St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1893-04-22

us that Mr.. Seward was badly hurt and
the surgeon in charge would permit nj
one to see him. We then walked ovel
to the white house and had barely
| reached the door when a messenger
came and announced that Prcsiden,
Lincoln had been shot at the thcater
Senator CONFESS turned to me and said
Stewart, there is n tremendous plot
here to assassinate all the cabinet Off.
GERS Then turning to two soldiers who
were on guard there he directed them
to go in u hurry to the residence of
the secretary Of war, Mr.. Stanton, and
they did 50. When they arrived at Mr..
Stanton's house n large man ran away
from the door where he had been ring
ing the bell, and have no doubt that
the presence of those soldiers prevented
the assassination of Mr. Stanton on that
night We three senators left the
white house and walked down to Tenth
street to the little building across from
the thcater into which Mr.. Lincoln had
been carried. Mr.. Conness and I were
informed that we might enter the
house, but that it was very warm and
that it would be better if fewer persons
were there; SO we turned and went
away. Senator Sumner, who had been
unable to keep up with MS. then arrived
and was admitted under protest. He
remained there until the president died.
81 did not 60 to sleep that night,
but walked the streets. going from
crowd to crowd to hear the utterances
and ascertain the temper Of tho people.
The war was over and there were about
$4,000 ey-confederate soldiers in the city
who had been surrendered. or were on
parole. 1t is singular thing, but it is
a fact that wherever talk of violence
originated, end there was n great deal
Of angry demand that every rebel In
town should be killed, the quiet state
ment from some one in the crowd. my.
self on several occasions. that ii Mr..
Lincoln were alive he would counsel
peace. quoted the angry people. His
recent inaugural address containing the
words: with malice towards
none, and charity for all had cndeared
him to the people. They knew that
he was man of peace, and,
while dying at the hand of an
the influence Of his name was
sufficient to maintain peace and order
at the national capital Mt the most crit
|cal hour OF its existence. was stand.
ing in front of Wizards hotel when
Solomon Footc, Of Vermont,
drove up in a common, cheap hack |
which he had picked up on the street.
lie called me to him, saying that |
he was looking for some senator |
to accompany him to the resi- |
iencc of Chief Justice Salmon p. Chase,
whom he WAS going to get to admins |
cr the oath to Vice President johnson. |
got in with him and rode to the resi- /
lence of Mr.. Chase on the corner of /
Sixth and E streets. and he was speed.
~ ready to accompany us We three
hen drove to the Kirkwood house, ON
Twelfth street and Pennsylvania
venue, and proceeded to the room of
'ice President johnson. I hammered
lpon the door and awakened Mr.. john
on, who had but recently fallen into
from exhaustion and nervous
train. He came to the door but partly
lad and admitted us In his little par.
or, which was about twelve by four
cen feet in dimensions. adjoining tho
'ctlroom which he had just left, Mr..
Ohnson took the oath Of president Of
he United States, which was admins
cred to him by Chief Justice Chase, in
he presence of Senator Eootc and my.
ELF There were no other witnesses.
ONE other people may have entered
he room, as has been stated in the
ewspapers. but they were not noticed
y US and were not men of prominence
] public life" SMITH D. FRY,