New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-10
THE BI-ILDING WAS HISTORICAL.
UNTIL THE NIGHT OF LlNCOLN'S MURDER IT
WAS THE LEACING THEATRE OF WASH

/
WAS THE LEACING THEATRE OF WASH
IyGTON-ITs VARIED CAREER SINCE.
WASHINGTON June 0-The building which was the
scene of The disaster to-day is known the country
and the world the place where President
Lincoln was aSsassinatcd by John Wilkes Booth on the
night Of April H. 1866 The site was originally
occupicd by q church built by the Rev. obadiah
Brown for years chief clerk In the PostoGce Depart
ment. This structure was destroyed by a tornado
and I'm 1857 The property sold 10 John ~
Ford who erected tho building which collapsed today.
Known as Ford's Theatre. The funds for It's erection
were obtained by subscriptions OF $1,000 each from
Twelve or fifteen prominent citizens, among them
George ". Riggs the partner for many years OF me
late W. W. CoicOran. II was successful pac" OF
amusement M TO the atefu night OF the shooting OF
President Lincoln and OF the best known theatres
In the country. An old rciden: OF the city, John
T. Coylc. says:
"Thc thcatrc was built by James Clifford nrchi-
tcct and superintendent and. as have Away, under
stood. IL most thorough and substantial building
On that night Of terror IN April some arrests were
made. and on the next morning very general arrest
Of those connected with the theatre occurred Among
them Mr. Clifford. who was acting As stag" car
penter. and who. il wa clnrged al the uhle' hau
aided Booth In his escape from the building. when
ARRESTED he wen; before magistrate ana was released
upon bali. l becoming his security. lie was Snh'e
Quently arrested by Colonel paLer and confined In
the old Capitol where soon after Mr. Ford, who
was at Richmond on the night OF the 18th OF April
alo confined The theatre WIZ. oi
course closed by order OF the Government, ana was
eventually purchased as museum for the surgeon
Generals Office.
AT this theatre Forrest played one OF his most
memorable engagements. lasting nearly a month, ana
he succeeded by Mr.. James X. Hacke. whose
Falstan has had successor. All the stars OF that
period appeared on its boards and the theatre
of the city From II lin, OF Mr.. Lncclns assassination
up TO the time when the property was purchased by
the Government Mr.. FOrds anxiety was OF course
very great in having valuable an investment iockrI
up and rendered wholly Improbable. My Impression
4, that in the settlement with him an allowance was
made for these losses.
a strange fatality seems 10 have attended those
Who were with Mr. Lincoln that night nj the theatre.
Major Rathbone and Miss Carrie Harris the daughter
OF Mr.. Ira Hsrrs, United States senator from New
York, occupied the box with Mr.. and Mrs. Lincoln.
Major Rathbone and Miss Harris married soon
after the occurrence and the match supposed 10
have been "a very happy one. Two or three children
added TO their happiness and they subsequently re-
sided in Germany where the fearful tragedy occurred
causing the death Of Mrs. RathbOne \ sudden 0bcr
ration Of mind caused Major Rathbone TO murder hi
charming and faithful wife, and his mmrdcrouS In
ention 10 have included in the tragedy the murder
Of his two children. That was prevented BIZ the dis
cOvery Of the death OF Mrs. Rathbonc, and believe
up 70 this tine Major Rathbone is confined in a
stoned the deepest sympathy here. where Mrs. Eath
bone was pleasantly remembered Of the
most popular and agreeable attractions OF he social
life OF Washington
Within the last few years the budding has been
occupied by part Of the clerk. employed IN the Record
and Pension division Of The War Department. They
gradually crowded ont the museum exhibits, which
found resting place In the new medical museum
adjoining the Smithsonian Institution. The insult
abencs, OF the building for Office purposes hn, IRE
qucntly been pointed ont and II II has not been
actually Officially condemned unsafe Ia point
which there seems some Doubt, II has borne
torious reputation for instability among the clerks
for years. The darkness OF the rooms and its other
used have been made the subject Of fragment public
comment.
After the rcmodellIng Of the building In 1865 all
traces or the tragedy Of the assassination Of the year
before removed Most visitors 10 Washington
were eager. however. to look through the museum
for the spot on or near which Lincoln must have
been shot by Booth. point desig ns ted on one
al The upper floors as probably that occupied by the
sccOndier box In which the President SAT- on the
night OF the murder. and this "a constant centre
Of Interest From near by II View could be- had
alley behind the theatre. In which Booths horse
stood !,nddcd Whiting for his riders exit from The
stage door. II noticed by many visitors that
the back wall OF tho building had bulged ont about
bl way up. and, indeed, standing against the foot
Of the wall IN The alley II impossible 10 see the
top at all. Strangely enough. however this rear wall
though ont Of plumb. held firmly today. and proved
one Of the stanch"st parts OF the ola bnldlng
The United states nag remained floating above the
some went up top CT the roof and lowered
f1,n Anpf IN half iur-