The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1885-07-28
IINCOLN'S DEATH.
Recofiections of the sad Event Which
Plunged a Nation in Mourning.

a dismal day, in harmony with the
mournful occasion that shrouded all
hearts in gloom, and robed the city and
the country in weeds OF woe. 1t was n
day in a marked contrast with that
which preceded it as the feelings which
on the one animated and on the other
depressed the public mind. From dawn
till dark the weather was cherries,
cold. damp and drizzly. The heavens
were hung with black. A faint tinge of
roseate light flushed the western sky as
the sun went down. and that was the
only CLEAN of light that penetrated the
universal gloom. If ever nature SYM
pathiZed with man since the time when
the sun was darkened and the dead
walked the streets of Jerusalem and APP
peared to surviving friends. it certainly
seemed to do so on the memorable day
which ushered in the sadde>t news that
ever fell upon the ears Of the American
people.
The hush of profound detection hung
over the city. and a weight of grief
gnawed hungrily at mems hearts.
Stores were opened, but no buyers went
in, and none were wanted. The shock
had fallen with stunning effect upon
every honest bosom. The brutality of
the deed was inconceivable, and the
blow to the Nation overwhelming. The
novelty of the crime In the republic
made its deformity more hideous. 1t
seemed Us if We had turned over new
page in history, and become suddenly
possessed of new natures and lew des-
TIMES the one baleful and ungoyerna-
Die, and the other leading 10 ship
wreck-just as We We're sailing into
port with every pennon fiutterinZ and
the sound of joyous cannon still beating
In our ears.
The transition from q CITY decorated
for victory To a city hung with mourn
ing. had q tragic effect that made the
reaction overpOwering. The flags were
furl-d in Grape. and feStoons of sable
drapery. heavy as il with tears, crept
from window 10 window. Tn bells
which rang gaily the day bef1rs tolied
slower than mems sinking pulses. Ere
noon arrived the whole city WAS hun :
in black. The blind, of the pa ace We're
closed rs if the corpse lay in the house.
and punches OF Grape were tied TO the
crazy shutters of the negro hovei, where
the inmates, perhaps, robbed them
selves of bread 10 purchase the SorrJw-
full emblem. Shrouded portraits of the
blunt. kindly face, side by SIDE with
Washington's, were placed in windows.
and were looked on with EYES that grew
mo ST and ran over. The grief was not
noisy-it was profound. unspeakab'e.
President Lincoln had occupied the
evening previous at FOrd's Theater, two
boxes VIII ch had been thrown into one.
His party consisted of only four per-
sons--himself and wife, Mss Harris and
Major Rathbone; but one of the boxes
was occupied. a man was observed
by an officer standing in the adjoining
box for a minute or two before the ca
taStrophe. Mr.. Lincoln and his party
were in fine spirits, chatting and OBJ
serving the play. AT q moment when
the ewes of all four were fixed on the
stare a pistOl-Shot WAS heard. and the
| first imnress on of every one was that
| it was fired on the stage. So thought
| Major Rathbone. until. looking around,
he saw smoke and i man with drawn
dagger in his hand. The truth indiS-
tinctly flashed in his mind; he arose and
seized the unknown man with both
hands by the lappels of his coat A
mementary scutfie ensued, in which the
assassin made a thrust ut the Major.
grazing his breast and piercing his left
arm near the shoulder. Something
seemed TO give way about the man S
coat collar; he got loose and disap-
peared. The smoke prevented the
Major or Miss Harris from getting fair
view of the fellow. and Mrs. Lincoln
did not see him until he leaped out of
the box Her first impression was that
it was her husband who leaped out.
This shows how quickly the whole af-
fair passed.
Meantime. the assassin appeared on
the edge of the box. CRYING: /" Sic
Sempcr TyranniS," and fourishing a
dagger. lcaped to the stage. He
crossed the stage rapidly. exclaiming:
Revenge" and again flouriShing his
dagger, disappeared, saying: u have
done it,
Miss Laura Keene appeared on the
| stage, and, Wild great seI-pos>essIon,
implored the audience to be silent
The President was seen to turn in his
seat. and persons leaped upon the stage
and clambered up to the box. HIS
clothes were stripped from his shoul-
ders, but no wound was at first found.
He was entirely inscnSible. Further
search revealed the fact that he had
been shot in the head. Major Potter
and Major Rathbone, assisted by
others, carried the President from The
theater. the blood from the death
wound falling upon the floor, stairway
and sidewalks, as he was borne to the
nearest house opposite, which was that
of Mr.. Ulke. Mrs. Lincoln was as.
sisted in crossing the street with the
President in a frantic condition, at the
same time uttering heart-rending
shrieks. She was attended by Miss