San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-07-11
LINCoLN's assassination.

Tells Some Stories of the Night.
John Z. Buckingham in Kate Field
Washington.
Forty-Uwo years ago was call-boy
to the elder Booth, so you so my the
atrical experience extends over gooC
long time. For most of these years
have seen the theatre from the door
way, and for nearly thirty OF them
have taken the tickets of the Washing
ton thestre-going public. know the
faces, think, of most of the peopl5
in town VINO are fond of the play, and
have had the pleasure OF admitting
many celebrities to an evening OF
recreation from the cares OF state. Al
this season, however, the celebrities
are very sparse indeed.
Among the prominent men IN the
last congress " no came often To the
theatre were Mr.. Breckenridge, OF
Kentucky, Mr.. Carlisle and MIR. Eus-
tbs. President Harrison likes an
evening here, and is q greater theater
goer than any president since Arthur.
Harrison, Arthur and Lincoln make
up the recent presidential patrons OF
the drama. Between LincOln's time
and Arthur's no president showed
was tending the door at Eord's
Theater the night that Lincoln was
shot. The impression it made upon
my mind is still so vivid that l don't
like to talk aoont it, but for all that
there was nothing of the horrible
scene often described. The soldiers,
who were almost Immediately upon
the spot, did not charge upon the
crowd with fixed bsyonets, as is
sometimes enormously stated. There
was very great difficulty in making
the people leave the house. Hardly
two minutes after the shot was fired
the audience seemed TO flow over into
the orchestra and on the stage. This
state Of things lasted for some
time until, at the request of Mr.. Harry
Ford, went out to the sidewalk and
spoke to Mr.. Wallach, tor many years
mayor of the city. de came in, and,
going as far as he could down one of
the aisles, addressed the crowd and
asked them to leave. He was we'll
known, and the people obeyed with
tolerable promptness, and that is the
way the tbrong was really dispersed.
When they were finally gone L locked
the doors and quilted the building.
All this, of course, is more or less
widely known to the public. What is
less familiar is the su bsequent history
OF the old house. A provo t guard was
put in charge, and the soldiers made
sad havoc with the appearance of the
theatre. We had for instance, q pretty
little waiting parlor for ladies'; here
the guard cooked and ate their ra-
tions, until floor and furniture were
covered with grease. They damaged
the boxes, too, q great deal, and al
together left the place in q sorry con-
dition. Mr.. Ford obtained permits
zion to open again on the 10th of July.
The play was the OctorOon, and was
billed all over the city. The provost
guard was not ordered out until the
last moment, ana after that we ct.
tempted to put things in order as best
we could. The theatre was cleaned,
and ] bought roll of Grape and
draped the box which President Lin
coin had occupied. We were busy
all day on the 10th, and I hut-
ried home late to dress for the even
ing's business. A little before time
for the performance / came back and
found row of soldiers on the steps
Mr.. Ford came up and told me that
ne had been summoned 10 appear at
the War Department, and that there
could be no performance that even
ing. He went to See Secretary Stan
ton. The building was bought by the
Government for 100000, and has not
been used for theatrical purposes
since.
/ kept as mementoes good sized
scraps of the wall paper and box cur
tains of the old Lheater, but these
pieces have grown smaller and small
er until all have lett are few little
bits which have had photographed.
/ have cut off little for first one
friend and then another, until l have
had to put the remaining pieces un-
der q glass and frame them to pro-
tect them from my own hand.
| think Washington theatres are
different from even the best houses In
many other cities, in the quiet and
decorum OF the audience, and the alb
sence of any large door crowd made
up of people who come to see the au-
dience and not the play. Ladies
come to the theatre with each other,
and without the need OF other escort;
and nothing would be considered
more unfortunate by the managers
than to have this custom fall into dis.
favor. Our audiences are very varied
for what calls out one set of people
will not attract another, and, of course
the win ter audiences and summer ones
are made up in The main of diff
ferent classes. Still, you would be
astonished to find how many society
people like to drop in to summer
opera, If they are in town. For my
own part, / have reached the pom
where care very little what Is going
on inside the doors. / am Otter
asked what the piece Is, and have t.