The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-25
BOOTHS WOULD-BE ASSASSIN
HE TALKS WILDLr IND REFUSES TO
DIYULGE ms MOIITE.
The Actors Cooincss In the Presence Of Dam
ger from the Mndmnn's PIstoI-GrnS's Let
terto his sInlf-SiNer-ueI Is Held In SEQ 900

CHICAGO. April 24-The excitement over
the attempt Of Mart Gray to assassinnte Edwin
Booth while the latter was acting Richard III.
in McNcker's Theatre last evening is undated.
1t is the talk Of the entire city. Scarcely any
thing else is heard in hotel corridors club
rooms, business or social circles. Telegrams
have been received 10y Mr.. Booth from all parts
OF the country congratuatng him on his fortu-
nate escape from death. Mrs Booth. who was
prostrated by excitement. is considerably better
to-day though still confined to her rooms in tho
Grand Pacific Hotel.
Further particulars Of the attempted assas-
sination are given. Near the close OF the last
act Booth sat in the glare OF a calcium light.
with all the other lights turned down. and was
engaged in the soliloquy. a little to the right of
the centre Of the stage. with the prison on ono
side and the cottage on the other The would
be assassin sat nearly on level with him in the
| first balcony. and some thirty feet distant
| The pistol was concealed in his sleeve
and in his right hand he held copy
! OF the play. which he had evidently been
following with the purpose Of firing only at
the right time. When the first shot rang out
| there was n dead silence. Booth did not stir;
| but as II second ball came whi2zing down and
ploughing its way through piece OF board in
the cottage. an inch in thickness. Booth quietly
rose and went toward the wing. rush was
| Immediately made for Gray and as there
seemed to be some doubt which was the man.
Booth again stopped out. pointed directly at
! him. and saw him tnker into custody All this
| tmo there was n wild uproar in the house. and
shouts Of Throw him over" Hang him.
| Pitch him out of the window and the like
wers audible. He was, however hurried to the
! station and locked ~.
The prisoner was visited in his cell this morn
ing, and was found uncommuncative, haEgard.
| and wild-ryrd. The man is evidently insane.
lie said that he had medltatrd the assassination
| nearly two aud a hall years, and that neither
| now nor hereafter would he reveal the secret
| OF IT,
gent audience than generally assemblies at the
| ArmOry Court WAS IN attendance THIS morning
| when the case WAS called Gray came into tho
| room. and ut once pleaded guilty 10 the charge.
Mr. Booth then made nv slatem9nt, saving that
dur,nS the last act Of kchard H., last nisht,
| shot but paid little attention until the shot was
repeated Then ho looked up into the gallery
and saw a young man there, IN the act. ~ he
| supposed. Of cooking pistol the third time.
! Hr pointed him out 90 tho aud qlence and then
LEFT the stage. After qui"ting Mrs Booth, who
had tainted. he returned tot the stage and offered
to go on with the performance; but the audi
ence was, too excited. ami the curtain was rung
down. lie did not know this Young man. He
thought hc never saw him before.
Mr. II. c. Frerse. one of the audience who sat
in front seat IA the orchestra. wa- called, lie
said that he raw the second shot, and saw Gray
cooking his revolver Tor the third shot He took
the revolver from him. The revolver is sill
Ner-mount"d siN-shooter II was produced in
court with three chambers empty.
The prisoner. Gray was then asked II he had
any statement To- make. and he said that he had
none. Justice Summerleld announced that the
prisoner WIS charged with intent TO kill There
wills apparently no motive for the attempt and
IL was not Gray's fault that he was not accused
Of murder. instead OF the present charge. Gray
here said " wish II was lust the reverse
meaning evidently that ne wished that he had
| killed Mr.. Booth. Justice Summerileld said
II was important that sucn dangerous char
acter should be placed under heavy bonds 70
protect the public. and Gray was held In $4,000
Further investigation shows that ever since
his arrival IN Chicago Gray has nct"d like q
lunatic. He first cheated several ~ his boarding
house Keepers. "H'h ol wh'm looked upon MN
as an insane person Several letters were found
IN clothes that had been held for board boy ono
! oi ms landlaiies IN "ach ~ whlch he was en-
treated 10 qut drinking and behave himself
Dramatic clippings from The sun ana various
other papers we're also found in large num-
bers. 1t is the general belief that he is crazy
About three years ago he attempted % commit
suicide ssigning MS the cause MS fear that his
taste Tor drink mad become 30 strong that he
could not overcome II.
4 saloon keeper in north Chicago is authority
for the statement That the mans nHne is
Donohue; that his mother was an actress, who,
proving unsnti-ia tory 10 Mr.. Booth. WAS dis
declared they would have reycng. on him.
When interrogated upon this point Gray shook
his head. aud told his questioner 10 90 TO the
Gray arrived at the Jail in charge Of two po-
I,reman about noon. ana was placed IN cell ".
! Murderers kOw. lie Hpu"Hrs calm. and was
engaged, when called upon 10y a." reporter in
sweeping out his cell. He WIS dsinclined TO
talk and his answers were evasiNe. He said
that ms present situation nad been for.
seen in laying his plans; that he Understood
the risk he ran, aud he WAS very much sur
| prlscl nnd apparently rhhgrln"d ~ ms iulure
To XIII Mt Booth H. iinalIy said that his act
was the result OF an old grudge against the ac-
tor. The nature Of this he declined TO diynlge,
but SAID that II was u personal injury inflicted
evidence Of the mans insanity was observable
Wb.n u. L ,,t hov, lnu, einc,. hp NM his hand ia
~ 49,, -, ,, -, 'i,.,,t M ra,,ar -, a
nc h'en'' u "u "i.,NHlt ''i' u 'nuu'l, nuu
Sald: God ony KNOWS. IL Is so long ago thht
cannot remember.
| He further said that Mr.. Booth knew he was
after hlm and had been eXuartinl, tho nttark
| ftr some tine Win regard to bis rial n" vac
~ SUI. ~ - 's"'u n, NC ' ~ ~ WIS
ny c'tl"n Whal p'h 70 uahH, OF Wh"inet 10
| plead insanity. II" suld tnht ne would thlnk
the matter over r"marking that he would now
have ulenty of tiiur.n II n snNs that his name IL
nnt Grnv hut declines Ia tall ,yhnt il ts Un
,t..,,lj ~ , ri,.,,i,..- b,. f,,b.r - l. 80
M"uA iii,,-t 9nS Nl'tlr' llS lu.l't WIS liNluE OF
shi~ between himself ma Nr R""tb hn i,i-
ciited tn ot,syy',r .Nrert Lv shntiuy ia bend
AMI sov,np "Ob don't iothnr n,"S ,ru vii
ku6w he who'll. thing when nm trieI in tb.
| nnn"r court He nv,rs his intentinn Ia nisn1
| his' n,vn ,Y,sn '
Tbe r,n,or tbat ba ia Mr. nootb,s 40, "a oV
| ,ladad III R,rr,y ~ tbo 0rr -, y .r,,,,,s
| li'HA' 'i' A,,''i nv va wv H ~ 81 HEA0s