The Placer herald., 1866-04-28
The Assassin of Lincoln.

A man by the name Of Sterling King was
arrested at Louisville some days ago for
stealing horse and buggy and committed
to prison. After his arrest he sent for Gen
eral Jeff. C. Davis and confessed that heswas
the murderer Of Lincoln. He says that be
entered the theatre as any other person, pur
chasing ticket and paying for it. At the
appointed time he entered the private box
in Ford's Theatre. Washington. where Mr.
Lincoln was, and he shot him with single
barrelled pistol, which he let tall at the time
be leaped from the box. He gives as his OBJ
ject for using a singIebarre pistol that he
was compelled to leave it behind him, and if
it had been revolver those in the box might
have uxd it against him. He further says
that after he shot he President and ieaped
from the box, he psssed BY several persons,
but one of whom he knew, Miss Laura
Keene, and she did not know him. Accord,
ing to his statement, j. Wilkes Booth whom
it is said was the murderer of Lincoln, was
in the rear of the theatre awaiting with
horses. FROM the vicinity of Ford's Theatre
be states he went to the residence of Secre,
tary Seward. and, after forcing an entrance
he made an.attack upon the Secretary him.
self, cutting him in the throat with a bowie
knife. lie says that after young Seward was
knocked down, the old man begged not to
be murdered, and that be struck the blow to
silence him. His only regret seems to be
that he did not kill the Secretary. lie says
lha; the statement published in the papers,
that there were two persons in the affair, is
false, as be is the man who shot the Presi'
dent and made the attack upon Secretary
Seward. He says that there was another
person in the affair who has not yet been app
pretended, who was to have killed stanton,
but he failed to fulfill his pledge.
In regard TO Booth be says that Booth,
had nothing to do with the killing, with the
exception of assisting him to make his escape
from the city of Washington. He gives in
bis written statement, which is now in the
hands of the military, the route he pursued
after leaving Washington. He says that the
man killed in the barn, and who is said to
have been Booth, is a prisoner who escaped
from the Ohio prison He claims to have,
in company with Booth, went from Wash
ington to Canada, and from thence to the
island of Cuba. He states that his object 10
returning to the United States was for the
purpose Of releasing jeff. Davis, the Pres
dent of the Confederate States.
On Wednesday night be opened the veins
of his right arm, and when discovered, was
nearly dead.
We know something ourselves of this
man King. He figured out in Western Vr
guia in the Spring Of 1864. lie took din,
ner with General Morgan and staff, at Alb
ingdon. Virginia, passing off as a Confede.
rate officer, for several days, and being sus-
pected be fled and was arrested at seven
mile ford east of Abingdon, and placed in
Jail, by Captain Martin, of this county, the
commanlant of the post We were present
at his trial, which extended through several
weeks, and developed many facts showing
him to be spy. lie was sentenced to death,
and sent to Richmond for safe keeping until
the proceedings could be reviewed We
lost sight Of him after that, and supposed
that he made his escape. He was man of
but little culture. but exhibited great shrewd-
ness and dauntess nerve
Gallatin (Tenn Eranincr.