across to the opposite side of
the stage, making his escape amid the bewilder-
|ment of the audience from the rear of the
rheater, and, mounting 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,
rushing towards the stage, many exclaiming,
chang him" The excitement was of the
widest possible description.
OF course, there was an abrupt ntermisson
|of the performance There was rush towards
|the Presidents box, when cries were heard of
|"Sand back give him air." Has any oDe
|stimulants On hasty examination, it was
found that the President had been shot through
|the head above and at the back of the temporal
bone, and that some of the brain was oozing
|out. He was removed to q private house,
opposite the rheater The Surgeon General
|of the Army and other surgeons were sent for
Ito 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. A common singe-l
|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 iuI
trout of the premises 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, and Messrs. Sumner, Befey |
Farnsworth, Judge Bates, Gov. Oglesby, Geu
|Meigs, Col. Hays, aud few personal friends !!
with Surgeon General Barnes. with his imme
diate assistants, were around the bed at thel
side OF the President, who was in state of,
syncope, totally insensible and breathing slowly
Blood oozed from the wound at the back of his|
head The Surgeon General exhausted every|
possible effort of medical skill, but all hope was
gone. The parting of his family with the|
dying President was too sad for description
The President and Mrs. Lincoln did not|
start for the Tbeater until after O'Clock
Speaker Colfax was at the White House at
he time. The President stated to him that
he was going, although Mrs Lincoln had not|
been well; because the papers had announced
that General Grant was to be present, and, as|
Grant had gone North, he did not wish the
audience 10 be disappointed. He went with,
apparent reluctance, and urged Colfax TO col
with him but that gentleman had made other|
ergagemeuts, and, with Ashmap of Maryland, !!
bade him good bye. When the excitement at
the Theater was at its widest hight, reports!
were circulated that Secretary Seward had
aso been assassinated. On reaching this gen
leman's residence, crowd and military guard.
were around its door. On entering the resi-I
dence. it was ascertaned that the reports had!
been based on truth. Everybody there was sol
excited that scarcely an Ineligible word could
be gathered. The facts are substantially as!
follows: About ten o'clock, a man rang the!
Ibell, and, the call having been answered by al
colored servant, he (the caller said that be hadI
come from DIR. Viede. Secretary Seward s|
family physician, with a prescription, at the!
same time holding in his hand small piece oil
folded paper and saying, in answer to refusal
that he must see the Secretary, as be was en-
trusted with particular directions concerningI
the medicine. He insisted on going up. All
though repeatedly Informed that no one could;
'ener the chamber, he pushed the servant to!
lone side, and walked hastily towards the Sec.|
|retary's room, and was met there by MIR. Fred!
Seward of whom be demanded to see the Sec
|retary, making the same representation which,
ihe bad given to the servant. What furtherl
passed in the way of colloquy is not known, butt
the man struck him on the head with "billy, I
severely iDjuriDg the skull and telling him|
almost senseless. The assassin then rushed|
into the chamber of Mr.. Seward. The Pay
master of the United States, and Mr.. Hunsell, !!
Ia messenger of the State Department and two!
male nurses, we're disabled. He then rushedI
upon the Secretary, who was lying in bed inl
THE same room, and inflicted three stabs in the'
Ineck, but severing, it is thought and hoped, mol
ARTERIES, though be bled profusely. The assas
'sin then rushed down stairs, mounted his horsei
'and rode of before an alarm could be sounded,
land in the same manner as at the assassination
|of the President. 1t is believed that the inju-|
jries OF the Secretary are not fatal, although
both the Secretary and Assistant Secretary
ARE very seriously injured. Secretaries Stantonl
land WeIles, aud other prominent officers of theI
IGovernment, called at Mr.. Stewards house toI
|iDquire into his condition, and there beard of
|the assassination OF the President. They them
proceeded to the house where the latter was
lying. An immense crowd gathered in 'front.'
lot the Presidents house. A strong guard was|
stationed there, as many persons evidently sup-I
posed that be would be brought to his home.
The city tonight presents a scene of widest
excitement, accompanied by violent expressionsl
|of indignation aud the profouDdest sorrow.
Many shed tears. Military authorities haye|
dispatched mounted patrols in every direction,
|in order, If possible. to arrest the assassius,
while police are likewise yipllaut for the saneI