Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-06-24
THE LINCOLN TRAGEDY.
One Of Wilkes Booths Friends on the
Points Of Manager FOrd's State.
ment-A Startling Omen Of
the Tragedy In the Con-
duct of the Actor.

Apropos Of the recent article con-
cerning the assassination Of Presi-
dent Lincoln, which the New York
Herald quoted on Sunday from the
Baltimore Gazette, the Boston
Globe Of Monday says:
AS Colonel Thomas E. Richard
son, the we'll known and popular
dramatic agent of this city, and
John Wilkes Booth were on terms
of the utmost intimacy, a Globe re-
porter was despatched to interview
him, and the following colloquy
ensued:
"In your opinion, Colonel Rich
ardson, was John Wilkes Booth
trained from earliest infancy to re-
gard Brutus as a god and assassina-
tion as an act of justice under cir
cumstances similar to those re-
corded by Shakespeare in Julius
C@sarw
"No, most emphatically, no.
The very idea is preposterous. His
training from earliest infancy was
such as to inspire in him the kind
liest sentiments and loftiest mo-
tiyes. A man of his intellect, in
herited genius and acquired abili
ties would never put such an inter
pretation upon the work of the
prince of dramatists."
Gin this connection how long
had you known Wilkes Booth pre-.
yious to the assassination"
81 had known him for six years.
l met him first in st. Louis. Pre-
vious to this had met his brother
Edwin, when he was playing an en-
gagement there"
THE SOUTH INNOCENT OF THI
ASSASSINATION.
"Do you think the South haC
anything to do with melting hin
to asSsaSsinate President Lincoln?'
"No, l do not. No such stigma
can be placed upon the South fol
melting so cowardly a murder. Nc
Southern man or Southern woman
would commend or applaud sucl
an act, even if they were not il
sympathy with the administration.
"Did Wilkes Booth ever intimatO
to you that he was in sympathy
with the South ?"
"He never did. was with hin
in Washington for three months
previous to the assassination anC
converSed with him on all topics
but | never heard him lisp wort
in that respect. l always supposed
he was in sympathy with Mr.. Lin
coin, by whom he was very mucl
liked, and he spoke very highly O
Mr.. Lincoln as a good man. Some
4
three weeks previous to the assas
Sination, when Governor Morton
of Indianapolis, received the flag
that were captured in the Shenan
doah valley by the Indiana troops
Wilkes Booth was present, and a
Mr.. Lincoln drove down Pennsyl
vania avenue there was an immens
crowd gathered in front of the Ma
tional Hotel, where the reception
was to take place. When Mr.. Lin
coins carriage drove up to tn
ladies' entrance the officers divided
the crowd so that the Presiden
could pass, and thence through tn
parlor to the veranda, where speeche
were to be made by Governor Nor
ton, President Lincoln and others
AS the surging crowd passed bacl
| noticed that Wilkes Booth trieC
with the most determined and fran
tic efforts to force his way to tn
Presidents carriage, but so grea
was the pressure that he was unabl
to reach the vehicle. With loo
of disappointment o'ershading hi
handsome face he fell back into tn
crowded ranks of curious gazers.
c,1 ~
"While this action of his wa
transpiring | was standing abou
thirty or forty feet away, leaning o.
a lamppost, where / could hear th
speeches. Wilkes Booth, or Jack
as he was called by his familia
friends, gradually worked his wa
up to whore was standing, place
his hand upon the post againt
which | was leaning, and, after th
usual oourtesies, / Inquired: Jack
have you come to hear the grea
Lincoln speakY 'Yes,' he repliet
Can we hear well from here?'
told him | thought it was the bes
place, not only to hear the speaker
but to see them. lie made no an
swer, but appeared to be much eS
cited. His pale and pallid face wa
winter than usual, while the nervou
twitching of his facial muscles an
the strange, wild gleam in his eye
bespoke that some more than ordi
nary circumstance was harassin
his mind. While he was standin
by the post a lady of medium heigh
and dignified carriage, clothed i
dark raiment aud wearing a iocke
hat graced with a blue veil whic
completely covered itand conceale
her features, came up and sal
{ something to him, but | was III
able to catch Just what she sale
With a quick, nervous, depreoator