Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-03-22
A NIGHT OF HORROR.
THE ASSASSINATION OF ABRAHAM
LINCOLN.

INCIDENTS NEVER BEFORE PRINTED
A CORRECT STATEMENT OF AN EYE
WITNEss-DYING SCENE AND THOSE
AROUND THE DEATH>BED vIvIDLY
DESCRIBED.
History had seen the now greatest Re-
public ever known, struggling from its
infancy through all the startling and
dramatic vicissitudes of Colonial and
Revolutionary times. It had marked
the doubtful hours when the farmer and
sea-faripg man dropped their avoca-
tions to lend glory by their prowess
and sacrifice of everything priced
| by them to the fame of American
arms achieved at Concord, Lexington,
Bunker Hill. The long ordeal of revo>
lutionary heroism aid patriotic devo-
ton which stamped the name of Wash
ington and of his gallant Lieutenants
upon the indelible record of Americas
achievements, has been noted by the
chrOnicler of mans vow to earn i'm.
munity from oppression and the sweets
of self government. All through the
goings and comings of the great actors
who planned, built and preserved the
glorious foundations of the Union, every
phase of the tragic in life. and the por-
tentous, in those never-to- be forgotten
scenes big with fate, had been watched
and described. Everything that marks
the darkness and gloom Of great and
long continuing struggles and trials, had
been experienced by the drumdtis per-
son4 and the people generally.
DifferenC accounts have been given OF
the course which affairs took. They
vary in accuracy just as it suits the
fancy or vanity OF the narrators, who
havecolored them to please themselves.
But Che following
THRILLING HISTORICAL EVENTS
Are recounted by one who witnessed
what is written, and was officially con-
nected with the transactions of the day
and night. They have never before ap-
peared in print, although numerous
solicitations have been made to obtain
and publish them. What transpired
just Immediately preceding the tragedy
will be found of interest to our readers.
We, therefore, pause to make brief
retrospect of those important and more
gratifying happenings. They furnish in
the brilliancy, joyousness, and peaceful
congratulations, which everywhere
abounded in the Capital of the Nation,
wonderful contrast to the gloom, sad
ness, and angry feelings of the masses
which overwhelmed them when it was
finally realized that the quaint raftsman
of the Mississippi, and later the prom
ising Illinois lawyer of great mind and
legal attainments, and, beyond all, the
| friend of the South, and in fact, of all
humanity, had met sudden end by be-
ing slain in cold blood and in most
dastardly manner! AS has been said,
news of the fall of Richmond was re-
ceived, and Immediately general holi-
day was by common consent recognized
as it became an accepted understanding
that this great result would bring about
at once the close of terrible and unne-
cessary war, which had lasted SO long
and with such great cost. Calamity.
blood shedding and death were agreed
to be at an end and peace had come ;
families were to be reunited; sons were
to return to their dear ones. and the
manhood of the country, North and
South. would be restored to peaceful
avocatiOns. The streets became crowded
and every one shook hands with his
friends, while unbounded congratula
tions were the order of the hour. Mr..
Stanton made few remarks to dense
crowd from the north porch of the old
War Department, now torn down. 9th
er speakers followed. Bunting and flags
were brought out in profusion, and
THE CITY WAS GENERALLY DECORATED,
Some ofthe public buildings being liter
ally covered with drapery of Union flags.
| AS the JOY GUS masses surged to and fro,
the congratulations became harmless1y
boisterous. The public buildings and,
lastly, the White House received visits
from the masses of thousands, and Mr.
Lincoln, in good spirit and in charita-
BILE accents, greeted the people on the
auspiciOus occasion. He wa- so full of
forgiveness that he consented, loosely
in response to call from one. of the
crowd, that the serenading band should
captured Richmond, and, therefore, the
with it, and are entitled to hear it play.
ed, as it is one of our own tunes now"
This great public rejoicing was, how
ever, of brief existence, for the assassin,
by whose hand the centre of all this glad
scene was to be removed from it's midst
without a moments warning, was
abroad in the streets that day. and even
mixed up unsupported with the jubilant
throng. Barely twenty-four hours
elapsed after the rejoicings were exhaus
ted and the participatOrs had resumed
the serious business of every day routine
and habit, when pale, youthful, light
haired young man, Walter HELEN, thu
son of banker by that name, rushed
into the Metropolitan Hotel almost
breathless with excitement, and gasped
out, president Lincoln has just beer
shot while in box at Ford's Theatre y
It was then located where the Army
Medical Museum now is, on Tenth
street, between E. and F. streets. Thil
was said to small group of persons
among whom were the Provost Marsha
of the District and one of his special de
tectives. The former, jumping into ,
buggy at the door, precipitately rode t.