Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1865-04-20
Charles City, Iowa, April 20, 1866.

A.B.F. HILDRETII, Editor.
Charles City, Iowa, April 20, 1866.
Assassination Of President Lincoln.
On Friday evening, l4th inst, the
President and Mrs. Lincoln attended
Ford's Theatre, in Washington, to wit
ness the play of the American Cous-
in" by Laura Keene, and occupied a
private box of the second tier. At
about half past ten o'clock, near the
close of the Third Act, man dressed
in dark suit and hat entered the box
in which were seated the President,
Mrs. Lincoln, Miss Harris, daughter of
Senator Harris, and Capt. Rathbone of
Albany Immediately upon opening
the door he advanced toward Mr.. Lin
coin with a six-barrel revolver in his
right hand and large knife in his left
hand. The President was intent upon
the play and did not notice the ;rrup-
ton, but Capt. Rathbone rose to ask
what was wanted. Before he had time
to speak the assassin fired at the Pres
ident's head, the ball entering at the
back side and coming out at the right
temple. Capt. Rathbone attempted to
arrest the murderer and received a
stab in the arm. The assassin leaped
from the box upon the stage, descend
ing about ten feet, and in doing so lost
his hat and spur from his boot Be-
fore passing behind the curtain he
turned, and with tragic flourish and
tone waved his knife and shouted the
motto of Virginia ".Sie :Semper Traw-
MIS-" $50 always to tyrants); adding
a. The South is avenged"! ..
So sudden was all this that the an.
dience supposed it part of the play,
until aroused by the shrieks of Mrs.
Lincoln, and the announcement by the
manager that the President of the
United States had been shot! The
shock was like that of thunderbolt,
and instantly there We're loud cries of
kill him" hang him." &c. The MUIR
derous emissary of the slave power
escaped easily and rapidly through the
back door of the theatre into the alley
were he mounted his horse and instant
ly fed. . ... .... .t
As the assassin ran across the stage
Col. j. B. Stewart, of Washington,
who was occupying one of the front
seats in the orchestra, on the same
side of the house as the one occupied
by President Lincoln, sprung upon the
stage and followed him, but the fright
ened actors blocked up the way and
he reached the back door about three
seconds after the assassin had passed
out. Laura Keene and the leader Of
the orchestra testify that they recog-
nized him as John Wilkes Booth, the
actor and rabid secessionist, who on
former occasions had played in that
theatre. The alarm was sounded in
every quarter. Cavalry men were
sent out in all directions, dispatches
were sent to all the Notifications, and
every effort made to capture the assas-
sin, but thus far all in vain.
Simultaneously with the murder of
the President, another assassin, well
dressed, appeared at the house of Sec
rotary Seward, rang the bell and said
he had prescription from Surgeon
General Barnes, which he was ordered
to deliver in person. The colored SER
want referred him to the Secretary's
son, Fred. Seward, who told the stran-
ger that he was master of the house
and would take charge of the medicine,
but the desperate refused to deliver it,
and finding himself opposed, he struck
Fred Seward with heavy pistol, frac-
turing his skull, and also stabbed him
in the shoulder. The assassin imme-
diately rushed up stairs and after stri-
king down two nurses and Mr.. Hansell
a messenger of the State Department,
who has since died, he went to Mr. Sew
ards bed and struck dagger into his
throat and breast. Mr.. Seward saved
his life by rolling off at the back side
of the bed, when the assassin ran out
of the house, mounted horse and rode
off Mr.. Seward was alive at last ac-
counts and hope was entertained of
his recovery. The dagger did not hit
an artery, and the second blow struck
q bone of the breast. Fred. Seward
was insensible and in critical condi-
ton. AS the assassin mounted his
horse he exclaimed, I" SIC Semper IT,.
yannis."
When the fatal shot was fred at the
President, Mrs. Lincoln exclaimed, 90
why didn't they shoot me ! why didn't
they shoot mel" Mr.. Lincoln fell for.
ward from his seat, and Mrs. Lincoln
tainted. The moment that the aston
ished audience could realize what had
happened the President was taken out
and carried to Mrs. Peterson's house,
opposite the theatre. Surgical aid
was sent for and the wound pronounc-
ed fatal. The brain oozed from the
wound, the President al the while
insensible. He died at % minutes