The Cecil Whig., 1865-04-22

ms iS a Sil9htly extraordinary symptom OF
interest on Ife part Of an actor so familiar
with the routine of the theatre and the play
! The curtain had arish oa the third act,
and Mrs. Nountchessinqton and Asa Trench-
ard We're exchanging vivacious stupidities,
when young man, precisely resembling the
one described as }. Wilkes Booth, appeared
before the open door of the President' s box
and prepared to enter.
THE ASSASSIN AT THE Box DOOR.
The servant who attended Mr.. Lincoln
| said politely: "This is the Presidents box,
sir: no one is permitted to enter.'' 81 am
Senator responded the person. "Mr.
Lincoln has sent for me-" The attendant
gave way, and the young man passed into
| the box.
| AS he appeared ut the door, taking quick,
comprehensive glance at the interior. Major
Rathbone arose. ''Are you aware, SIR" he
said corteously, ''upon whom you are intrud-
ing? This is the Presidents box, and no
one is admitted" The intruder answered
not a word. Fastening his eyes upon Mr..
| Lincoln, who had half turned bis head to
ascertain what caused the disturbance, he
stepped quickly back without the door.
Drawing derlinSer pistol, and taking,
by means OF some almost miraculous calcu
lation, deadly aim, he fired through the
closed door, on his right, the ball passing
through the door, and entering the brain of
the President.
THE AssAssIN's FLIGHT.
The movements of the assassin were from
henceforth quick as the lightning. Spring
ing into the box through the door of which
he had retreated, he dropped his pistol on
the floor, and drawing bowie.kuite, struck
Major Rathbone. who opposed him, ripping
through his coat from the shoulder down,
and inhicting severe flesh wound in his
arm. He leapcd then upon the velvet COW
cred balustrade at the frort of the box, be.
tween Mrs. Lincoln and Miss Harris, and,
parting with both hands the flags that droop
ed on either side, dropped to the stage be-
meath. Arising and turning full upon the
audience, with the knife lifted in his right
hand above his head, he shouted: ",Sic
semper tyrdnnis-Virginia is avenged ~
Another instant and he had fed across the
stage and behind the scenes. Colonel j. H.
Stewart, the only person in the audience who
seemed to compry hen1 The deed committed,
climbed from his seat near the orchestra to
the stage, and followed close behind. The
assssan was too feet and too Desperate
Meeting Mr.. Withers, the leader Of the or
chestra, just behind the scenes. he struck
him aside with blow that fortunately was
not wound ovcrturning Miss Jenny Gour
lay, an actress, who came next in his path
he gained, without further hindrance, the
back door previously left open at the rear of
the theatre rushed through it leaped upon
the horse held by Mr.. Spangler. and without
vouchsafng that person word of informa
ton, rode out through the alley leading into
F. street, and thence rapidly away His
horses hoofs might almost have been heard
amid the silence that for few seconds dwclt
in the interior of the theatre.
THE SCENE AT THE THEATRE.
Then Mrs. Lincoln screamed, Miss Harris
cried for water, and the full ghastly truth
broke upon all-"The President is murder
ed!" The scene that ensued was as tumul-
tuous and terrible as one of Dante's pictures
of hell. Some women tainted, others utter
ed piercing shrieks, and cries for vengeance
and unmeanng shouts for help burst from
the mouths of men. Miss Laura Keene,
the actress, proved herself in this awful time
as equal to sustain part in real tragedy as
to interpret that of the stage. Pausing one
moment before the footlights to enreat the
audience to be calm, she ascended the stairs
in the re"r of Mr.. Lincoln's box, entered it,
took the dying Presidents head in her lap,
bathed it with the water she had brought,
and endeavored to force some of the liquid
through the nsensible lips. The locality of
the wound was at first supposed to be in the
breast. 1t was not until after the neck and
shoulders had been barred and no mark dis
covered, that the dress of Miss keene.
stained with blood, revealed where the ball
had penetrated.
THE INsENsIELE PRESIDENT CARRIED OUT.
As soon as the confusion and crowd were
| partially overcome. the iorni OF the Presi'
dent was conveyed from the theatre :" the
residence of Mr.. Peterson, on the opposite
! siaa2 3f Tenth street. Here upon bed, in
little hastily prepared chamber, it was laid
and attended by Surgeon General Barnes
and other physicians, speedily summoned
ATTEMPT ON SECRETARY sEwARD's LIFE.
The attempt on the life of Secretary Sc.
ward was, perhaps, as daring, if not so dra-
matte, as the assassination of the President.
At $50 O'Clock man, tall, athletic, and
dressed in light colored clothes, alighted
from horse in front of Mr.. Stewards resi-
dence, in Madison place, where the Secre-
tary was lying very feeble from his recent
| injuries. Leaving his horse standing, the
stranger rang at the door, and informed the
servant who admitted him that he desired
to see Mr.. Seward. The servant responded
that Mr. Seward was very i'll, and that no
visitors were admitted. "But am mes.
senger from DR.. Verdi, Mr.. Stewards physi.
clan; have a prescription which l must
deliver 10 him myself" The servant still
demurrlng, the stranger, without. further
parley, pushed him aside and ascended the
stairs. Moving to the right, he proceeded
towards Mr.. Stewards room, and was about
to enter it, when Mr.. Frederick Seward ap.
peared from an opposite doorway and de
manded his business. He responded in the
same manner as to the servant below, but
being met with refusal, suddenly closed the
controversy by striking Mr.. Seward severe
and perhaps mortal blow across the forehead
with the butt of a pistol. AS the first vic
tim fell, Major Seward, another and younger
son of the Secretary, emerged from his
father room. Without a word the man
drew knife and struck the Major several
blows with it, rushing into the chamber as
he did so; then, after dealing Mr. Hansell,
the nurse, horrible wound across the
bowels, he sprang to the bed upon which
the Secretary lay, stabbing him two or three
times in the face and neck. Mr.. Seward
arose convulsively and fell from the bed to
the floor. Turning and brandishing his
knife anew, the assassin fled from the room,
clearing the PROSTATE form of Frederick Se-
ward in the hall, descended the stairs in
three leaps, and was out of the door and
upon his horse in an instant. 1t is stated
by person who saw him mount that al.
| though he leaned upon his horse with the