Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-07-18
ASSASSINATION OF LINCOLN.
RecOIIectiOns of a Son of Ex-ViCe Pres
tdent Hamlln.

tdent HamIIn.
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 l
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 Artillery Of the Army
of the Potomac, and he gave me an in
teresting description of being present in
Ford's Theater the night Mr.. Lincoln
was murdered.
II had never been able to see the
play called The American Cousin, ~
said General Hamlin, though [ had
several times made engagements to go
and see it, and have never yet seen it
fully performed, so that l have a sort of
superstition about the piece. The night
that Mr.. Lincoln was murdered | observ-
ed that THE American Cousin was to
be played, and | took my sister, who is
now deceased, and another lady to the
theater. We had seats far down to the
front, onl ly a few steps from the stage.
Mr.. Lincoln came in and proceeded to
his box, which the upper one on the
right, but he was not visible to the au-
dience where he sat, having place back
i'll the box, from which he could the bet
ter see the stage. Indeed, from where l
sat below | could see no person in the
boxes. Not long before Mr.. Lincoln was
shot there was a change OF scenes dur
ing,,an act, and it seemed to me that it
was the longest time required to change
scenes that had ever observed in a the
ater. 1t was SO noticeably long that [
afterwards wondered in connection with
the murder if there might not not have
been some irresolution or perplexity on
that stage. Not long after there was
sound somewhat like the slapping of
your hands together, sharp, yet not very
loud, but loud enough to make me turn
my head and wonder what could have
made it, and whether it was pistol.
The next thing [ saw was Booth get
ting out OF that box. [ had seen Booth
play on two occasions and his knew 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 could hard
ly have been more elegant. He alighted
in crouching position, like one who
had brought his body down to break tie
shock of the fall While it was a good
jump In height, 1pras not a dangerous
one at all, perhaps from Where be i~>r a
to the stage to II feet. His spur tore
a 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 a theatrical way,
he stretched it upward and distinctly
said the words: Sic semper tyrannis
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 a naval Off
Ger whose name still remember, who,
hearing some one exclaim, The President
| has been shotp lifted himself, sailor fash
ion, up to the wood work decorations OF
the private box below, and climbed into
the boy above, and he came down the
same way in the audience.
"Of course, the audience was dismiss
ed, and as I was going up the street a
few minutes afterward I met friend in
the service who said to me: This IS ter
rible news. Mr.. Stanton and (here l
forgot the officer mentioned by General
Hamlin) Mr.. Seward we fear have been
mortally wounded. At this [ went i'm
mediately to my Office and took the re-
sponsibility as Chief of Staff of the Ar
tillery of ordering out the field batteries
we had in the forts around Washington.
l feared the next thing would be some
kind of rebel rising in Washington, and
summoned the artillery to come down at
once, and had them put in positions to
fire upon the town and clear the main
avenues if there was to be any more vio-
Ience, Correspondence ofhe Cir'c'"-
natl Enquirer.