Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-04-21
AWFUL EVENT-
v PRESIDENT LINCOLN SHOT
BY Az ASSASSIN.

H& tstas EfFtfttty AfttgfAte-T 4tN Ntt s09 g
desperate Rebel. attempted Gssds-
sipdtiOn of Secretary SeacGa'd. De
tails OF the dreadful Tragedy.
WAsHNdToN, Friday, April 14-l2;s0a a. M
The President was shot ii theatre to.
sAnight, and is, perhaps, mortally wounded.
Secretary Seward was also assassinated.
SECOND DISPATCH
WASHINGTON. Friday, April Is.
President Lincoln and wife, with other
friends, this evening visited Ford Theatre
Tor the purpose Of witnessing the perform
lance OF the American Cousin.
1t was announced In the papers that Gen.
%Grant would also be present, but he took
#the late train of cars Cor New Jersey.
@ The theatre was lensely crowded, and eF-
5erybody seemed delighted with the scene be.
More them During the third act, aud while
#there was temporary pause for one of the
actors to enter, the sharp report of 4 pistol
was heard, which merely attracted attention
Tout suggesting nothing serious, until a man
#rushed to the front of the Presidents S box,
s3wayIng a long dagger in his right hand, and
8exclaiming Sic sentper 1gonpis, and i'm
Mmediately leaped from the box, which was
a8in the second tier, to the stage beneath, and
#ran across to the opposite side, making his
escape amid the beWilderment of the audi
8Aence from the rear of the theatre, and noun
#ting horse, fed
III The screams of Mrs Lincoln first disclosed
#the fact to the audience that the President
Hhad been shot, when all present rose to then
4teet. rushing toward the stage, many ex.
sRclannlng Hang him hang him
III The excitement was Of the widest possible
Adescrlption, and of course there was an ab-
s3rubt termination of the theatrical perform
5ace.
There was a rush toward the Presidents
S3box, when cries were heard Stand badH
"a and give him air Has any one stimu-
Aants. - On hasty examination, it was found
that the President had been shot through
@the head, above and aback of the tempora
s7bone, and that some of the brain was oozine
saout. He was removed to a private house
#opposite to the theatre, and the Surgeon
#General Of the army, and other surgeons
sent for to attend to his condition.
"a On an examination Of the private box
Ablood was discovered on the back of the
Questioned rockingham on which the Presi
Hdent had been sitting, also on the partition
#relled pocket pistol was touna@Dn the car
8pet. W.
A A military guard was placed I'm front Of
@the private residence to winch the Presi,
#dent had been conveyed. An immense
5crowd was in front of it, all deeply anxious
Ato learn the condition of the President II
Ahad been previously announced that the
%wound was mortal, but all hoped otherwise.
4Ihe shock to the community wasterrible.
H The President was in a state of syncope
Totally insensible and breathing slowly. The
8blood oozed from the wound at the back OF
Shis head. The Surgeons exhausted every
effort ofmedicai skill, but all hope was gone.
The parting of his family with the dying
President is too sad for description.
At midnight, the Cabinet, with Messrs.
9Sumner, Colfax and Farnsworth, Judge
sCurtis, Gov. .Oglesby, Gen. Meigs, Col.
gHay, and few personal friends, with Sur
ageon-General Barnes and his immediate as
4sIstants were around his bedside
The President and Mrs Lincoln did moi
start for the theatre until fifteen minutes af.
I ter eight clock Speaker Colfax was al
sthe White House at the time, and the Pres
aident stated to him that he was going al.
though Mrs. Lincoln bad s.et been 1',f q f.an
Grant and they were to be rrasss,s, and as
SGen. Grant had gone North, he did not
wish the audience to be disappointed.
4 He went with apparent reluctance and
aurged Mr.. Colfax to go with him but that
gentleman had made other engagements,
land with Mr. Ashman, of Massachusetts,,
abid him good bye.
When the excitement at the theatre was
3at It's widest height, reports were circulated
THAT Secretary Seward had also been assas-
asinated.
On reaching this gentleman's S residence a
ScrOwd and military guard were found al
9the door, and on entering 1t was az certained
3that the reports were based on truth
i Everybody there was so excited that scarce
4ly an ineligible word could be gathered
Ebut the facts are substantially as follows
n About 10 o clock a man rang the bell
4 and the call having been answered by the
9colored servant, he said he had come from
sDr Verdi, Secretary Stewards family ply
slcian, with prescription, at the same
Atme holding In his hand asmall piece Of fol
aded paper, and saying in answer to a refusal
4that he must see the Secretary, as he was
entrusted with particular directions concern
Aing the medicine. He still insisted on going
%up, although repeatedly informed that nc
lone could enter the chamber. The mar
Apushed the servant aside, and walked heav-
lily toward the Seeretary's room, and was
amet by Mr. Frederick Seward; ofwhom he
demanded to see the Secretary, making the
Same presentation which he did to the ser
want. What further passed in the way of
9coloouy is not known, but the man struck
5him on the head with a billy, severly
Ainjuring the skull and telling him almost
5senseless The assassin then rushed into
4the chamber and attacked Major Seward,
sPaymaster in the United States army and
zMr Hansell, messenger of the State De
apartment and two male nurses, disabling
4them all, he then rushed upon the Secreta-
Try, who was lying In bed in the same room.
band inflicted three stabs in the neck, but
9severing it is thought aud hoped, no arte-
aries, though he bled profusely.
John Wilkes Booth Sketch Of the
a Murderer.
John Wilkes Booth was born in Hartford
lcounty, and not in Baltimore city. He is
much addicted to drink, and having lost
3heavily recently in oil speculations, was sup.
opposed to be laborlng under temporary insani-
ty. The madness of the act would seem to
4justity this. He was for some time business
agent for his brother Edwin in the West.
He made his first appearance on the stage
Dat the Arch Street Theatre, in thiscity, some
syears ago, under the name Of John Wilkes.
aand was considerably liked.
Some time after he made his first appear.