The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1893-06-17
DESCRIPTION OF F0RD'S THEATeR.
Historic Building That was the Scene of
the Terrible Disaster.

WASHINGTON, D. c., June 9.-The
building known as "FOrd's Theater" is
an ancient structure located on Tenth
stones throw of PENNSYLVANIA Avenue.
Although built for theatrical pur-
poses and in its time a favorite
resort for the amusement public,
it ceased to be used as such after the
assassination of Mr.. Lincoln. People
would not 90 there 20 see the strongest
attractions. 1t was subseque ntly Sc
cured by the government and used
for several years as medical
museum and for storage of army
hospital records. The upper floors
were filled with cases showing various
surgical operations, the effects of bullet
wounds, fractures, etc. The skeleton of
the assassin GuIteau was artlCulated IN
this building, the operations being con-
ductcd with the greatest secrecy. A
glass jar contained Guiteaus spleen,
preserved in alcohol, and its enlarged
size proved that the assassin suffered
greatly from liver complaint. The up
per floors were completely filled
with figures showing all manner of am
putations, and attracted surgeons from
all parts Of the country. The general
run of visitors did not care to enter the
building because Of its unattractiye
front and Its greWsOme contents. They
were generally content with a look at
the building and the information from Il
guide that it was the place where Mr..
Lincoln was killed. Directly across
the street Is a PLAIN brick
building to which Mr.. Lincoln
was carried after the fatal shot was
fired. Guides point ont 4 marble tablet
=, Co.,
that President Lincoln had died there.
4 few years ago part of the collections
of the medical museum were removed
to more secure building in connection
with the Smithsonian institution. The
working portions of the theater build
ing were occupied by clerks engaged in
furnishing abstracts from the records Of
army hospitals to be used in the adjudi-
cation of soldiers claims.
The building was originally the old
Tenth Street Baptist Church. 1t was
mcdium-si2cd structure and was
painted white. About forty years
ago the Ford Brothers, of Baltimore,
purchased the property and trans
formed it into a theater. The interior
was entirely removed. but the old walls
were left standing. 1t was used as a
playhouse lntil several years later when
IL W az tfStifN C'l " Iit i ne or lhtl
built spacious brick theater on the site
of the old building 1t was in this thea
ter that President Lincoln was assas-
sinated on the Good Friday night Of
1863 by John Wilkes Booth After this
event the government closed the thea
ter and finally bought the prop
ertv for about Sl5O,OUO Again the
interior of the structure was remodelled
and adapted to the use of the surgeon
general. The museum proper occupied
the three floors of the build
ing. While 1t was originally
established for the purpose Of
investigating the wounds and dis
eases incidental to war, its scope has
broadened SO rapidly that it lately in
cIuded all interesting objects of medical
and surgical study. 1t was said to be
the only museum of its kind in the
world. Labor and money had been ex-
pended on it to an almost unlimited ex-
tent. There were no less than 1900
specimens arranged with great care
ane system within the walls of
the museum. The second floor of
the building contained the menical
library of the government, the library
which was said to contain more medi-
cal literature than the British museum
or the National Library of France. The
entire Guiding was usually filled with
force of clerks and officers examin-
ing and compiling the records per
tanning to the judicial and hospital de-
partmCnt Of the army. A strange coin
cidence is that the old theater is wrecked
on the day OF the funeral of Edwin
Booth, brother of John Wilkes Booth.