Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-06-22
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

The Story OF His Assassinalion, as Told by
the Manager Of the Theatre in Which
the Crime Was Perpctrated-A Sealed
Packet Written by the Murderer, and
Explaining the Decd, Destroyed by a
Frightened Actor.
Dispatch to Cincinnati Enquirer.
Baltimore, June l5.-Thc impression has
long prevailed that Mr.. John T. Ford, who
vas manager Of Ford's Theatre at the time
the Booth Lincoln assas sination occurred,
was familiar with facts in connection with
the matter that had never appeared in print,
and lie was approached by a Gazette re-
porter and asked if such was the case.
Mr.. Ford remarked that he had frequently
been requested to give expression to his
views on the subject, but had declined.
A general conversation on the subject, how
ever, ensued, the substance of which, with
Mr.. Ford's permission, We print. 1t throws
some light on the great tragedy. Mr.. Ford
lays:
"John Wilkes Booth was trained from ear
Hest infancy to consider tie almost deifed
assassin Bru,us just as Shakespeare immortal
lied him. His father was named James
Brutus. His brother is now the bearer of
that surname The great Booth frequently
appeared in the play Of Julius Caesar and
no later than 1864 three Of his sons acted
the three leading characters Of the play to
an guidance that applauded the sentiments
of Brutus 10 the echo" .3-i
"Now trace the assassination Of Lincoln
On the morning Of April IA, 1865, Booth,
who had conspired for six months previous
to abduct President Lincoln and convey
him a prisoner 10 the south, was the las,
guest at breakfast at the National hotel in
Washington. The surrender at Appomattox
had ended al chance for him to carry on,
his original conspiracy. He left the hotel
after IL o'clock that morning, and walked
up Sixth street to Hand stopped at the Sur
raft house, where he met the widow who
kept Il returning from the religious services
of good-Friday, and then in the act Of going
to her former country place-the vehicle to
convey her already at the door-to collect
some money due her, SO as TO pay what was
| due by her TO the Calvert estate. Booth,
when informed Of her intended visit, request
ed her to get SOM articles belonging to him
that he had left at the country tavern, and
then bidding her adleu, he walked up H
street to Tenth and down Tenth to the
theatre.
"When he reached. there it was about, or
proba ly a little after IL O'Clock, midday.
There he heard for the first time that boil,
President Lincoln and Gen. Grant were 10
visit the theatre that night. The private
box was in the process OF decoration. I be.
lieve, and all reliable written or oral testi.
mony confirm, that belief that then and
there the terrible thought of assassination
first suggested itself. 1t came like this
If l failed to serve the south in my con,
spiracy to abduct, ] can now be her Brutus
This thought fastened on his brain, anC
led him to 60 from the theatre toward thu
Kirkwood House to have a conference with
some Of his old conspirators. John Surrat
was away. O'Laughlin was in Baltimore, an,
Arnold was in . sutler'r store at Fortree
Monroe. They knew the abduction consli
racy had been abandoned, but Payne. At
serodt and Herold We're In Warrington
These latter he got together, and conspiret
with them to kill the president, the victori
Gus general, and some Of the cabinet. H
must have written, between the time whe'
he parted with his co-conspirators aud th
hour he again appeared at the theatre,
lengthy statement for publication, %excusinf
his intended crime by Roman precedent
When dying he referred to it for his justi6ca
ton, He gave on the evening Of the 18th
. package 10 an actor, directing its deliver,
the next day to the National 1ntellieenc j
The actor confeases that he, frightened at tn
risk lie ran. broke the seal. read the inclose
matter, and at midnight burnt it. II tina
package had been preserved it would hav
revealed the declaration that until moo
that day lis writer had not prentd.iats
@urdsr; but, feeling deeply the humili..io
Of The south, 10 the people Of which he Dor
all the love that Brutus ever felt for Rom,
lie would strike down that night the leading
men Of the victorious hosts who were shout
ing their peans Of triumph. When dyinI
with HE face lit up with the blase Of the burn
ms barn upon the Garrett farm jast =. Ii
break Of day on the morning Of April 2
he nuttcred aoue vords. A soldier ben
over him and caught them from bis fas'
eAhise breath. Ftps . message for HI ~
,hsr; Tsalhsr I ~ 4 asI t6osgAt tss u