The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-15
THE LOUNGER.

WIN v "Aba IA IA ANOop ~
other day he told several interesting expe-
riences in connection with the murder of
President Lincoln and the execution of his
assassins. Mr.. Root was i'll the army when
but seventeen years old and was for a time
private secretary to General Hancock. He
was a chum of Tom Dixon, the son of ex-
Senator Dixon, of Connecticut, and often
visited their house in Washington, and was
there on the night of Lincoln's assassina-
ton. 1t was while talking about mysterious
and ~unaccountable murders that Mr.. Root
recalled these incidents.
s##x
81 often met Mr.. Lincoln at the White
house," he said, ''in company with my |
chum. We were boys and had no business
with the president but went there occa-
~sionally with Senator Dixon. Mr.. Lincoln
finally got to know US and would frequent
ly stop and chat for a few minutes, for he
had fondness for youngsters. He looked
very much as his portraits. He was tall
and thin and his face always had n care
worn expression. His eyes were large and
very expressive, and sometimes lighted up
with a humorous twinkle when he told a |
story to illustrate a point. Every word
from his lips seemed to show his kindly ma
ture. l regard him as the greatest of all
Americans. No ona without some degree
of personal knowledge of the trying time
of his administration can appreciate the
difficulties under which he labored."
will never forget the night of his as
sassination. l was in Senator Dixon's
house and retired earl" in the evening when
l was aroused by a rap on the door. When
l answered Mrs. Dixon's voice replied:
'The president has been shot"
jumped out of bed and hurried into my
clothes. Tom was up when l vent down
stairs, and then Mrs. Dixon hustled US into
a carriage and we went rolling down the
avenue. What a night of excitement
it was. While the wheels were
flying over the pavement we could hear the
hurrying crowd yelling, ''The president is
shot" And then the cry that Seward ia
murdere followed, until it seemed as
though no one was safe. Not a word was
said in the carriage. because we boys were
too excited to speak. Finally the carriage
stopped at the little house in front of Ford's
theatre, where the murdered man was
slowly dying. Mrs. Dixon rushed us
through the doorway up to the presidents
room. The guard refused to let us in un-
til Secretary Welles interviewed. Mira. Dixon
went in the next room where Mrs. Lincoln
was lying FRUSTRATED while Tom and | got
out of the way in one corner of the room
and watched the dying president. He Law
gasping on the bed surrounded by surgeons
and prominent officials of the government.
IJn yuoo uncopcciouo fro", Tho 4;~,n %ho L,t
let struck him until he died. During the
greater part of the night | carried messages
from the sick room TO the adjoining room
where the ladies were, and during the in
t~ervals ! sat on Secretary Welles' knee. |
can see his white and haggard countenance
with the seal of death as wildly as
on that eventful night. At daylight
i'll the morning he quietly passed away
/, and Mrs. Dixon took US home but YOU can
imagine we did not sleep for some time
afterward."
II was also present at the execution OF Mrs.
Snrratt, Harold, Payne and Atzerott. 1T
> was conducted under military direction and
, ] was ordered there by Gen. Hancock. The
2 execution of Mrs. Surratt now appears az q
f terrible and inexcusable punishment, blu,
no one can understand the excitement Of
i. the time. Her daughter suffered most.
, can remember her heart-rending cries in tn,
prison when President Johnson refused {
= pardon. On the morning of the execution
Mrs. Sur. att was placed under the %infuenc,
D of opiates and was almost carried to the scat
@ fold. Payne was a magnificent looking fel
o low; finely built and with Il splendid face
. htzerott was a contemplate little Spaniart
while Harold was hardly more than a boy
u The execution was quietly conducted an,
there were no exciting scenes. All fell II
once and the affair WAS soon over.
III
% Lotta's recent visit recalls an inciden
to Ed. IimmermnL whose likeness to tn
third Napoleon ia SO remarkable that he ha
been asked to become Il candidate for tn
French throne. 1t was in Il Southern Ore
son town IL 1857. This date il given n
part of the story and not for the purpose q
n misleading the public into the belief tina
the bright and popular little actress il MOI
y than tweat. years old. However at th
u time Lolita and her company arrived i
u town to play q star engagement and q
o course stopped at Eds hotel. Her com