Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1880-05-27
LINCOLN'S ASSASSINATION N.

g.
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LINCOLN'S ASSASSINATION.
Drawing Pistol to Shoot Booth ON the Morn
Ing of the Tragedy.
A number of members of the assem-
bly were in Assemblyman Wren's parlor
a few evenings ago, says the New York
Sun. and the conversation turned upon
the law respecting the carrying of con-
cealed arms. Assemblymen Lindsay and
Stanley, and others, expressed various
opinions aoout the law, put Mr.. Wren
said nothing. He sat quietly smoking
brier.wood pipe, ana listening to all that
his colleagues had to say. At length Mr..
Lindsay asked him what he thought of
the law, and whether it had done very
much to prevent the carrying of concealed
weapons in New York.
"Well, I've had my lesson" said Mr..
Wren, s'and it was one that taught me
the danger OF carrying weapons, had
my hand on my pistol to shoot John
Wilkes Booth once, and wish had, for
drew on him the morning of the very
dav that he assassinated Lincoln.
There was no further talk about Gen.
cealed weapons. The assemblymen were
anxious to learn more of the incident that
Mr.. Wren referred to. s-sls
"Did you know Booths" asked Mr..
Lindsay.
ultimately. have acted with him
season in Richmond, and been on the
southern circuit several times with him.
have slept with Booth many and many
time, and there was no one of my friends
that was better liked s...... las. .
Mr.. Wren, being urged to narrate the
incident, began:
s'When I had served my time in the
army and got my discharge, made an
engagement with Mr.. Grover, who then
had one of the Washln gtOn theatres un-
der lease. There were quite number of
my old friends in Washington, actors
VINO we're we'll known, 1T least to the pro-
iessien. There was Jim McCullom, Sam
Varney, and others, and we used to meet
socially every Sunday night. Sometimes
Wilkes Booth would join us. He would
frequently tell US, when we asked HIM
where he had been so ieng-for we would
not see him around sometimes for days,
and then he would suddenly appear-that
he had been taking horseback rides. He
used to argue with us on the merits of the
| Southern cause. .... .-..-. .,.-f..sr-
ION the afternoon that the marine
Band serenaded Lincoln when he returned
from his visit to Richmond, Sam Varney,
jennings and myself went to the White
House, and on our return went to the
Office of G. D. Hess, who was manager
tor Mr.. Grover. We were going 10 hear
a new play read. We were playing Alad-
din at Growers, and Miss Ellie Gennon
was leading lady. She was in Mr.. Hess
Office with the others, if / remember
Alright. At all events, Booth came In and
greatly interrupted us with his violent
secession talk. think this was on the
Wednesday before the assassination.
Booth asked Mr.. Hess at that time, too
when President Lincoln was going tc
the theatre to see Aladdin, for the Pres.
1dent bad been invited to be present, and
had promised to do so.
1.-THE next daT a number of US, aftel
rehearsal, were standing in front Of
Growers, and afterwards we went into
the lobby of the theatre. AS I now re-
member, there were Mr.. o. H. Hess, Mr.
Varney, MIR. Jennings, and one or two
other gentlemen. Booth came saunterins
in. My impression was that he had beer
drinking. He began at once to talk
about the war. We didn't pay much at
tentiOn to his wild talk, for we had hearC
very mush of 1t, but he finally spoke o
Mr.. Lincoln by very vulgar and pro
fare term. That made me very angry.
"sJohn,' said I, what do you talk tina
way for2 The war is over. Your side il
beaten. What is tho use of crying now
If you feel so bad, why didn't you go in
to the Southern army as did IN thu
Northern2 1t don't look we'll to bral
now, when you never shouldered 1
musket for your side
"Perhaps I've done as much as you
did for the cause, and can do more. d.
you mean to say am coward?" So
81 did not say so, john / replied
'but l did say that 1 thought you ough
to have shown your courage before 70,
talk as you do now
At this he became very angry. 'Yo,
call me coward, do your said he, ant
} he drew his pistol at once.
WIS a ngry, too, and good dea
more foolish, being hotheaded youn,
fellow then OF twenty seven, but also re
membered that he had me at an advan
: tage.
"sHold on, John,' cried, throwing Vi
! my hands; ~ am not fixed. If you fir
now, you will prove yourself a coward
Let me go home and get fixed, and the
we'll have this thing out-shoot on sigh
if you say So IL "a.
g. had just that melodramatic an
foolish bluster, and silly enough to be il
3 earnest in what said, for Booth, afte
looking at me for moment, put up hi
pistol and said, You want to be prepal
ed the next time you see me;' and Iwen
t home and got my revolver, but didn'
see Booth again that evening.
+ 1.-THE next morning, which was the da
t of the assassination, went around t
Ford's Theatre to see Miss Laura Keent
. and passing down the front lobby. sur
. posing that rehearsal was in progress,
saw Ell. Clay Ford, and also Booth, VIII
3 turned toward me, and, as I supposed
made movement to carry his threat in
to execution. had on light overcoa
r and my revolver in the pocket, and pu
my hand on 1t prepared to shoot throug
: the pocket at Booth, for supposed
! was going to be the best thing to get th
9 first shot. Fortunately for me, perhar
: unfortunately fer the country, I waite
an instant, and saw Booth extend hi
: hand to me. He came up, saying, "Won
q you shake hands, Georges wasn't my
self yesterday. Let bygones be bygones.
J. Of course that was the end of the tro,
4 BILE.
"That evening, while Miss Germo
: was singing Sherman Has Marched [
the Sea-, and / was standing In the WING
ready to go on, G. d. Hess came rushin
J, into the wings, and said to me, with
9 face like death, Lincoln has been sht
Y in his box at Ford's.' l said at once, al,
e I presume Mr.. Hess will remember
sThat---Johh Booth did it, am so
Q ry / was profane, but perhaps that wi
), be pardoned. Jim Nice nllom, Sam Ha
i and I went out to Booths father
farm In Maryland the next mornin
i, looking for him, for we had heard hi
Il