Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-04-15
A TREASURED COAT.
IT WAS sLAsHEo BY WILKES BOOTH
WHILE RUNNING AWAY.

The Coat Was Worn by tho Leader OF
the Orchestra the Night Lincoln Was
AssassInated--A New story About an
Historic Tragedy.
William Withers, Jr., is the quiet
man who leads the ochestra at the Cali
fornia theater, and when not marshall
ing his musicians is writing music in
his room NJ the Brooklyn hotel. He is
SO retiring hat few can claim to know
him well, although his musical genius
has for thirt y-five years given him stand
ing among the composers and leaders OF
the country
M. Withers Is fifty-fve years old now,
yet looks To be not more than forty, and
would appear even younger except for
an episode that occurred on the evening
of April II, 1868. at Ford's theater in
Washington. That evening Withers al
most had the unpleasant distinction Of
being murdered by Wilkes Booth after
the latter had fired the fatal shot at
President Lincoln and was rushing mad
ly from the stage to an entrance where
confederate hail horse in waiting.
Mr.. Withers' most valued treasure is
a dress coat, now In part destroyed by
the moth that corrupts all wool. but on
the back of the coat can be plainly seen
two clean cut Sits, made with sharp
edge. One, high up, as though stroke
for the wearer's neck. had missed it by
little AMI descended upon the gar
ment. The other cut, nearly over the
center of the space under which the
T wearer's right shoulder blade would be,
Is longer but equally well defined. and
made with the same sharp steel.
Wilkes Booth made both these Sits,
and the wonder is that his victim was
not fatally slashed, instead of being only
nicked through the upper cut.
The coat was new when Mr.. Withers
put il on to lead the orchestra ON the &C.
casion Of Abraham Lincolns visit to the
play. but the coat has never been worn
since, so great was the sentimental de-
yotion of the musician 10 the great man
who won for friends all who came to
know him
Every one knows the story of Lin
] WIN y d7atiFHii4hAlbll Niliit ellilftE III aii
upper box of Ford's theater enjoying
"Our American Cousin" but few have
learned what occurred just after Booth
had fired the cowardly shot, because
William Withers is the only man who
can tell the story, and he does not often
do it,
When the fatal shot was fired" he
says, Il thought some property man had
fired pistol. Just then heard heavy
fall on the stage and the people began
to yell; Hang him. Lynch himr STOP
him! and saw a man running across
the stage toward me. When he got
near saw his eyes were almost starting
from his head and there was the mos
fearful expression on his face ever saw
II recognized Wilkes Booth and a
that instant he put down his head ant
came rushing on, saying: Let me pass
let me pass!
81 was standing where | could no
move much, the passage was so narrow
lie came on and when he got near STRUCK
me with bowie knife and kept saying
Let me pass" felt the cut and turned
little. Then he struck the knife int,
me again near the back of my neck ant
, fell. When ! was down he rushed I,
the stage door, grasped the knob will
both hands and dragged the door open
saw Peanut John standing outsid
! holding bay horse. Then Booth pulle.
the door shut.
! VERY soon Detective Stewart raj
, over me aud out of the door after Booth
The crowd came upon the stage ant
grabbed me and wanted TO hang m,
right there, but some who knew IN,
shouted that was not the man. wa
arrested. however aud taken To JAIL
! when Mayor Wallack examined me.
/ Il thought ! was severely cut, bn
when | took of my clothes found tina
r the knife had only pierced my clothin,
! aud cut the skin little The cuts wer
as clean as though razor had mad
them, and have never understood hoy
| escaped. The knife was found in from
Of the patent office. where Booth ha,
. dropped it rs he rode away after Tia,
murder.
: Il had seen Booth before the show
, standing near the Tenth street entranc
, to the theaier. and after the Performance
began saw him again standing agains
the rear wall of the parquet circle, an,
then noted that he had gone into tn
balcony. After President Lincoln cam
In Booth stole down the balcony until b
could look through hole that had beel
! bored in the box door and locate tn
, president exactly, Then he had opene,
the door little. taken careful aim am
, fired the fatal shot. Ho burst through
the box and jumped fourteen feet to tn
stage.
, 1T was such an experience as neve
wish TO have again. II made me sicl
for weeks, aud ! get excited now when
|, think Of il. Taught little Tad Lincoln
, to play the drum, and was always kindl,
treated by the president The who'll
i shooting and escape were done in a few
seconds and unexpectedly. Booth ha,
evidently made his plan carefully. AM
was prepared to resort ia any means /,
avoid arrest. keep that old coat now
and value II more than everything els
have. San Francisco Examiner.
y