The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-01-01
WILKES BOOTH'S DEED.
Interesting Incidents Of Lincoln's Assassi
nation Related by william Withers.

The leader of orchestra with the Adah
Richmond Company, now playing ut
the New Grand Theater, says the Louis.
vile CoUrier-Journdi, is MI. william
Withcrs. Mr.. Withers is a figure in ma
tional history, for he directed the music
at FOrd's Opera House. in Washington.
on the night hat President Lincoln was
assassinated, and was the first to give
to the authorities the name of the muir
derer.
The particulars of Mr. Withers' con.
nection with the tragedy, rs related by
him, are graphic and interesting. 81
was" said he. 1.-The regular leader at
Ford's Opera House ut the close of the
war. | organized the presidents body
guard into Il band, of which Tad Lin
coin, the presidents Youngest son, was
the drummer. | had free access TO the
white house, and frequently dined with
the youngster, and thus came into con.
tact with the president often. His eX-
cellency had not attended the theater
for several months prior to the night OF
his death. He used to come in modestly
and unobserved usually, but when he
was seen great applause greeted him.
Until this fatal night, however, he never
acknowledged these demonstrations, so
modest was he. On the night in ques-
ton it was known that he would occupy
Il box, and in answer to the vociferous
applause he bowed and smiled several
times. For years everything that hap
pened on that fearful night haunted me
like a blood-curdling nightmare. and
even now the remembrance is as vivid
rs if il had occurred but a short time
ago.
Il had composed a piece of music en-
titled Honor to Our Soldiers and had
rchearscd a chorus to sing it before the
president between the acts on the night
he was shot. Laura Keene had prom
Used me that il should be sung after the
first act. but ] wa put Offfrom act 10 act
until | became eyaSperatcd. HAD gone
To 81 much trouble to compose the mu-
sic, get the words written, and rehearse
the people that ! was bound it should be
sung if possible. So after the number
had been played preceding the last act,
took my way behind the curtain to
argue the matter with Mr.. Wright, the
stage manager.
"Mr. Wright was standing in II very
narrow entrance at his post, and jus,
behind him was a box with a lid, con
tanning the governor. a valve, which
when turned controlled the lights al
ovcr the house. BY turning the COVER.
nor every light i'm the house could bt
entirely cxtinguished. ! was angry
and when / saw Spangler. a scene
shifter, standing between me and the
stagc-manager, with his hands on thu
governor, | said: Look out, Spangler,
/ want to talk to Mr.. Wright H,
: asked: What do you want?' and
could see that he wished to remain
where he was. l answered: It's nom
of your business. What do you mean
? Now you Just move on He went very
|, reluctantly and / slammed the lid of tn,
governors box down and sat upon it
Mr.. Wright said he would arrange mat
tiers satisfactorily to me, and as / wa.
|, returning to my post through the bacl
entrance, i heard the stage-manager'i
whisper blow for the scenes in the las
act to be opened. The whistle called
/ Spangler to his duty, and ut the moment
the scenes parted ] heard a pistol-shot
| knew there was no pistol-shot used il
3 the play, and l stopped very suddenly
: right in the stage entrance from the out
+ side. The passage-way to the orchestr,
Y led off from the stage entrance, and
hesitated before going down. AS stoot
0 there ! heard a heavy jump upon tn,
stage, and in a second some one entrret
E the narrow stage entrance from the di
I ~rection of the stage. All this occurre,
: within a few seconds and gave me littl,
time for thought or action.
1.-The man advanced upon me through
I the narrow entrance, and by the din
light he looked frightful. His hand
i were clenched, and his arms extende,
towards me as If to do me injury. Ii
r one hand cleaned n long knife. Hi
lace was pale and haggard, and his hal
n on end. He uttered an imprecatio
o and made a savage thrust at me wit
n the knife. ] felt it cut into my clothin,
and thought 1t had entered my stomach
n He then struck me a powerful blow Q
n the back of the neck with the butt Of Il
+ knife, and l fell headlong and dazed
the floor. He ran over me. and q
pulled the door open ] saw . horse
Il head and the figure q Psenua John,