Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-08-28
THE ERA OF SSASSINATIOS.


John w. Nichols, eX-president of the
Omaha Fire department was one of the
body guard of President Lincoln from the
summer of 1862 until 1865. The following
narrative, related to your correspondent
by Mr.. Nichols, is strictly true:
zone night. about the middle of August,
1864, | was doing sentinel dutyat the large
gate through which entrance was had to
the grounds OF the Soldiers Home. About
II o'clock | heard a rifle shot in the direC-
ton of the city. and shortly afterward |
heard approaching hOof-beats In two or
three minutes a horse came dashing up
and recognized the belated President.
The horse was very spirited, and belonged
to Mr. LamOn, marshal of the District of
Columbia. This horse was Mr.. Lincoln's
favorite and when he was in the White
House stables he always chose him. As
horse and rider approached the gate | no
ticed that the President was bareheaded.
After assisting him in checking his steed
the President said to me: He came pref
ty near getting away with me, didn't he?
He got the bit in his teeth before ! could
draw the rein. ! then asked him where
his hat was, and he replied that somebody
had fired gun off down at the foot of the
hill, and that his horse had become scared
and jerked his hat off. | led the animal
to the executive cottage, and the Presi
dent dismounted and entered. Thinking
myself started in the direction of the
place from where the sound of the rifle
report had proceeded, to investigate the
occurrence, When we reached the spot
where the driveway intcrseCtS with the
main road we found the Presidents hat
IA plain silk hat-and upon examining it
we discovered a bullet hole through the
crown. The shot had been fired upward.
and it was evident that the person who
fired the shot had secreted himself close
to the roadside. We searched the local.
ty thoroughly but to no avail. The next
day gave Mr.. Lincoln his hat and called
his attention to the bullet hole. He rather
unconcernedly remarked that it was put
/ there by some foolish gunner and was
not intended for him. He said, however,
that he wanted the matter kept quiet, and
admOnished us to say nothing about it.
We all felt confident that it was an at
tempt to kill him, and awell-nigh success
full one too The affair was kept quiet in
accordance with his request. After that
the President never rode alone
Grants Escape.
On one occasion General Grant said to a
friend "Ihe darkest day of my life was
the day | heard of the assassination.
did not know what it meant. Here was
the rebellion put down in the field and
. starting up again in the cutters, as Lin
coin was killed on the evening of the l4tl
of April. | was busy sending out orders
to stop recruiting, the purchase of sup
plies, and to muster out the army. Lin
coin had promised to 90 to the theatre anC
wanted me to 90 with him. While was
with the President a note came from Mrs
Grant saying that she must leave Wash
ngton that night. She wanted to go Il
Burlington to see her children Some in
cdent of a trit1lng nature had made he
resolve to leave that evening. | was glat
to have it so, as | did not want to 90 to tn,
theatre. So | made my excuses to Lin
coin, and ut the proper hour we started
: for the train. AS we were driving alOn!
Pennsylvania avenue Il hOrSelnan drOV,
past us on Il gallOp and back again aroun,
our carriage. looking into it. Mrs. Gran
said, There is the man who sat near us Il
lunch to-day, with some other men, ant
tried to OYerhear our conversation. ii
was SO rude that we left the dining room
: Here he is now, riding afterus. | though
it was only curiosity, but learned after
!. ward that the hOrSeman was Booth. |
= seems that | was to have been attacked
. and Mrs Grants sudden resolve to leaV
! changed the plan. a few days after, r.
y ceived an anonymous letter from Il mar
saying that he had been detailed to xii
= me that he rode on my train as far u
Havre de Grace, and us my car was locke
, he failed to get in. He thanked God tina
u he had failed. ! remembered that tn
= conductor had locked our car, but ho'
= true the letter was | cannot say. | learI
- ed of the assassination us | was paSSin
: through Philadelphia. | turned arOunC
~ took a special train and came on To Wasl
- ington. 1t was the gloomiest day of III
" life"