The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1865-04-21
From Wdshington-Details of the Assassin.
ation-Booth's Movements.

The President isnot expected to live through
! the night He was shot at the theatre.
Secretary Seward was also assassnated.
No arteries were cut.
I President Lincoln and wife, with other
5friends. this evening visited Ford's Theartre
! for the purpose OF witnessing the performance
.,,of the American Cousin. Ii was announced
lin the papers that Gen. Grant would also be
present; but that gentleman took the late
itrrin of cars for New Jersey.
The Theatre was denscly crowded, and ev.
serybody seemed delighted with the scene he
! fore them. During the third act, and while
J there was temporary pause for one OF the
actors to enter, u sharp report OF pistol was
heard, which merely attracted attention. but
lsuggesting nothing serious until man rush
J ed to the front of the Presidents box. wav-
! Ing long dagger in his right hand, and ex.
claiming, ".Sc semper Iyrannis. and.imme-
dlately leaped from the box, which was in
the second tier, to the stage beneath and
across to the opposite side, making his escape
amid the bewi derment Of the audience from
the rear Of the theatre, and mountinga horse
saed. The screamsof Mrs. Lincoln first dis
. closed the fact to the audience that the Presi.
dent had been shot, when all present ross to
! their feet, and rushing towards the stage, ma.
ny exclaiming "Hang him Hang him y"
The excitement was Of the widest possible
description. and Of course there was an alb
irupt termination OF the theatrical perform
ance. There sd rush toward the Presi-
dents box, when cries were heard tn "stand
IL. him Ms ~ sgTlao
On hasty examination II was found that
the Pie ,ident had been shot through the
head, above and below the temporal bone,
and that some of the brain was oozng out.
lie was removed to private house opposite
to the theatre. and the surgeons sent for to,
attend to his condition.
On an examination of the private box y
blood was discovered on the back OF thecush
I Toned rocking chair on which the President
had been sitting; also on the PARTITION, and
ON the floor comm IN single barreled pocket
4 pistol was found on the carpet. A military
guard was placed in front Of the private resi-.
idence to which the President had been con.
ryeyed.
An immense crowd was in front OF it. all
deeply anxious to learn the condition of the
President. 1t had been previously nnnounc
led that the wound was mortal, but all hoped
'otherwise. The shock to thecummunity was
terrible. ...s
At midnight the cabinet with Messrs. Sum
ner, Colfax and Farnsworth, Judge Curtis,
Gov. Oglesby. Gen. Meigs, Col. Hay and a.
! few personal friends. with Surgeon General
Barnes and his immediate assistants were
around his bedside. The President was in %
state OF syncope, totally insensiblc, and
breathing slowly; the blood oozed from the
wound at the back Of his head. The sur.
I yeons exhausted every possible effort Of med.
icinal skill. but all hope was gone.
The parting of his family with the dying
President is too sad for description.
The President and Mrs. Lincoln did not
start for the theatre until fifteen minutes af-
ter s o'clock. Speaker Colfax was at the
White House at the time, and the President
stated 20 him that he was gong, although
J Mrs. Lincoln had not been well, because the
papers had announced that Gen. Grant and
1 they were to be present, and as Gen. Grant
had gone north, he did not wish the audi
ence to be disappointed. He went with up
parent reluctance, and urged Mr.. Colfax To-
4 go with him, but that gentleman had made
iother engagements, and with Mr., Ashman
] of Massachusetts,, bid him good night.
When the. excitement at the theatre was
lat the widest height. reports were circulated
I that Secretary Seward had also been assassin
]ated. On reaching this gentlemans resi-
ldence, crowd and u military guard were
found at the door, and on entering IL was al.
40 ascertained that the reports were based on
truth. tlI ~.
Everybody there was so excited that scarce
|ly an Ineligible word could DO gathered !;
but the facts ara Substantially us follows !.
About ten o'clock man rang the bell. and
/ the call having been answered by y colored
servant, he said he had come from DIR. Verdi,
Secretary Stewards family physician with q
prescription. ut the same time holding in bis
hand small piece Of paper, and saying in
answer to refusal. that he must see the
Secretary NJ he was intrusted with particu.
! lar directions concerning the medicine. He
{still insisted on going up, although repeated
I ~ informed that no one could enter the cham,
Der. The man then pushed the servant aside,
and walked heavily towards the Secretary
room. and was then met by Mr.. Frederic
lSeward, of whom he demanded 10 SEQ the;
ISccretary. making the same representations,
(which he did TO the servant.
What further passed Ia the way Of COLO
ouy is not known. but the man struck him
I. on the head with billy, severely injuring