The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-05-01
LINCOLN'S DEATH.

LINCOLN'S DEATH.
| Reeollections of the Sad Event Which
Plunged a Nation In Mourning.
Saturday, April Is, on which Abra-
ham Lincoln died at an early hour, was
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 q
| day in as 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 ap-
| peared to surviving friends, it certainly
seemed to do so on the memorable day
which ushered in the saddest news that
ever fell upon the ears of the American
people.
The hush Of profound detection hung
over the city. and weight of grief
gnawed hungrlly 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 as if we had turned over a new
page n history, and become suddenly
possessed of new natures and rev des-
TIMES the one baleful and ungoverna-
ole, and the other leading to ship
wreck-just as we were sailing into
port with every pennon futtering and
the sound of joyous cannon still beating
in our ears.
The transition from city decorated
for victory to city hung with mourn
ing, had a tragic effect that made the
reaction overpowering The flags were
furlad in Grape, and festoons OF sable
drapery, heavy as if with tears, erept
from window to window. The bells
which rang gaily the day before tolled
slower than mems sinking pulses. Ere
noon arrived the whole city was hung
in black The blinds of the pa ace were
closed as if the corpse lay in the house,
and punches of Grape were tied to the
crazy shutters of the negro howell, where
the inmates, perhaps, robbed them
selves OF bread 10 purchase the sorrow
full emblem Shrouded portraits OF tho
blunt, kindly face, SIDE by SIDE with
Westinghouse, 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 wn CHI had been thrown into one
His party consisted of only four per-
sons--himself and wife. M So Harris and
Ma. or Rathbone; but one of the boxes
was occupied. A man was observed
By an officer standing in the adjoining
box for minute or two before the ca
tastrophe. Mr.. Lincoln and his party
were in fine spirits, chatting and OBJ
serving the play. At moment when
the eyes of all four were fixed on the
stage a pistol-shot was heard, and the
fist impression of every one was that
it was fired on the stage. So thought
Major Rathbone, until, looking around,
he saw smoke and man with drawn
dagger in h hand. The truth indis-
tinctly flashed in his mind; he arose and
seized the unknown man VITA both
hands by the lappels of his coat A
mementary scuffie ensued, in which the
assassin made thrust at the Mai II,
grazing his BREAST and piercing his left
arm near the shoulder. Something
seemed to give way about the mans
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
Semper 1yrannss," and fourishing
dagger. leaped to the stage. He
crossed the stage rapidly. exc1aiming:
"Revenge!" and again fourishing his
dagger, disappeared, saying: have
done it!'
Miss Laura Keene appeared on the
stage, and, with great self-possession,
implored the audience to he 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 shout
ders, but no wound was at first found.
He was entirely insonsible. Further
~earch revealed the fact that he had
been snot in the mead. Major Potter
and Major Rathbcne, 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 frantic condition, at the
same time uttering heart-rendinG
shrieks. She was attended by Miss
Laura Keene and others. At the house,
an army surgeon being at hand, called
for small quantity of brandy. which
was administered, and it was thereupon
announced to the pressing and excited
crowd that he was alive, and not dead.
as Mrs. Lincoln. in her agony. insisted
1t was then found that Major Rathbone
had received wound in the arm.
which he had Intentionally concealed
to prevent excitement. He then FAINT
ed. Ben. Perleu Poore.