The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1865-04-22
AWFUL NEWS!
PRE- S,DENT LINCOLN ssSASSlNAIED
A Rebel Desperate makes an attempt
to Cut tho Throat of Secretary
Seward in his own house
HIS TWO SONS ARE SEVERELY
WOUNDED.
The Murder Of Secretary stanton
and others sC0s undoubtedly
in the Plot.
FULL PARTICULARS.

Secretary S0WarO anu MHJoI Oc"".u Aos
been assassinated by some desperadoes TO-
NIGHT, evidently under some precOncertec
arrangement.
About half. past ten o'clock this evening
% we'll dressed person appeared at the hous'
loft Secretary Seward, and asked to see him
He was informed that he could not, upOr
which he said that he had prescription
Iron Surgeon General Barnes, which hi
was ordered to deliver In person. The ser
want referred him to Fred. Seward. Tht
latter told the stranger that he was master
|of the house, and would take charge Of thu
medicine, but the desperate refused to de-
liver il. and Immediately rushed past Fred
Seward and struck Seward with q dagger
lin the throat and breast, but upon examin'
alton by the Surgeon General he Is pro
nounced safe, the dagger not having cut
the jugular vein or penetrated the breas,
deep enough to prove fatal. He II nov
pronounced safe.
Mai. Seward, son of the Secretary, and
Pavmaster in the Army was also badly cut
lin bis efforts to defend his father. The 40.
sassin had horse at the door, and a. b
was mounting, he pronOun oed the motto
of the State of Virginia, "Sic Semper 1yra~
nis.'
We obtain from Quartermaster Gen
Meigs the following account Of the assasst'
nation: About half past ten clock, q msn
dressed in dark suit and hat, entered the
private box in which Mr.. Lincoln and his
party, consisting Of Mrs. Lincoln, Miss Har.
ris, daughter of Senator Harris, and Capt
Rathbone, Of Albany, were seated. 1mme.
diately upon opening the door he advanced
toward Mr.. Lincoln, with six-barreled
revolver In his right hand and y bowie
knife in his left.
The President, who was intent upon the
play, did not notice his interruption, and
the gentleman who was seated beside him
rose to inquire the reason of his entry. he.
fore he had time to ask the assassin what
The wanted he fred one charge from his re-
volyer, which took effect in the back of the
PRESIDENTS head. The ball passed through
and came out at the right temple. Captain
Rathbone, who was in the bex with Mr..
Lincoln, attempted to arrest the murderer
and on doing so received Il shot In his arm.
The assassin then leaped from the box on
to the stage.
Before be disappeared behind the curtain
he turned and, with . flourish and tone,
waved his knife and shouted, "Sic iScaper
Iyrulnis." So sudden WAS the affair that,
for some moments alser its occurrence. the
audience supposed that it was part OF the
play, aud were only undeceived by the
manager announcing from the stage that
the President of the United States had been
shot. The shock fell upon the audience
like a thunderbolt, and loud cries we're i'm
mediately made to kill or capture the as
sassin. The murderous emissary Of the
slave power escaped easily and rapidly
from the theater, and mounted . horse and
rode Oh.
The President 10 slowly dying; the brain
I'D oozing through tho ball hole in his fore
head. He IL, of course, insensible. There
10 IN occasional lifting Of the hand, and
heavy, stentorious bresthing-that's all.
Mrs.. Lincoln and her two sons are in .
XPN0ON NJ tho hon nnNna1fo N EnP6Sa THAI.
tire, where the President was taken, and
adjoiniHg that where he Is lying. Mr..
Summers seated 1T the head Of tho bed.
Secretaries Stanton. Wellee, Dennison,
Usher and McCulloch and Mr.. Speed are
in the room. A large number Of surgeons,
generals and personal and family friends
Of Mr.. Lincoln fill the house. All are in
tears.
Andy johnson Is here. He Nas in bed
when the assassinat ion was committed, in
his room ut the Kirkwood. He was imme-
diately apprised Of the event and got up.
The precaution was taken to provide q
guard of soldiers for him, and these were
ct his dor before the news was we'll thro'
the avenue.
Capt Rathbone, Of Albany was In the
box with the President. He was slightly
wounded.
WASHINGTON, Agril Isl 80 A. n.-The
street in the vicinity of Ford's Theatre was
aenseiy crowded by an anxious crowd. A
guard has been placed across Tenth ct al
F and E streets, and and only certain offi
cial persons and particular friends Of the
President are allowedt to pass.
The popular heart Is deeply stirred, aud
the greatest indignation against leading
rebels II freely expressed. The scene al
the house where the President lies in extre.
nsis ia very exciting. Even Secretary
stanton is affected to tears.
When the news spread through the city
that the President had been shot, the peO.
ple, with pale faces and compressed lips
Crowded every place where there was the
slightest chance Of obtaining Information
In regard to the affair.
After tho President was shot, Lieutenant
Hathbone, who was In the box with him
caagLt tho assassin by the arm, who im.
metiately struck him with q knife, and
Bumped from the box as before stated.
The popular affection for Mr.. Lincoln has
been shown by this diabolical assaseiua-
tion, which will bring eternal infamy no,
only upon its authors, but upon the hi,llish
cause which they desire to avenRe.
Vice President johnson arrived NJ the
house where the President lies about ont
|o'c clock, and will remain with him to thu
last. The Presidents family are in attend
ance upon him also.
As soon as intelligence could be rot te
1.-THE War Department, the electric telegraph
and signal corps were put into reQuisition
TO endeavor to prevent the escape Of the as
sassin, aud all the troops around Washing
ton are under arms. Popular report poini,
to somewhat celebrated actor of Secession