Weekly Trinity journal. [volume] (Weaverville, Calif.) 1857-1972, 1865-04-22
TERRIBLE NEwSI
PRESIDENT LINCOLN AssAssINATED
Murderous Assault on Secretary Seware
and his Attendantsi
INTENSE EXCITEMENT AT WASHINGTON
A Nat ion Nj O u r N .

L i
The shocking intelligence contained in the|
following dispatch was received over the wires|
ION the evening of the 18th:
WASHINGTON, April l4th.-President Lincoln
and wife, with Misc Harris and Major Rathburne j
|yisted Ford's Theater this evening, for the pur-
pose Of Witnessing the performance of " Our|
papers that General Grant would also be there i
but that gentleman took the late train of carsI
flor his home in New Jersey. The Theater was
Idensely crowded. and every one seemed delight
led with the scene before them. During the third
act, and while there was temporary pause for|
lone of the actors TO enter, the report of pistol
twas heard, which merely attracted attention. butt
suggested nothing serious until man rushed toI
the front of the Presidents box, waving a longI
dagger in his right hand, exclaiming, {" sic sem
box which was in the second tier, to the stageI
beneath, and ran across to the opposite side of
THE stage, making his escape amid the bewider- Il
|ment Of the audience, passed out at the rear oil
THE Theater, and mounting horse, fed. TheI
screams of Mrs. Lincoln first disclosed the fact
Ito the audience that the President had been shot
when all present rose to their feet, rushed to-
wards the stage, and many eIclaiming, hang!
him p hang him - The widest excitement
followed.
There was an abrupt intermission of the per-
Torrance and rush towards the Presidents 81
box. On a hasty examination it wa, found that
|the President had been shot through the head
(above and back of the temporal bone, and that
some of the brain was oozing ont. He was re 4
moved to private house opposite the Theater
|The Surgeon General of the army and other Sur
|ceons were sent for TO attend TO his condition.
ION an examination of the private box blood wasI
discovered on the back of the cushioned rockings
chair which the President had occupied and al n
|so on the partition and floor. A common SIM
[gle-barreled pocket pistol was found on the car
pet. A military guard was placed in front of
the private residence to which the President hadl
|heeu conveyed, and IN immense crowd gathered
lin front of the premises, all deeply anxious toi
flearn the condition of the President The wound
community was terrible At midnight the Cab;
1inet, Messrs Sumner, Befey, Farnsworth, Judge|
Bates Gov Oglesby, Gen. Meiggs, Col. Haysj
land few personal friends, with Surgeon Gener-.
|al Barnes and his immediate assistants, were|
around the President who was totally insensible|
|hnd breathing slowly. The Surgeon General ex-
(hausted every possible effort but hope gone
The parting of his family with the dying Pres 4
|ident was too sad for description. The President!
land Mrs Lincoln did not start for the Theater'
lwas at the White House at the time. The Presi-|
kdent stated to him that he was going, although
Mrs. Lincoln had not been well, because thel
papers had announced that Gen. Grant to,
[be present, and as Grant had gone North, he did
mot wish the audience to be disappointed. lIe|
went with apparent reluctance, and urged Colfax]
TO go with him, but that gentleman had made]
|other engagements and with Ashman, of Mary-|
Hand, babe him goodbye. When the excite
Iment at the Theater in its widest height re-!
Eports were circulated that Secretary Seward had,
also been assassinated. On reaching this gentle
mans residence a crowd and military guard;
Iwere around its door On entering the residence
lit was ascertained that the reports had been|
based on TRUTH everybody there was SO excited
that scarcely an Ineligible word could be gath
erred. The facts are substantially as follows II
About 10 oclock o man rang the bell, andI
|the call having been answered by colored ser
want, he, the caller, said that he had come FROM
{Dr. Viede, Secretary Seward family PHYSICIAN
with prescription, at the same time holding in|
his hand small piece of folded paper, and say
ling in answer a refusal, that he must see the|
Secretary, as he was entrusted with particular
directions concerning the medicine He insist
ed on going up. Although repeatedly informed
that no one could enter the chamber, he pushed
.the servant to side and walked hastily to-
wards the Secretarys room, and was met there
|by Mr.. Fred Seward, of whom he demanded to-
see the Secretary, making the same representa-
Ition which he had given to the servant. What
further passed in way of colloquy is not known,
hut the man struck him on the head with Al
a billy" severely injuring the skull and felling|
him almost senseless. The assassin then rushed
Into the chamber Of Mr.. Seward. The paymas-|
Ter OF the United States and Mr.. Hunsell, Mes
senger Of the State Department, and two MALE
nurses were disabled. He then rushed upon the|
Secretary, who was lying in bed in the sameI
Room and inflicted three stabs in the neck, butt
severing, it is thought and hoped, no arteries, !
Though he bled profusely. The assassin them
PUSHED down stairs, mounted his horse, and rodeI
of before an alarm could be sounded and in,
!the same manner as at the assassination OF the'
President It is believed that the injuries of thej
Secretary are not fatal although both the Sec
rotary and Assistant Secretary are very seriously
injured Secretaries Stanton and Welles, and
other prominent officers Of the Government called
= Seward'a house to inquire into his condition,