The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-07-16
THE ASSASSINATION OF LINCOLN

correspondence of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
While in Maine last week | fell in
with Governor Hamlin, as the ex-Vice
President and Senator is called there
One of his sons is in partnership with
Eugene Hale, the youngest Senator
from Maine, at the town of Ellsworth.
about fifty miles from Bangor From
what could understand the Governors
sons are much respected. though they
take but little part in managing politics
The eldest son entered the war, and
after serving awhile in the field, became
assistant to the Chief of Artillery of the
Army of the Potomac, and he gave me
an interesting description of being
present in Ford's Theater the night MI
Lincoln was murdered.
Il had never been able to see the play
called The American Cou SIM said
General Hamlin, though / had several
times made engagements to go and see ii
and | have never yet seen it fully
performed, so that l have sort oil
superstition about the piece. The night
that Mr. Lincoln was murdered | observed
that The American Cousin'was to be
played, and took my sister, who is now
deceased, and another lady to the theater
We had seat far down to the from, to only
few steps from the stage. Mr.. Lincoln
came in and proceeded to his box which
was the upper one on the right, but he
was not visible back in the box
Not long befor Mr. Lincoln
was shot there was change of scenes
during an act and it seemed 10 me that
it was the longest time required TO change
scenes that l had ever observed in d
theateT 1t was So noticeably long that
| afterwards wondered in connection with
the murder If there night not have been
some irresolution or perplexity on that
stage, Not long after there was a sound
somewhat like the slapping OF your hands
together, sharp, not very loud, but loud
enough to make me turn my head and
wonder what could have made it, ard
whether it was a pistol.
The next thing l saw was Booth get
ting out of The box | had seen Booth
play on two occasions and knew his
face perfectly well There never was a
more deliberate thing than his stepping
out on the sill of that box and leaping
from it. He made as pretty jump as
ever saw. If he had practiced that leap
it could hardly have been more elegant
He alighted in crouching position, like
one who had brought his body down to
break the shock of the fall While il
was good jump in height, it was not q
dangerous one at all, perhaps from where
he leaped to the stage 9 to 10 feet. His
spur tore flag, and that seemed to
bring him around somehow so that he
alighted with his face turned more to the
audience than would have been the case
had he merely hoped directly downward
His face was marble pale. IN his right
hand he held knife, and in threatri-
cal way, he stretched it upward and dis
tiuctly said the words Sic semper tyraH-
mis- Then, in very stacy stride, still
pale, serious and intense, he went right
across the stage and out Many people
at this stood up, and near me was nava
officer whose name | still remember, who
hearing some one exclaim, The President
has been shot' lifted himself, sailol
fashion, up to the woodwork decorations
of the private box below, and climbed
into the box above, and lie came down the
same way in the audience.
"Of course, the audience was dismiss
ed, and as ! was gong up the street
few minutes afterward / met friend il
the service who said to me: This is ter.
rible news. Mr.. Stanton and (here forgo
the officer mentioned by General Hamlin
Mr.. Seward we fear have been MORTAL.
wounded At this l went Immediately
to my Office and took the responsibility.
as Chief of Staff of the Artillery of orde
ing out the field batteries We had in tn
forts around Washington. I feared tn
the next thing would be some kind 0
rebel rising in Washington, and summon
ed the artillery to come down at once, an
had them put in positions fire upon tn
town and clear the main avenues if Their
was to be any more violence"