The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-05-01
The man who Fired at Booth in a
Chicago Theatre.

Further particulars of the attempted
assassination of Edwin Booth at Nc.
Vlcker's Theatre last right are as fol
lows: The play was ''Richard H."
near the finish of the last act, when
Booth sat in the glare of a Calcium
light, with all the other lights turned
down, and was engaged in the solilo-
guy. He sat a little to the right of the
centre of the stage, with the prison or
one side and the cottage on the other.
The intending assassin sat nearly on a
level with him, in the first balcony,
and some thirty feet distant, with his
pistol concealed in his sleeve, and in
his left hand holding a copy of the
play, which he had been following,
with the dire purpose of firing only at
the right time. When the first shot
rang out there was a dead silence.
Booth did not stir, but as a second ball
came whizzing down and plowed its
way through a piece of board in the
cottage an inch in thickness, Booth
quietly rose and went toward the wing.
A rush was Immediately made for Gray,
and as there seemed TO be some doubt
which was the man, Booth again
stepped out, pointed directly at him
and saw him taken into custody. All
this time there was a wild uproar in
the house, aud shouts Of Throw him
over .'IIang him. ..Pitch him gu
Of the window and the like were
audible. He was, however, speedily
hustled of to the station-house and
locked up. On his person was found
the following incoherent letter, which
clearly indicates the premeditated pur-
pose
CHICAGO. April %. 1879.
DEAR KATIE Forgive these brief
bat horrible lines. | left st. Louis
Monday evening. The firm | was with
would not increase my salary, so |
made up my mind to return to KeOlluk,
but being a lover Of fine acting | came
TO Chicago to see Booth. But | was
sadly mistaken. 1t would take Booth
one year of constant acting to compete
with Lawrence Barrett's Richciieu.
Tonight he pays Richard IL. Katie,
il | go to night he will kill me or |
him. In all Shakespeare's (sic) works
| find but one man to compete with
Booth, and that is Iago. My Judgment
ought to ~foretell me that since | call
looth Iago, he could no more play
Kichelieu than the devil could be an
angel. don't know what to do. livery
line | write | prancc the -four az
though | was playing Hamlet. I'm
sorry came here. for | think the hang
man has a rope for me. Remember me
to your mother and sister.
Yours truly,
MARK GRAY.
Reading this note. the impression
y-nnll rar,nt, thof fIp yri+or vy,c -,
incohcrent l%unatic, bnt conversing
with him as he sat coolly in prison and
talked collectedIy about his deed the
conclusion drawn from his manner is
that he is perfect Y sane. His story is
that he belongs in keokuk, but has
been travelling for a St. Louis dry
goods house that alont three Years
ago. Booth wronged a friend Of his
(whether lady OF gentleman he does
state and that, becoming cogni
Of the wrong about two and Il half
years ago, he determined to avenge it.
has only met Booth once since that
time, and that was on the street in st.
Louis, and he was not prepared. He
vs. he has accompliccs back of him,
and that Booth will yet suffer. He
here for the express purpose Of
Booth. Mr.. Booth said last
that he never heard of this man.
Tie was not aware that lie had been
ired at during the first excitement,
went behind the scene to quiet his
wife, who feared he had been injured.
The opinion generally expressed b.
attaches of the theatre and by
who saw him, is that Giuy IS
:raZy. {
Gray was brought before Justice
S'lmmertieiI this morning on a charge
If attempt to kill, and pleaded guilty. {
Tne Magistrate remarked hat It was !
ucky the charge was not murder, |
Gray returned II wish
was"
ST. LOUIS, April 24.-Mark Gray, (
vhc attempted to assassinate Edwin c
Booth in Chicago last night, was a clerk
II the dry goods house of Scruggs, c
Iandervort and Barney, of this city.
ntll -four days ago, when he left be- |
ause he could not obtain an increase
f salary. Mr.. Barney, the junior '
lember of the firm, saws he was A good !
and that he knew nothing '
ihich would lead him to commit such
n act. His landlady says be frequent 0
did foolish things, and they thought f,
i'm half crazy. He said that al his o
were actors. His father died
efore he was born, but he had IN idea "
lat he was alive. When lie came II
ere from KeOkuk he said ''Ny W
.ther is not dead. | sat at the table q
18th him some days ago and he would +"
ut speak to me. Damn him but |