The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-07-05
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Story OF his Assassination a. told by
Ford.
Cincinnati Enquirer

d Ouu L. OTO, VIM Was ulhudSOE u
Ford's TheAter at the time the
Booth-Lincoln assassination, occur
red, was familiar with facts in con-
nection with the matter that had
never appeared in print, and ne was
approached by Baltimore Gazette
reporter and asked if such was the
case. Mr.. Ford remarked that he
had frequently been asked to give
expression to his views on the sub
ject, but had declined. A general
conversation on the subject, howeV-
er, ensued, the subject of which,
with Mr.. Ford's permission, we
print. 1t throws some light on the
great tragedy. Mr.. Ford said:
"John Wilkes Booth was trained
from earliest infancy to consider the
almost deified assassin, Brutus, Just
as Shakespeare immortalized him.
His father was named Junius Bru-
tus. His brother la now the bearer
of that surname. The great Booth
frequently appeared in the play of
Julius Cesar, and no later than
1864 three of his sons acted the three
leading characters of the play to an
audience that applauded the senti-
ments of Brutus to the echo.
"Now trace the assassination of
Lincoln: On the morning of April
IA, 1865, Booth, who had cOnspired
for six months previous to abdnct
Mr.. Lincoln and convey him q pris-
oner to the South, was the last guest
at breakfast at the National Hotel,
in Washington. The surrender at
Appomattox had ended all chance
| for hi IN his nrini m oil
conspiracy. He left the hotel after
eleven O'Clock that morning, and
walked up sixth street to II, and
stopped at the Surratt House, where
he met the widow who kept it re-
of Good-Friday, and then in the act
of returning to her former country
place-the vehicle to convey her al
ready at the door-to collect some
money due her, so as to pay what
was due by her to the Calvert es-
tate. Booth, when informed of her
intended visit, requested her to get
some article belonging to him that
he had left at the country tavern,
and then, bidding her adieu, he
walked up II. street to Tenth and
down Tenth to the theater.
"When he reached there it was
about, or probably a little later than
II O'Clock, midday. There he heard
for the first time that both Presi-
dent Lincoln and Gen. Grant were
to visit the theater that night. The
private box was in process of deco
ration. The White House messen-
ger had been there an hour before
TO secure its use. / believe, and all
reliable written or oral testimony
confirms that belief, that then and
there the terrible thought of the as
sassination first suggested itself. II
came like this: "If l failed to serve
the South In my conspiracy to alb
duct, l can now be her Brutus."
"This thought fastened on his
brain, and led him TO go from the
theater toward the Kirkwood House
to have q conference with some OF
his old conspirstors. John Surratt
was away, O'Laughlin was in Balti-
more, and Arnold was in a suffers
store at Fortress Monroe. They
knew the abduction conspiracy had
been abandoned, but Payne, Aizer-
odt and Herold were in Washing
ton. These latter he got together
and conspired to kill the President
the victorious General and some o.
the Cabinet. He must have written
between the time when he parted
with his co-conspirators and TIT
hour he again appeared at the thea
ter, q lengthy statement for publica
ton, excusing his intended crime
by Roman precedent. When dying
he referred to it for his justification
He gave, Oh the evening of the 18th
a package to an actor, directing it.
delivery the next day to the Nation
al Intelligencer. The actor confess
es that he, frightened at the risk ht
ran, broke the seal, read the enclos
ed matter, and at midnight burnt It
If that package had been preserved
it would have revealed the declara
ton that until noon that day tn
writer had not premeditated muir
der; but, feeling deeply the humili
alton of the South, to the people o
which he bore all the love that Bru
tus ever felt for Rome, he woult
strike down that night the leadin;
men of the victorious hosts VIII,
were then shouting their peaHs o
triumph. When dying, with hi
face lit up with a blaze of the burn
ing barn upon the Garrett farm jus
at the break of day on the mornin
of April 24lh, he muttered som
: words. A soldier bent over hiI
, and caught them from his fast ebb
ing breath. First, q message TO
his mother: Tell her did it, as
thought, for the best Tell other
the Communication 1 wrote to tn
National IntelligeHcer will explain
why l did what did
"During the conspiracy trial 6
the Arsenal, the Hon. Joseph Holt
the Judge Advocate, called John Z
} Coyle, then the publisher of the Ma
tional Intelligencer, and asked
that communication had ever bee
received. His reply was NO.
was,' continued Mr.. Ford, burnt j
the CRATE of 9 chamber of a board
ing house, and q Catholic prizes
now living In Washington, had tn
fact confessed to him soon afteI
: ward. had the occurrence reveal
ed to me with the added informs
3 tion of the confession by the part
T who was the custodian of the pack
q age. This fully sustains my theor
that John Wilkes Booth had nc
contemplated the assassination Q
: President Lincoln when he mt
{ Mrs. Surratt at midday, and he neV
I er met her again.
ain order TO demonstrate that b
brain was turned by the poetic an
> dramatic glamour which transmit
ted the story of tho Roman assassin
nation said Mr.. Ford, it is but ju
to describe him at this time:
person, he was remarkably hand
: some, with face of singular mani
: beauty, in perfect health, less tina
D % years of age, and almost idolize
by his friends. As an actor he coul
earn at least $1,000 per annum. b
) was so popular in Boston that du
!, ing an engagement at the Museum
: hundreds of ladies have waited
. see him leave the stage to go to b
hotel. The facts and opinions vii
) think, show the great danger I
: clarifying assassination under an
g circumstances. Julius Cesar Wi
to Rome the union of the schola
soldier, ane the gentleman. Might
: Casarl All Rome did love hi
y once, not without cause, Yet Ca
/. sius did say, How many ages hem
= shall this lofty scene be acted OvI
= in States unborn and accents al
known? Was this added n
70 Ford, in closing the interview, stl
m incarnation nf dramatic Tnrnnhoe