The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1865-04-19
The Assassination Of President
Lincoln and Secretary Sew
WAsHINeToN, April Is.

CT ITltnuoj tuln SVOuiuE V0PSu fOiN o
Theatre for the purpose 81 nessing the
performance of the American Cousin
It was announced in the pagers that Gen
eral Grant would also be present, but that
gentleman took the late train Of cars for
New Jersey. The theatre was densely
crowded aud everybody delighted with
the scene before them. During the Sd act
and while there was q temporary pause
for one of the actors to enter, a sharp re-
port of a pistol was heard which merely
attracted attention, but suggested moth
ing serious until a nan rushed to the
front of the Presidents box, waving a
long dagger in his right hand, and ex-
claiming, "Sic semper tyrannis p and
Immediately leaped from the box which
was on the second tier to the stage be-
meath, and ran across to the opposite side
Of the stage, making his escape, amid the
bewilderment of the audience, from tho
rear Of the theatre, and mounting a 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 e~xclaiming chang him"
The excitement was of the widest posi-.
lie description, and of course there was
an abrupt intermission of the theatrical
performance. There was a rush towards
the Presidents box, when cries were
heard of, "Stard back and give him air.
"Has any one stimu'ants ?"
On a hasty examination it was found
that the President had been shot through
the head above and back Of the
temporal bone, and that some of the
brains were oozing out. He was remov.
cd to a private house opposite the thea
tire, and the Surgeon General CT the ar
my and other Surgeons sent for to attend
to his condition.
On an examination Of the private DO,
blood was discovered on the baek of til,
cushioned rocking chair on which tn,
President had been sitting, aud also OIL
the partition. On the floor a common
single barrelled pistol was found. A
military guard was placed in front of tn,
private residence tn which the Prosiden
had been conveyed. An immense crow
was in front of it, all deeply anxious Il
learn the condition of the President. !
had been previously announced that tn
wound was mortal, but all hoped other
rise. The shock to the community wa
most terrible. At about midnight tn
Cabinet, Messrs. Sumner, Befay AM
Farnsworth, Judge Bates, Gov. Oglesby
General Meigs, Col. Hays, and a few per
sonal friends, with Surgeon Gen. Barne
and his immediate assistants, were aroun,
his bedside. He was in state of syncop
and was totally iusensible and breathing
slowly. The blood oozel from til
wound at the back of his head. TIL
surgeon exhausted every possible eHol
of medicinal skill, but all hope was gont
The parting of his family with the dyin
President is too sad for description.
The President and Mrs. Lincoln di
. not start for the theatre until fifteen mir
utes after eight o'clock. Speaker Co
fax was at the White House at the tim,
e The President stated to him that he Wa
S going, although Mrs. Lincoln had nj
been we'll, because the papers had al
nounced that General Grant was to
present, and as General Grant had gor
D North, he did not wish the audience I
. be disappointed. He went with appa
ent reluctance, aud urged Mr.. Colfax
: 60 with him, but that gentleman ha
made other engagements, and with NJ
Astman, of Massachusetts,, hid him goo
, bye. When the excitement at the the
= ire was at its widest height, reports we,
7 circulated that Secretary Seward had a
!, SO been assassinated.
!. On reaching this gentleman's res
; lence q crowd and a military guard we
y round it, and on entering 1t was asce
tanned hat the reports were cased on Il
= truth.
Everybody there was so excited til
scarcely on Ineligible word could
gathered, but the facts are substantial
IS rs follows: At about 10 o'clock, a mi
= rang the bell and the call having be,
answered by a colored servant, he sa
4 he had come from DR.. Veidi, Sec'y Sc
ards family physician, with a prescri
ton at the same time holding in his hal
a small piece of folded paper, and sayi
'e in answer to e refusal that he must s
n the Secretary as he was entrusted wi
Is particular directions concerning the mt
os icine.
~ He still insisted on going up, althou
% repeatedly informed that no one COZ
IS, enter the chamber. He pushed the s
he want aside, and walked heavily towal
ls the Secrctary's room, He was there n
by MI. Fred. Seward, of whom he
o. mandcd to see the Secretary, making I
h. same representation which he did to
10. servant.
What further passed in the way Of Q
louuy is not known, but tho man stru
IT, him on the head with a billy, sever
iniuriug the skull and telling him aim
senseless.
rs The assassin then rushed into
:. chamber and attacked Mr.. Seward,
paymaster of the United States Arr
70 and MIR. Hansell, a messenger Of ST
no Department, and two male nurses, di
by bling them.
. He then rushed upon the Secrets
., who way lying 10 bed in the same 70
nd and inflicted throo stabs in the neck.
RS, severing, it is thought and hoped, no
Of. teries, though he bled ~prOfasely.
=. The assassin then rushed down sta
mounted his horse at the door and r,
N IT,. l.uo nnpld he rnunAad