The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1865-04-19
TIDINGN
PRESIDENT LINCOLN
ASSASSINATED
Secretary Seward Stabbed.
WASHINGTON, April IA.

3trlends, this evening visited Ford The
eatre, for the purpose of witnessing the
performance of the American Cousin.
q 1t was announced in the papers that
sGen. Grant would also be present, but
athat gentleman took the late train of ears
afor New jersey.
Y The theatre was densely crowded, aud
Severybody seemed to be delighted with
\ Sthe scene before them. During the third
sact and while there was a temporary
Spause for one Of the actors to enter, a
sharp report of pistol was heard which
%merely attracted attention, but suggested
Nno:hing serious until man rushed To-
Sthe front of the Presidents box waving
Il long dagger in his right hand and ex
sclaiming: SIC semper yrannis! and
II Immediately leaped from the box, which
Sswas in the second tier to the stage beneath
aand ran across to the opposite side, max
sing his escape amid the bewilderment of
sthe audience, from the rear of the theatre,
ssand mounting horse fed.
q The screams of Mrs Lincoln first dis
aclosed the fact TO the audience that the
SPresideut had been shot, when all present
i rose to their feet. rushing towards the
Sstage, many exclaiming: hang him hang
#him The excitement was of the widest
Spossible description, and of course there
zwas an abrupt termination of the theatri-
Zeal performance There was a rush to-
4wards the Presidents box, when cries
were heard "Stand back and give him
8air,' "Has any one any stimuIants ?'
NOn hasty examination it was found that
atke President had been shot through thPI
Shead, above the back Of the temporal
bone, and the brain was ooziDg out. Hel
4 was removed to a private house opposite
sto the theatre, and the Surgeon General
of the army and other surgeons sent for
4 to attend to his condition.
On an examination Of the private box
blood was discovered on the back OF theI
cushioned rocking chair, on which thel
aPresident had been sitting, also on theI
partition. and on the floor a commoD|
ssiDgle barreGed pistol was found on the
scarpet.
\ military guard was placed in front
of the private residence 10 which theE
President had been conveyed. An i'm
smense crowd was in front of it, all deepIyl
anxious to learn the condition of thcE
president. 1t bad been previously an
Anouneed that the wound was mortal, butt
sall hoped otherwise. The shock to theE
scommunity was terrible.
At midnight the Cabinet, with Messrs.S
sSumner and Farnsworth, Judge Curtis, /
sGovernor Oglosby, Gen. Meigs, ColoneIj
Hay, and few personal friends, witbI
gSurgeon Gen Barnes and his Immediate
assistants were around his bed side
The President was in a state of syncope, /
stotally insensibIe and breathing SLOWLY. /
THE blood oozed from the wound at theH
sback of his head. The surgeons exhansteds
every possible effort of medical skill, but
ahope was gone. The partiug'of his fam
Eily with the dying President is too sad J
afor description.
1 The President and Mrs Lincoln dida
not start for the theatre until Is minutess
past eight o'clock, Speaker Colfax was 7
9at the White House at the time, aud thes
sPresident stated to him that he was going. /
/ 5athough Mrs. Lircoln had not been well,s
because the papers had announced thalE
sGen. Grant and they were to be present. /
! sand as Gen. Grant had gone North, hcE
sdid not wish the audience to be disap.s
pointed. He went with apparent reiuc-s
stance, and urged Mr.. Colfax 10 90 wthS
shim, but that gentleman had made others
engagements, and Mr.. Ashman of Mas
] ssachusetts, bade him good bye.
When the excitement at the theatres
was at its widest height, reports wereS
circulated that Secretary Seward hadS
aaIso been assassinated.
4 On reaching this gentleman residences
"a crowd and a military guard were founds
] sat the door, and on entering it was ascer
sained that the reports were based ons
truth. Everybody there was so excitcds
chat scarcely an intelligibo word couIdE
abc gathered, but the facts are substan I
stially as follows:
q About 10 O'Clock man rang the bell /
aand the call having been answered by aI
ecolored servant, he said he had come from|
ADr Verdi, Secretary Stewards family
sphysician, with a prescription, at the
lssame time holding in his hands SMALL
apiece of folded paper, and saying. inI
7auswer to a refusal, that he must see the
ASecretary as he was entrusted with par
L s,icular directions concerning the med :
4cine
Il He still insisted on going up, although
Hrepeatedly informed that no one could
Eenter the chamber. The man pushed
1.-THE servant aside and walked heavily
Etowards the Secretary's room, and was
Rthen met by Mr.. Frederick Seward, of