The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1880-04-17
LINCOLN'S ASSASSINATION.
Asssmblyman Wren Telling How He
Game Near Preventing 1t.
Drawing a Pistol to Shoot Booth on the
Morning of the Tfagedy-A Previous
Understanding That They We're to
Shoot on Sight.
New York SUM-

conversation turned upon the law respectin,
the carrying of concealed weapons. Assem-
blymen Lindsay and Stanley and others ex
pressed various opinions about the law bu
Mr.. Wren said nothing. He sat quietl,
smoking brierwood pipe and listening t,
all that his colleagues had to say. At length
Mr.. Lindsay asked him what he thought o
the law, and whether it had done very much
to prevent the carrying of concealed weap-
ons in New York.
"Well I've had my lesson" said Mr.
Wren, ''and it was one that taught me the
danger of carrying weapons. | had my hand
on my pistol to shoot Jobn Wilkes Booth
Dnce and wish L had, for l drew on
him on the morning of the very day that he
assassinated Lincoln"
There was no further talk about concealed
weapons. The assemblymen were anxious
to learn more of the incident that Mr. Wren
referred to.
"Did you know Booth2" asked Mr. Lind
say.
ultimately. l had acted with him sea-
| son in Richmond, and been on the Southern
circuit several times with him. l have slept
with Booth many and many time and there
was no one of my friends that was better
liked"
Mr. Wren being urged to narrate the in
cident, began:
"When had served my time in the army
and got my discharge, l made an engagement
with Mr. Grover, who then had one of the
| Washington theaters under lease. There
were quite number of my old friends
in Washington. actors who were well
known, at least to the profession.
There was jim McCullom, Sam Chester
John Jennings, Sam Verney, 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'd been so long-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 South
ern cause"
"On the afternoon that the Marine band
serenaded Lincoln when he returned from
his visit to Richmond, Sam Verney Jen-
.nings, and myself went to the White House,
and on our return went to the office of &. ID.
Hess, who was manager for Mr.. Grover. We
were going to hear new play read. We
were PLAYING Aladdin at Growers, and
Miss Effie Germon was leading lady, She
was in Mr.. Hess office with the others, if l
remember Alright. At all events, Booth
came in and greatly interrupted
lis with his violent secession talk. | think
this was on the Wednesday before the assas-
sinaton. Booth asked Mr.. Hess at that
time, too, when President Lincoln was going
to the theater to see Aladdin, for the presi-
dent had been invited to be present and had
promised to do so.
"The next day number of us, after re.
hearsal, were standing in front of Growers,
and atterward we went into the lobby Of the
theater. AS 1 now remember, there were
Mr.. O. II. Hess, Mr.. Verney, Mr. jennings
and one or two other gentlemen. Booth came
sauntering in. My impression was that he
had been drinking. He began at once to talk
about the war. We didn't pay much atten-
much of it, but he finally spoke of Lincoln
by a very vulgar and profane term. That |
made me very angry.
"John,' said l, what do you talk that way |
for1 The war is over. Your side is beaten. |
What is the use of crying now? If you feel |
so bad, why didn't you go into the Southern |
army, as i did in the Northern? 1t don't |
look well to brag now, when you never |
shouldered musket for your side
"'Perhaps l have done as much as you |
did for the cause, and can do more Do you |
mean to say that l am cowardp
"'I didn't say so, john / replied, but I |
did say that you ought to have showed your
courage before you talk as you do now
"At this he got very angry. You call me
a coward, do your said he and he drew his |
pistol at once.
IL was angry, too, and good deal more
foolish, being a hot-headed young fellow then |
of 81, but also remembered that he had me |
at an advantage.
".Hold on, John cried, throwing up my
hands, Il am not fixed. If you fire now you
will prove yourself coward. Let me go
home and get fixed, and we'll have this out
shoot on sight if you say So
al had just that melodramatic and foolish
buster, and was silly enough to be in earnest
in what said, for Booth, after looking at me
a minute, put up his pistol and said, You
want to be prepared the next time you see
me; and went home and got my revolver,
but didn't see Booth again that evening.
1.-THE next morning, which was the day of
the assassination, / went around to Fords
theater to see Miss Laura Keene, and passing
down the front lobby supposing that re.
hearsal was in progress, j saw IL. Clay Ford
and also Booth, who turned toward me and,
as supposed, made movement to carry his
threat into execution. / had on light over
coat and my revolver in the pocket, and Iput
my hand on it prepared to shoot through the
pocket at Booth, for supposed it was going
to be the best thing to get the first shot. For
tunately for me, perhaps unfortunately for
the country, waited instant, and saw
Booth extend his hand to me. He came up
saying, Wont you shake hands, George.
wasn't myself yesterday. Let bygoes be by
goes.' Of course that was the end OF the
trouble.
"That evening, while Miss Germon was
singing Sherman Has Marched to the Sea,
and was standing in the wings ready to go
on, G.. ID. Hess came rushing in to the wings
and said to me, with face like death, Lin
coin has been shot in his box at Ford's.'
said at once, and presume Mr.. Hess will re-
member it, That - John Booth did it.
L am sorry 1 was profane, but perhaps that
will be pardoned. Jim McCullom, Sam
Hail. and went up to Booths fathers farm,
| in Maryland, the next morning, looking foi
him, for we had heard him talk about some
caves that were there We went armed to
the teeth, actor like There Mr.. Wren smiled]
and in very histrionic manner. OF course
we didn't find him. Afterward l went to
the gunboat and saw Booths body. 1t was
the poor fellow, fast enough. l have been
inclined of late years, as l have recalled his
wild and unreasonable manner all that win
ter, to have charity enough for Booth to be-
lieve that his mind was deranged.
"From that day to this" continued MIR.
Wren, as he refilled his pipe, al have not
carried weapons, though l used to wish that
had shot Booth. Ifeverybody had the ex-
perence / have had, there would be no need
for any law on the matter"