The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-06-11
ROANOKE, VA, SUNDAY MORNING. JUNE a. 1898

government buildings-the printing office
and the Winder building annex of the war
department-cach containing many moro
employees than Were Gagged in the Ford's
theater deathtrap, which are in an equally
dangerous condition
The hour of the disaster was very shortly
after the departments had settled down
for the days work. The workmen whose
operations under the building were the
immediate cause of the catastrophe had
been tinkering upon it for two hours or
more. Half an hour earlier and few lives
would have been lost.
How One Clerk Saw IT.
One of the most striking accounts of the
disaster Is given by Mr.. j. r. ENnicios. who
was on the second floor and stood on the
very edge of the horrible crater that so
suddenly opened in the center of the build-
ing.
He heard noise, he said. as if something
heavy had fallen on the floor above. He
glanced up and was almost petrifed to see
the entire floor coming down-slow and
wavering mt first and then more swift in
its progress-bearing to death its load of
humanity.
The floor started from the front wall and
was ut an angle as it went down When
he first saw it the angle was not sharp
enough to disturb the desks, and the star
tied occupants in some cases sat on their
chairs not knowing what had happened.
AS the floor came on in it's awful progress
he saw it bend and wave and then it crashed
down on the occupants of the floor beneath
He called on the clerks about him to run
to the rear, and many was saved by their
-promptness In getting away from the peril
The Work OF Recovery
The work Of clearing away the debris
Lon
fore another body was found The work
was being done in the cellar in the extreme
front of the building when one of the Ia
Dorers announced that she saw hand"
Shovels and picks were Immediately drop
pea anu the debris was removed by hand
The body of the unfortunate man. who
from his dress, was evidently a clerk. was
lying face down with one arm doubled un-
der him and the otAer extended. The back
OF his head was BADLY crushed, and his face
was cut i'll several places. The body was
removed with all possible care and sent to
the morgue 10 await identification.
Sketch of the Famous Building.
The building which was the scene of the
disaster is known the country and the
world over us the place where President
Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes
Booth on the night of April II, 1863 The
site was originally occupied by n church,
built by the Rev. Obadiah Brown, for years
chief clerk in the post Office department.
In 1851 the property was sold to John
i. Ford, who erected the building which
collapsed, known as Ford's theater. The
funds for its erection were obt aimed by sub.
scriptions of 81 900 each from II or Is lead
ing citizens, among them Mr.. George w.
Riggs, the partner for many years of the
late w. w. Corcoran. 1t was IL successful
place of amusement up to the fateful night
OF the shooting of President Lincoln, and
one of the best known thcaters in the
country. An old resident of the city, Mr..
John Il. Coyle, says:
Scene of I.incoln's Assassination.
''The thcater was built by james Clifford
as architect and superintendent, and as |
have always understood was most thor
Ough and substantial building. On that
night of terror some arrests were made.
and on til" next morning a very general
arrest of Use connected with the theater
occurred, and among them Mr. Clifford,
who WAS acting rs stage carpenter and
who ii was charged at the time had aided
Booth i'll his escape from the building.
He was subsequently, arrested by Col
oncl Baker and confined in the old capitol,
where soon after Mr.. Ford, who was mt
Richmond on the night of the 18th of
April, was also arrested and confined The
theater was, of course closed by order of
the government. and eventually purchased
nS II museum of the surgeon generals of
flee.
FORESTS Memorable Engagement.
AT this theater Forrest PLAYED one of
his most memorable engagements, lasting
nearly month, and he was succeeded by
Mr. James II. Hackett. whose Falstatr has
had no successor. All the stars of that
t,.a,.t III "A -
the theater of the city
From the time of Mr.. I.incoln's assas
sination up to the time when the property
was purchased by the government Mr..
Eord's anxiety was of course very great in
having so valuable an Investment locked
up and rendered wholly Improbable Nv
impression is that in the settlement with
him an allowance was made for those
losses.
a strange fatality seems to have at
tended those who We're with Mr.. Lincoln
OH that night ut the theater Major Rath.
bone and Miss Carrie Harris. the daughter
Of Mr. Ira Harris, United States senator
from New York. occupied the box with
Mr. and Mrs. lincoln
Fatality Attending Rathbone Family.
Major Rathboue and Miss Harris were
married soon after the occurrence, and the
iidlCu WAS SuppOSP' 10 nave Dtcn n very
happy one. Two or three children added
to their happiness, and they subsequently,
resided in Germany, where the fearful
tragedy occurred. causing the death of Mrs
Rathbone. y sudden alteration of mind
caused Major Rathbone to murder his
charming and faithful wife, and his muir
derous intention was to have included in
the tragedy the murder of his two children.
That was prevented by the discovery OF
the death of Mrs Rathbone, and believe
up to this time Major Rathbone is confined