The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1884-08-14
The Assassination Followed by the I'm
prisonment Of Many Suspected Persons.

SoihihS W eho thOoIiO ehuo hiSho'
said that President Lincoln and Gene
raj Grant would occupy one box, and
added, as joke to tease him, that
Jefferson Davis and General Lee would
be in another box. He denounced
General Lee very vigorously for hav-
ing surrendered the sword of Virgin
ia. That evening, after the perform
ance began, he came to the theatre,
and as he passed the box-office he
looked into the window and, putting
his arm through, placed cigar which
he had partly smoked on shelf inside
and said in mock heroic style:
Whoe'er this cigar dares dispace
Must meet Wilkes Booth face to face.
"Then he passed into the theatre"
"Did he ever return for the cigar?"
asked the Star reporter.
"No. Those were the last words l
ever heard him speak. He must have
said them TO mislead us, for his plans,
it seems were already laid and it was
part of the plan, as heard afterwards,
that Payne was to assassinate Seward,
Atzerott should kill johnson at the
Kirkwood house, and Booth shoot the
President simultaneously. So he
knew just what he was going to do,
and how much time he had.
Later in the evening"" continued
Mr.. Ford, "we heard pistol shot in
the theatre. Joe Sessford and l were
in the Treasurer's Office. We thought
at first that it was the pistol fired by
Asa Trenchard in the play--Laura
Keene was playing Our American
Cousin but then it struck us as a
little too early in the evening. We
opened little window that looked in
to the theatre and saw Booth crouch
ing on the stage with knife in his
hand. Even then we could not tell
what had happened and no one seemed
to know. We thought at first that
some one had insulted Booth and he
had pursued the man across the stage.
A few minutes, which seemed an hour,
passed before the whole terrible truth
was known"
"You were among those who were
arrested, were you not?" asked the
Star reporter.
81 was arrested, l think, on the
Sunday following the assassination,
and taken down to the old Carroll
prison, fronting upon the Capitol
grounds. l was treasurer of the thea
tire, and my brother, James r. Ford,
better known as Dick Ford, was man.
ager. My brother, John I. Ford, who
owned the theatre, was arrested at his
home in Baltimore after his return
from Richmond. He had run down
there to see our uncle, mothers only
brother, VIM. Greaner. Nearly every
one about the theatre was put under
arrest-the carpenter, the assistant
carpenter, the property man and others
Nearly every one around here profes
sionally related to Booth was arrested
and the Virginia and Maryland farm
ers along the river, who were supposed
to have assisted Booth in his escape il
any way, by harboring him, giving
him food or shelter, or boats, were ar
rested, and they were all sent to the
prison where was. So we had plen
ty of company.
"Did I enjoy it? Well, would not
have missed the experience for grea
deal. 1t was rare mixture-desert
ers, bounty-jumpers and prisoners O
State, Governors, legislators and mer
of every station. Still it was rather
rough the first week. We were KEEP
in close and solitary confinement
Each man had room by himself ant
was not allowed to leave it or to SCI
anyone. l remember that when my
brother was brought in I saw him il
the yard The guards would not le
me go to him or speak to him. AfteI
John I. was arrested his family CAM
over from baltimore. His. wife ap
piled to Secretary Stanton for pas
to go to the prison and see him, ant
Stanton refused. There we were lef
alone in our dungeons in dreadful un
certainty. remember the day Of tn
funeral ceremonies at the Capitol.
could see nothing, but could hear TIL
solemn booming of guns, the disma
beating of muffled drums, playini
dead marches, and the steady tramp o
feet. That was not very cheerin!
music for our ears. We did not know
but the people in their excitemen
would mob the prison and lynch u:
for some of the men arrested had bee
stoned in the street. Our fare wa
coarse prison food--soup and bean
and dry bread"