North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1865-04-19
The PARTICULARS,
WASHINGTON. April

with other friends, this evening visited Ford's
Theatre for the purpose of Witnessing the
performance of the American Cousin"
II was announced in the rapers that Gen,
Grant would also be present, but that gen
tleman inste1d took the late train of cars for
New Jersey.
The theatre vas. densely crowded and
everybody seemed delighted with the scene
before them.
During the third act. and while there was
a temporary pause for one of the actors 10 en-
ter, the sharp report Of pistol was lear (,
which merely attracted attention, but suggest
ed nothing serious until a man rushed to the
front Of the Presidents box waving long
dagger in his right hand, and eXclalming
''.Sic Semper IyrdnniS !'and Immediately
leaped from the buX. which was oc the second
tier, to the stage beneath and ran across TO
the opposite side, thus making his escape,
amid the bewildee mcnt of the audience, from
the rear OF the theatre. and IN uniting a horse,
fed. TIE screams of Mrs Lincoln first dis
closed the fact 10 the audience that the Pes
ident had been shot-thrn all present, rose 10
their feet, rushing toward The stage, many
exclaiining, Hang him Hang him ~
The excitement was one of the widest
possible description. and Of course there was
an abrupt termination OF the theatrical per
Iormance.
There was rush toward the Presidential
box, when cries We're heard "Srand back
G We ham air Has any one stImuantS 7"
On hasty examination, it was found that
The President had been shot through the
head, above and back of the temporal bone
AID that some # the brain was ooz'ng nut.
he was removed to private house opposite
the theatre, and the Sugcon General of the
army and other surgeons Were sent for to at
ttni to his condition.
On all examination of the private box, blood
was discovered on the back oi the cushioned
rocking chair on which the President had
been sitting aIs", On the partition and on
the floor. A Common single barreIed poche ct
pistol was iouned ON The carpet.
/ A military guard was placed in front of the
priva'e residence to which the President had
been cunve, ed.
An immguse crowd gathered in front Of it,
all deeply anxious to learr the condition e
the President 1t had ) n previously an
nouuccd that the wound @as mortal, but all
hoped otherwise.
The shock to tie community was terrible.
Al midnight the Cabinet, with MeSsis.
Sumner, CDlax and Farn>wu Judge Car
Der, G"v,rn"r OsIesby, Genera! MelgS, Col.
Hay, and few personal friends, with Sur
geon Gen. Barnes and his medical associates,
were around his bedside The President is
in dying condition at midnight.
The President was in a state of Syncope,
totally insenslbc and breathing slowly, the
. blood oozing from the wourd at the back of
his head.
The surgeons were exhausting every pos-
ibIe tff rt of medical skill, but all hope was
gone.
The parting of his family with the dying
| President is to sad for description.
The President and Mrs. Lincoln did not
start 10 the theatre till fifteen minutes after
ocIock. Speaker Colfax was at the White
House at the time. and the President stated
tn him tha; he was gong, although Mrs.
Lincoln had not been well, because the papers
bad advertised that General Grant had gone
North, he drd not wish The audience to he
disappointed. lie went with apparent reluc
iance, and urged Mr. Coltax go with him,
but that gentleman had made other engage
ment~ and with Mr.. Ashmun, of Massacbu-
setts, bid him good bye.