The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-04-21

slowly along-the Attor-
ney General being about the only
yet in reserve. There have
been some lively episodes in con-
nection with this inquiry, which
lack of space forbids me to note,
and for the same reason l cannot
show you the flimsiness Of the
charges brought by Commissioner
Black of the Pension Office against
his predecessor.
Representative. Reed Of Maine,
after the vote in the House on the
Hurd contested election case, &C.
knowledged, although Hurd had
not the shadow OF a claim to cleo
ton, that the Democrats were a lit
tie more generous in this instance
than he had given them credit for.
But these election contests, he said,
ought not to be settled by the House
of Representatives, because 1t is ut
terly impossible for body of poll
ticians to discard political feelings,
leanings and preudices. They
ought to be decided in the District
Courts.
1t is just twenty-one years ago
yesterday that Abraham Lincoln
died by the assassin's bullet, in the
little brick house on Tenth street.
The return Of the anniversary
brings with it recOllections of the
jubilee Of peace which followt d the
surrender of Lee, changed to horror
by the tragedy Of LincOln's death.
The excitement here was intense.
No man was without suspicion.
Conspiracies were thought to fill
the air. With the other attempted
assassination and the wild demand
for vengeance, 1t seemed that chaos
had come again.
On the 18th of April 1866, Jonn
Wilkes Booth, a hansome young
man with classical face, was We"
ing the streets Of this city and call
lYip on his friends, He was cOnsid.
cred a little eccentric, but nothing
unusual was noticed In his manner
that day, though naturally enough
after the murder, those who had
met him a few hours previously
came to the imaginative conclusion
that he had acted nervously. He
was not downcast and sOmbre as is
usual with those who contemplate
some dreadful deed, but confident,
alert and full of jest. He regarded
himself as the head of a great and
we'll planned conspiracy. He had
mimicked tragedy and was now
really to enact it.
He sauntered into Ford's old
theatre and was told that President
Lincoln and General Grant would
be at the evenings performance.
Harry Ford laughlngly added that
he would have those distinguished
gentlemen In a box on one side of
the theatre, and General Lee in a
box on the opposite side. Booth
then burst into an angry denuncia-
ton of Lee for having given up his
sword which he promised never to
surrender.
When he came to the thep, ire tina
evening he walked up 70 the DO.
Office and chatted fcr a few min
utes. The play was "Our America
Cousin," and Laura Keene wa
taking the leading part. Abou
$50 O'Clock a shot was hear
Those in the box Office thought
was the accidental discharge of tn
pistol which one of the character
Sir Edward Trenchard, in the pros
ress of the play, puts to his hea
with suicidal intent. For q fe'
seconds after the shot there wa
perfect silence. The curtain wa
down, and there was no sign of an
I one who has used a pistol. Then
, 1.-the form, wearing spurs, sprang o
the stage from the box in whic
Lincoln was. 1t was Booth. On
of his spurs caught in the flag tn,
draped the box and he fell in
crouching attitude upon one kne
Then springing up he drew bow
knife and brandishing it above h
q head, he made a theatrical strid
i and exclaimed twice, defianti.
t "Sic sempertyrannis." With gla
: ing eyes, pale face and features {
i rigid as if set in stone, he Wake
8 across the stage and escaped to Il
l. ally in the rear where his hOr