, 1879-05-11
He Says Blanche De Bar Told Him
Booth Was His Father.
He Saw Him Play ''Richelieu," and
Booth Called Out ''alark,
Mark."
Mimioked His Mothers Voice, and Made
t Horrible Grimaoes.
Some Sensib1e Criticism Mingled with
Much Madness.

tempted assassin of Mr.. Edwin Booth, was NJ
. is insane, aud that he should be removed fort
, with to the Insane Asylum at Elgin. The
was full courtroom, and the spectators toe
much Interest in the proceedings, which vel
| brief. Among the audience were Mr. Booth, II
! j. H. McVjckcr and his son Horace. sever
medical men, and a number Of attorneys.
| Gray was brought into court at 10 O'Clock, an
=. STATES ATTORNEY MILLS
} | said TINT an examination Of his mental cond
. tion had been made by some physicians. Gra
WAS now willing to withdraw his plea o
! "guilty " and to plead not guilty.n jur
was then called, ono colored man being on tn
panel. No objection was made by any one t
the constitution Of the jury, and nobody too
the trouble to ask the jurors whether they ha
read the case or formed any opinion about 1t
In fact. the result VAS foregone conclusion.
I Sir. " ". O'Brfen md Mr.. I. P. afnlons az
peared for Gray. The latter looked just abou
rs Usual, although his nervousness seemel
heightened b. the surroundings, and at times hi
Indifference was not so well maintained as a
others. Once or twice while his mother WI
tcstifying be showed some evidences Of emotion
EDWIN BOOTH.
The first witness called was Mr. Edwin Booth
He said that on the night of April 23 ne va.
playing the part of the King In "Richard H.,
at AicVicker's Theatre, and was delivering
soliloquy In the third scene Of the tftE
net OF that play, when he heard the
sound Of shot. He was not aware whence it
was fired, but looking up he saw Gray In the
gallery, aud then another shot was fired. The
man was secured, and witness asked the indulg-
ence Ut the audience until he could assure his
! wife Of his safety. ..
In reply to Alr. Mills, witness said that he had
| {o..l ,f 4 .F
neeted with hia family prior to the shooting.
| He afterwards saw Gray in the County Jail, and
! asked him what caused him to do this act. He
| asked Gray if he had ever injured him In any
way, or # there was any wrong which
! Gray imagined witness had done to him, but
! Gray's talk was so rambling and incoherent that
! nothing could be arrived at. Witness was ut
| terly unable to think OF any motive which the
man could hare for shooting at him.
| In reply to Mr. O'Dr1en witness repeated that
he meyer saw or heard OF Gray prior to April %.
Mr. II. G. FREEsE
said that he occupied front seat In the par
| quette on the night OF the shooting, and, look
/ ing up to the gallery, he saw GRAY draw a re-
volvcr md fire. Witness could not say whether
! the shooting was deliberate or hasty.
said be would tell them to the Court Some
| persons said Gray ought to be hung, and be re-
piled that be would just as Soon be hanged as
not. Hc said, also, that if he had had another
DullRt nc "Oulu nave hlIlEu 30OLn,-LuaL ne Qlu
REASONS which be would perhaps tell in the fu-
Horace Mcvicker testified to the finding OF
the bullets. ::
..< GRAY HIMSELF -.....,s~'*.
rwas then put updn The stand. He said bis name
was Mark Gray; that he was born in g.. Louis;
and ,gas about Is years OF agc, HElaSt saw his
mother In Keokuk in Septeihbeff last. atH' He had
been engaged in the dry-goods business for ten
years, and for. five. years prior to that was a
newsboy on the streets Of St. Louis He started
drinking when be was about 16 and quit entirely
somewhere in the hetghoorhood OF hts 21sr
year. He believed drink had All effect upon him. ]
He had wound upon hts head (nerc he |
put back bis tangled black locks to show
the jury the scarf. Ih1s was caused 5y u bullet
from the cylinder of revolver which he drop
ped upon hot stoye. He attempted suicide
because he. could not stop drinking, and he
thought there was no other way ont of it but to
take his owu life. He believed that the wound
O'Brien-Wnat did you know or think you
knew about Mr. Booth! !
Gray-I haven't known anything about him !
except as an actor. Three wears ago said him |
on the street, and knew him at first sight.
"How did YOU know hnln |
~ knew him by his pictures and the dcscrtp-
tfons given Of hitl. l had thought about him |
for q year or more because everybody saw
looked like him."
= Well, what do you think about him; what
s' I Thought about him as an actor and COM
pared him with Lawrence Barrett"
!" Nhat conclusion did you arrive atl'
"Oh' with contenptuons smilc) 'whcn
lee Barrett you see the man he is playing"
"Toll us about the shooting, Mr.. Gray"
son the Tuesday evening (April 22) went to |
the theatre, aud saw Booth play R'che'ieu He
acted in peculiar way, as # he vas 'nocklng
me and initiating some one whom know "
stShow IFS what he did ~ ]
Thus adjurcd, Grny grave1y dismounted from
bis chair, and, folding his arms in tragic style,
what he intended for o sncering cx-
preston, though It wis: more like the grin OF
III imbccile. Then he made TWO or three rapid
strides up and down in front OF the jury. That
S what he did. He Knocked me. He said,
Mark, Marx, twice, as: IT be Was initiating q
'arty', !; IT, ,..o .,,.. u..,u
~ decline to saw"
s'Was it your mother!"
bout thut now,"
"Did Mr.. Booth usea brogue on that ocea-
ion rht!e speakinga"
"What followed tais2"
II went home, aild all next day was d ma |
liac. had promised the boys in St. Louis that
would write them a criticism Of Booths act
NJ, but could not write it, so ] wrote to a ,
oung lady instead. don't remember what :
Trote to her,: II
'.What did you 70 on tue following evening
''Well, T suppose to snuff bis CANDLE as the
"Did you have any other object in shooting t
him than because you thought he was min ] :
:kin5 you Or othursl''
No" -
~ Have you been labortng under the impress =
ion that you are related to Mr. Boothan r
" won't say anything about that-l decline :
yer to say anything. 1t is over now.' t
- You promised to tell the Court about it.
nd you are in honor bound to fulfill your prom y
e. Your mother is here, aud sue would like y
} hear anything you hare to say. ,So.would ,
'e 4 Court aud jury. Have you nothing to {
ay!n .. - d
u don't know ot any otherobjcct except that +
was an insane freak OF mine. l could have Q
cen kept back If there had been anybody else g
lcre with Hr. i don't know whether wanted =
) kill him or not, but did want to shoot. On y
le second night Booth looked up several times | q
sec II was appreciatiny his acting. He didn't O
lmtc me that night, hut he did the night be- Fl
re. aGl sorry Lshot now. would not shoot .
m again.' tt
ink now2'' n
II can't say anything about that emit II
'ear whether my fatAer is living or not. His &c
me was MurS Lyons. Ny stepiather's name in
Gray, atti adopted TINT name. meyer told III
yb0dY WhF tirt.,1 tle shot. Nv conversation | b.