The weekly union record., 1865-05-20
The Deep Damnation of his Taking-of. =


/ you have read already. viii present the facts
connected with the great crime, as gathered
T from personal observation and from converse
I ton with members Of the party who were pres
e0t 81 the time The deed was committed On
Friday, April l4th, General Grant being in
town, the President and the famous General
were invited 10 attend the performance OF
Laura heene 10 the " American Cousin" ST
Fords Tbeater. The General did rot remain
in town that night, but went Oh TO Phia6el-
pbls with his wife, and the President. bearing
that the party had been advertised to be at
F the Theaier, consented 10 go rs ihes than that
/ the people should be disappointed Ee was
unusually cheerful that eyening, and never was
more hopeful and buoyautcouceruing the con
dition Of the country. Speaker Coliax and
/ your correspondent were al the house Just be
fore be went ou, for the last time alive, andiu
his conversation be was full of fun and auec-
doies, feeling especially jubilant at the pros
poets before Us. The laSt words be said IS be
came out OF the carriage were: " Grant thinks
tha, We can reduce the cost Of the army Is
tablishmeut at least halt million day.
which, with the reduction Of expenditures Of
the Navy, will soon bring down cur national
debt to something like decent proportions, and
bring our national paper up TO par, or nearly
20, with gold at least so they think" Mrs.
Llncons carriage was al the door, seated 10
/ it being Mss Harris, daughter of Senator
Harris of New Y ork, and Major Rathburn,
her step brother. The President and wife en-
/ tered and drove off without any guard or Is
/ cort.
/ Fords Tbeater is situated on Tenth street.
in the central portion of the city, having an
alley 10 The rear which opens upon F street at
] irh- IL
next above Teuth. on this alley, is the stage
entrance, By which the murderer afterward
escaped. The performance had begun when
the President and party entered, aud their re-
ception caused q suspension Of the play, the
enthusiasm being unusually great. They took
seats in q double box on he right OF the stage,
as you face the performers and the door was
closed, Parker, one of the attendants, first
seating the party and then going into The au-
dience, contrary TO the custom heretofore. an
other oil the attendants being in the dress
circle, where he sat. The box occupied by the
President is in the dress circle, having smaller
boxes below il. and being some fifteen feet
above the stage. On the left, as one enters
the box from the back, sat Miss Harris, near
est the stage Mrs. Lincoln sat next on that
side, and the President uext-thoSe three in a
slight curve from the front, the President be-
ing almost 10 the center; opposite, on the
right, was sofa, where Major Rathbuln sat.
Miss Harris says that when they had been sit
ting there an hour or more. she SAW the door
open and man look in, take rapid glance
at the position OF the occupants OF the box
and go away again. closing the door. This
attracted her attention only as being rude, and
she thought it some curious person who want
ed to look at the President. John Wilkes
Booth, condemned actor, had been loiter.
ing about the building behind the scenes, and
this man Was he Having ascertained that
the coast was clear, be went out of the theater
by the stage door. which he left open. went
around to the front Of the theater, aScended to
the dress circle and entered the box Ii was
now about ten O'Clock, two women only were
on the stage, and the second scene of the third
act was just begun, when the theater 50 often
the scene of mock tragedy. was made the
scene of q real one of which the world has
never seen parallel since Caesar was mur-
dured in the Roman Senate. Hiss Harris.
bearing the door open second time, looked
up and saw Booth enter deliberately but rapid.
y, walk up behind the President, whose lace
was turned toward the audience. and, apply
ing little pistol exactly under the left ear,
fired. Oh, God where was thy providence at
that dreadful instant OF time 1t was but an
instant, and dropping bis pistol, the murderer
flashed out kulie. Slashcd at Rathburn and
sprung over the box in front. The audience
had heard the report of the pistol, but did not
notice 1t, as it was very likely 10 be supposed
part OF the stage business but sudden move
inent caused them TO look up, and there was
a marble face, pair Of glitteriug black eyes
and a flashing knife, as Booth puSed on The
gllded cornice of the pro>ceuium long enough
TO shout SIC semPsr tyrannis'" :" Then he
dropped on the stage. falling upon bis knees
but quickly recovering himself he marched
across the stage to the left with that stacy,
stllted strides peculiar to his class of actors
shouting " Revenge for the South - as be
went. Gaining the first stage entrance. left
side be pushed aside Miss keene who was
about to enter, met an atteche of the theater.
whose coat he slashod open with his knife,
dashed out Of the door which he had left open,
mounted his horse, which boy had been hold
ing for him. and clattered out into the night
bearing with him the mark of Cain. which
will brand him to the day OF his death. All
of this had happened in a moment of time,
aud so completely paralyzed was every person
that it was an easy thing for the wretch to
flee almost unpursued /; one man only. lawyer
/ III iHiS CltN udu u uILl luSd VI UNI uuu nap
/ pened, aud leaping on the stage he pursued
Booth into the alley saw him knock down the
/ boy who held the horse, mount AID ride away
into the darkness of the streets
THE President of the Central Pacific Rail
road has received the following important dis
patch from the agent of the Company at the
East:
Nm Vo,r- Mor10 II, 7 oi,,J C+orf,-3.