The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-04-28
NATIONAL CALAMITY.
INTERESTING DETAILS OF THE
ASSASSINATION.
The Last Day Of President
Lincoln's Life.
Thrilling Scenes Around His
| Death Bed.
Booth and his Accemplices.
The Plot Embraced the Whole
+ Cabinet.
Tooth and his Accemplices.

Sv~>~~Os
Events Preceding the Assassination.
The following incidents of the last day
of Mr.. L1NcoLN's life are cleaned from va
rious sources:
His SOD, Capt. Lincoln, breakfasted with
him on Friday morning, having just re-
turned from the capitulation OF Lee, and
the President passed a happy hour listen
ing to all the details. While at breakfast
he heard Speaker Colfax was in the house
and sent word that he wished to see him
in the morning. He conversed with him
nearly an hour about his future policy as
to the rebellion, which he was about to
submit to the cabinet. Afterwards LIE had
an interview with Mr.. Hall, Minister to
Spain, and several Senators and Repre-
sentatives. At II o'clock the Cabinet and
Gen. Grant met with him, and was.one of
the most satisfactory and important cab
met meetings held since his first inaugu-
ration-the future policy of the admins
tration was harmoniously and unanimous
ly agreed on.
When it adjourned Secretary Stanton
said he thought that the government was
stronger than at any previous period since
the rebellion commenced. In the after
noon he had long call and pleasant inter-
view with Gov. Oglesby, Senator Yates
and other leading citizens of his State. In
the evening Mr.. Colfax called again at his
request, and Mr.. Ashman, of Massachu-
sets, who presided over the Chicago Con-
vention Of 1850, was present. To them
he spoke of his visit to Richmond, and
when told of the uneasiness at the North
while he was in the rebel capital for fear
traitors might shoot him, he replied jocu-
larly that he would have been alarmed him
self if any other person had been Presi.
dent and gone there, but that he did not
feel any danger whatever.
Conversing on q matter of business with
Mr.. Ashman, he made a remark that he
saw Mr.. Ashman was surprised at, and inn.
mediately, with bis well-known kindness
of heart, said: "You did not understand
me, Ashman. I did not mean what you
inferred, and l will take it all back and
apologize for it."
he afterwards gave Mr.. Ashman card
to admit himself and friend early next
to converse further about it. Turn
ing to Mr.. Colfax he said: &C You are 60
ing with me and Mrs. Lincoln to the thea
tire, hope2" But Mr.. Oolfax had other
engagements, expecting to leave the city
the next morning. He then said to Mr..
Oolfax: "Mr. Sumner has the gavel of the
Confederate Congress, which he got at
Richmond to hand to the Secretary of
War; but insisted then that he must give
it to you, and you tell him for me to hand
it over"
Mr.. Ashman alluded to the gavel which
he still had, and which he had used at the
Chicago Convention, when the President
and Mrs. Lincoln who were also in the
parlor, rose to 60 to the theatre. 1t was
half an hour after the time they had in
tended to start, and they spoke about wait
ing half an hour longer, for the President
went with reluctance, as Gen. Grant had
gone north, and he did not wish the people
to be disappointed, as they had both been
advertised 10 be there.
At the door he stopped and said: "Col-
fax, do not forget to tell the people in the
mining regions, as you pass through them,
what told you this morning about the
developments when peace comes, and 1 will
telegraph you at San Francisco" He
shook hands with both gentlemen with a
pleasant goodbye, and left the executive
mansion never to return to it alive.
At about 8 P. M. Mr.. and Mrs. Lincoln
started for their carriage, the latter taking
the arm of Mr.. Ashman, and the President
and Mr.. Coliax walking together. As
soon as the President and Mrs. Lincoln
were seated in their carriage, the latter
gave orders to the coachman to drive
around to Senator Harris residence, for
Mrs. Harris. As the carriage rolled away
they both said goodbye to Messrs. Ash
man and Colfax, and the carriage had in a
moment more disappeared from the ground
in front of the White House. A few mo-
ment's later, the party of four persons, the
President and Mrs. Lincoln, Miss Harris
and Mr.. Rathburn, of Albany, New York,
step-son of Senator Harris, arrived at the
theatre and entered the front and left hand
upper private box. A moment before the
attack was made, the President was lean.
ing forward, resting bis head on his hand
in his accustomed careless way, his eyes
bent upon the stage, and enjoying hearty
laugh.
The Assassination--State of Miss
Harris.
Miss Harris who was in the box with the
President, makes the following statement +:
Nearly an hour before the commission
OF the deed, the assassin came to the door
of the box and looked in, to take,a survey
of the position of its occupants. 1t was
supposed at the time that it was either a
mistake or the exercise of an impertinent
curiosity, and the circumstance attracted
no particular attention at the time. Upon
entering the box again, Major Rathburn
rose and asked the intruder, his business.
He rushed upon the Major without MAKING
q reply, and placing bis pistol close to the