The Wilmingtonian., 1886-04-10

hdUuDOne al neF lelG, anu u llItle III Jhe iedi
of Mrs. Lincoln, who, intent on the play,was
leaning forward with one hand resting on
her husbands knee. The president was
leaning upon one hand, and with the other
was toying with a portion of the drapery.
His face was partially turned to the audience
and wore pleasant smile.
The assassin swiftly entered the box
through the door at the right, and the in
slant fired. The ball entered just behind
the presidents left ear aud, though not pro
dueing instantaneous death, completely
oblterated all consciousness.
Mai Rathbone heard the report, and an in
slant later saw the murderer, about six feet
from the president, and grapp!ed with him,
but his grasp was shaken Off Booth drop
ped his pistol and drew long, thin, deadly
looking knife, with which he wounded the
major Then, touching his left hand to the
railing of the box, he vaulted over to the
stage, eight Or nine feet below. In that des-
cent an unlocked for and culious thing hap
pened, which foiled all the plans OF the ass
ASSN and was the means Of bringing him to
bay at last Lincoln's box was drapped with
the American flag and Booth, in jumping,
caught his spuc in its folds, tearing it down
and sprainng his ankle. lie crouched as be
fell, falling upon one knee, but soon straigh-
tened himself and staked theatrically across
the stage, brandishing his knife and shouted
ing the state motto of Virginia, "Sic semper
tyranntSP P' afterward adding, "The south is
ayengedv' He made his exit on the opposite
side of the stage, passing Miss Keene as he
went out. A man named Stewart, tall
lawyer of Washington, was the only person
with presence of mind enough to spring
upon the stage and followed him, and he was
too late.
1t had all beendone so quickly and dramat-
ically that many in the audi ence were dazed
and could not understand that anything not
part of the play had happened. When, at
last, the awful truth was known to them
there ensued a scene, the like of which was
never known in a theatre before. Women
shrieked, sobbed and tainted. Men cursed
and raved, or were dumb with horror and
amazement. Miss Keeue stepped to the
| front and begged the frightened and dismay-
cd audience to be calm. Then she entered
the presidents box with water and stimulants
Medical aid was summoned and came with
| ilying feet, but came too late. The murder
er's bullet had done its wiaked work we'll.
The president hardly stirred in his chair, and
never spoke or showed any signs Of con
seriousness again.
They carried him Immediately to hehouse
Of Mr., Peterson, opposite The theatre; and
there, at 1923 the next morning, the 18th of
April, he died
The night of Lincoln assassination was q
memorable one in Washington. Secretary
Seward was attacked and wounded while ly
ing in bed with broken arm.
The murder Of the president put the au
thorties on their guard against wide-reach
ing conspiracy, and threw the public into
suat Of te ror, The awful event was fel
even by those who knew not Of it. Horse
men clattered through the silent streets o
Washington spreading the sad tidings, ant
the telegraph wires carried the terrible story
everywhere The nation awakened from its
dream of peace on the 18th Of April, 1865, tt
learn that it's protector, leader, friend and
restorer had been laid low by stagemad
"avenger.n w. 0. Stoddard, in his Life o
Lincoln, says "It was as if there hac
been death in every house throughout th,
land. By both north and south alike tht
awful news was received with a shudder ant
Il nomentary spasm Of unbeief. Then fol
lowed one of the most remarkable spectacle;
| . = A. Ia, r., +l,opa
nothing else at all like it on record. Bell
had tolled before at the death of a loved
ruler, but never did all bells toll so mourn
fully as they did that day. Business ceased
: Men came together in public meetings as i
, by common impulse, and lines and section
al hatreds seemed to be obliterated"
The assassination took place on Frida.
evening, and on the following Sunday funer
al services were held in all the churches i
the land, and every church was draped
r mourning,
' Mr.. Liueoln's body was embalmed, and o
the following Wednesday funeral service
c were held in the East room of the Whit
c House. From thence the body was take
y to the rotunda of the Capitol. where it WI
+. ,iewed by thousands of sorowing peopl
IL On the 2lst of the month the sombre fune
o al train left Washington, going first to Phi
IL adelpia and New York, and then move
It westward, followed by the lamentations of
i stricken nation. The mournful pageant
A its reception by the people surpasses all pov
e er of words for its description. Slowly til
% train proceeded from city to city betwee
l. almost continuous lines Of sorrowing multi
"a tudes doing last honors to their beloved eli
of magistrate, whose hold upon their hear
ID they had not known till they had lost him
TO The train reached Springfield, His, on Il
morning Of tile 3d Of May, and on the follo'
y, ing day the body Of Lincoln, the martyr, VI
t, shut from the sight Of man forever, in Il
le grave.
u AS the funeral curtege passed throuG
II New York it was reyerently gazed upon
Of arnass ofhumapitY impossible to enumerat
ID No ovation could be SO eloquent as the spC
Lh tacle Of the vast population, hushed al
r. bareheadcd, under the bright spring 81
ID gazing upon his coffin. Lincolu's own wor
id over the dead at Gettysburg came to maj
rd "a the stately car went by "rhe world W
nd little note nor long remember what we s.
ut here, but it can never forget what we d
St here"
L t. ,,-.,.. hnrab tnn tlut IN thn y