The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-07-14
THE ASSASSINATION or LINCOLN.
A "Reminiscences of the Crime of J. Wilkes Booth,
Sixteen Years Ago,

Sixteen Years Ago,
The Washington morning papers ol
Friday, April ii, 1865, announced that
the President and General Grant would
that evening attend the performance ol
"Our Ameri an Cousin" at Ford's Thea.
tre. General Grant did not keep his en-
gagement with the President, but left
with his wife, that afternoon for Burl.
ington. The President knowing that q
large nrmber of friends would be pres.
ent, and not wishing to disappoint them,
reluctantly determined to keep his en-.
gagement. When the party-Consisting
of the President, Mrs. Lincoln, Major
Rathbone and Miss Harris - entered
their box, the whole assemblage, having
in mind the recent Union victories and
the return of peace, arose, cheered, wav.
ed hats and 'kerchiefs, and could scarce
ly be quieted 80 intense was the enthu.
siasm. The box was twelve feet above
the stage. The President took chair at
the corner nearer TIE audience, Mrs Lin
coin occupied seat in the middle, and
Miss Harris the corner opposite Mr. Lin
coin. Major Rathbone was seated back
of Mrs. Lincoln The curtain had just
arisen on the third act when ]. Wilkes
Booth walked ur to the door of the box
and attempted to enter. When stoI ped
by the attendant, he oveIpoweled him
with his grand air and the words, II am
Senator; the Presice ent has sent for
me-" AS he entered, Major Rathbone
arose. "Ale you aware sir" he said
courteously, "upon whom you are intrud.
ing2 This Is the Presidents box, and
no one is admitted" Booth uttert not
word, either of explanation or apology.
Fastening his eyes on President Lincoln,
who had half turned his head to asCer.
tain the cause of the disturbance, he
stepped quietly backwards out Of the
box and out of sight, partly closing the
door. Drawing Derringer pistol, and
taking by means of some almost miraCu-
lous calculation a deadly aim, if it can
be 30 called, he fred through the closed
door, the bullet entering the Presidents
brain. The movements of the assassin
from this moment were panther.like in
their rspidity. Fin ging open the door
he sprsng into the box tU see the effects
of his shot fred 80 blindly. Doping
his pistol upon the floor he drew q bow
ie-kniie and struck one blow at Major
Rsthbone, who had attempted to oppose
him, iDfiCting a severe flesh wound.
GlanCing once at the lifeless form of the
President, as If he wished to be certain
that his work was fully done, he stepped
upon the velve covered balustlade at
the front of the box, between Mrs, Lin.
coin and Miss Harris, and parting with
both hands the flags that dropped on
either side leaped to the stage beneath.
His spur catching in the drapery made
him lose his balance, and he fell spEain.
ing his ankle. He seemed to be unaware
Of the fact. Rising and turning full up.
on the audience, with his knife in his
right hand lifted above his head, he
shouted; "Sic Sentper tyranniSi-Virginia
is avenged" Another instant, and he
had fed across the stage, behind the
scenes and to the stage door, knocking
down one man who attempted to inter.
Cept him, and an actress who accident.
ally came in his way. Leaping upon the
feet little mare held by Spangler in to.
tai unCensCiousnesa OF the important part
he was playing in the great drama, the
assassin rode rapidly away unpursued.
His horses hoofs might almost have been
heard amid the silence that for mo.
msnt dwelt in the interior Of the thea
ire. So quickly had it all passed that
only one man in the vast audience un.
derstood what had happened or what
the strange interruption meant. A scream
from Mrs. Lincoln, call for water from
Miss Harris and the CHASTITY truth broke
upon all-"The President is murdered !"
The scene that ensued was as tumultuous
and terrible as one of D mites pictures of
hell. Women shrieked, tainted or went
into hysteriCe; men rushed hi her and
thither, shouting and crying for ven-
geanCe. Miss Laura Keene advanced to
the footlights and entreated the audience
to be calm; then asCended the stair to
the box and taking the dying President's
head upon her lap, began bathing it with
the water she had brought. Rapidly
his clothing was stripped from his neck
and breast find the wound and it was
only after some moments of vain search
that the dress of Miss Keene stained
with blood revealed where the ball had
penetrated. Not movement betraye
consciousness from the moment the bull
let entered the brain until life passed
away at o'clock the next morning.
Carefully removing him from the thaater
to dwelling house across the street, all
that medical skill could do was done
W thout avail, and all through the night,
while the horror stricken crowds outside
swept and gathered along the streets,
while the military and police were pa
trolling and weaving Gordon about the
city, while men were arming and asking,
what victim next2" while the tele.
graph was sending the news from city to
city and while the assassin was speeding
fast away-his chosen friends watched at
his bedside the slowly ebbing life.
The attempt to assassinate Secretary
Seward the death of Booth in barn by
a shot fred through the closed door by
Sergeant Boston Corbett; the arrest, trial
and conviction by Court-martial of
Payne, Arzerodt, Harold and Mrs. SGr
raft for constructive treason; the enor.
nous rewards offered for the arrest of
Sanders, Tucker and other leading
Southeners, who promptly surrendered
themselves, produced a perfect intoxiCa
ton of the PUBLIC mind and the widest
and most absurd stories ol conspiracy
and of guilt we've believed even in the
highest official circles. 1t is only now,
after the l. pse of sixteen years, that the
truth has begun to crystalline and the
facts attending the assassination brought
together IN. Y World.
A NEW freight car for the transporta
ton of grain was pl iced on private eKhi