Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-05-30
MIR. LINCOLNS ENTRANCE INTO
WASHINGTON.
The Original Assassination PlOt-His
Own Account OF his Flight.

While in Washington City, early in
December, 1864, the writer called on the
| President with Isaac N. Arnold, mem
Der of Congress from Chicago, n of Mr..
| Lincoln's most trusted personal friends.
We found him alonein the room wherein
the Cabinet meetings are held lin the
White House, whose windows overlook
the Potomac and the Washington monu-
ment. At the request of the writer, the
President related the circumstances of
his clandestine journey between Phila-
delphia and Washington. The narrative
is here given substantially in his own
words, as follows
81 arrived at Philadelphia on the 2lst.
1 agreed to stop over night and on the
following morning hoist the flag over In
| depence Hall. In the evening there was
q great crowd where I received my
! friends, at the Continental Hotel. Mr..
Judd, a warm personal friend from
Chicago, sent for me to come TO his room.
1 went and..found there Mr.. Pinherton, a
skilful police detective, also from Chicago,
who had been employed for some days in
Baltimore, watching o. searching for sus-
picious persons there. Pinkerton in
formed me that a plan had been laid for
nv assassination, the exact time when l
expected to go through Baltimore being
publicly known. He was well informed
as to the plan, but did not know that the
conspirstors would have pluck enough to
execute it. He urged me to go right
through with him to Washington that
night. l didn't like that. I had made
engagements to visit Harrisburg and go
from there to Baltimore, and I resolved
TO do so. I could not believe that there
was 8 plot to murder me. I made ar
rangements, however, with Mr.. Judd for
my return to Philadelphia the next night,
if 1 should be convinced that there was
danger in going through Baltimore. l
told him that if 1 should meet at Harris
burg, as I had at other places, a delega-
ton to 90 with me to the next place
then Baltimore) I should feel safe, and
go on.
when l was making my way back to
my room, through crowds of people, l
met Frederick Seward. Went together
to nv room, when he told me that he had
been sent at the instance of his father
and General Scott, TO inform me that their
detectives in Baltimore had discovered q
plot there 20 assassinate me. They knew
nothing of Pinkerton's movements. I
now believed such a plot to be in existence.
"The next morning l raised the flag
over Independence Hall, and then went to
H~arrisburgh with Mr.. Sumner, Major
(now GeneraD Hunter, Mr.. Judd, Mr.,
| Lsmon and others. There l met the Leg
islature and people, dined, and waited IN
| til the appointed time for me to leave. In
the meantime, Mr.. Judd had so secured
/ the telegraph that no communication
| could pass to Baltimore and give the con-
/ spirators knowledge of a change in my
plans.
ain New York some friend had given
me a new beaver hat in a box, and in it
/ had placed a soft wool hat. l had never
| worn one of the latter in my life. I had
this box in my room. Having informed
a very few friends of the secr0t ofmy new
movements, and the cause, l put on an
| old overcast I had with me, and putting
the soft hat in my pocket walked out of
the house at q back door, bareheaded,
without exciting any special curiosity.
Then 1 put on the soft hat and joined my
friends without being recognized by
strangers, for 1 was not the same man.
/ Sumner and Hunter wished to accompany
me. Isaid no; you are known, and your
presence might betray me. will only
take Lamon, NOW marshal ofthis district
whom nobody knew, and Mr.. Judd Sum-
ner and Hunter felt hurt.
awe went back to Philadelphia, and
| found a message there from Pinkerton
| (who had returned to Baltimore), that the
| conspirators had held their final meeting
that evening, and it wss doubtful whether
| they had the nerve to attempt the execu-
ton of their purposes. 1 went on, however,
as the arrangements had been made, in q
special train. We were long in tho sta
| ton at Baltimore. 1 heard people talking
around, but no n particularly observed
me. At an early hour on Saturday morn
ing, at about the time 1 was expected to
leave Harrisburgh, 1 arrived in Washing
/ tom