The Portland daily press., 1893-03-31

journey. l accompanied him to the
depot and he left on the next
train. I walked along up street
to Pennsylvania avenue and then up
Pennsylvania avenue to Tenth street,
where turned north intending to go
to the theater, which was but block
away. Inasmuch as it was warm
night, and / had been travelling and
walking and was very tired, I concluded
that to go into a warm room would
merely make me Sleepy, SO walked up
to Thirteenth street and called upon
Senator CONFESS, of California. In a
very short time Senator Sumner, of
Massachusetts, called, and we had been
in conversation about half an hour
whon page came in and announced
that the secretary Of state, William Fl.
Seward, had besn assassinated. We all
three started immediately for Fifteenth
street to the resfdence of the secretary
of state, which was recently purchased
and occupied by Secretary Blaine, and
when we arrived there we were met at
the door by Hugh McCulsoch, the Sec
Rotary of the treasury, who informed
us that Mr.. Seward was badly hurt and
the surgeon in charge would permit no
one to see him. I'VE then walked over
to the white house and had barely
reached the door when a messenger
came and announced that President
Lincoln had been shot at the theater.
Senator CONFESS turned to me and said:
Stewart, there is 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 a hurry to the residence of
the secretary of War, Mr.. Stanton, and
they did so. When they arrived at Mr..
Stanton's house a large man ran away
from the door where he had been ring
ing the bell, and have no doubt that
the presence of these 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 theater into which Mr.. Lincoln had
been carried. Mr.. CONFESS and 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 us, then arrived
and was admitted under protest. He
remained there until the president died.
81 did not go to sleep that night,
but walked the streets, going from
crowd to crowd to hear the utterances
and ascertain the temper of the people.
The war was over and there were about
10000 ex-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, and there was great deal |
of angry demand that every rebel in |
town should be killed, the quiet state
ment from some one in the crowd, my
Lincoln were alive he would counsel
peace, quieted the angry people. His |
recent inaugural address containing the |
words: with malice towards |
none, and charity for all had endeared |
him to the people They knew that
he was a man of peace, and, |
while dying at the hand of an
assassin, the influence of his name was
sufficient to maintain peace and order
at the national capital at the most crit
ical hour Of it's existence. I was stand |
ing in front of Wizards hotel when
Senator Solomon Foote, Of Vermont,
drove up in a common, cheap hack |
which he had picked up on the street.
He called me to him, saying that
he was looking for some senator
to accompany him to the resi-
ience of Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase,
whom he was going to get to admins
Ter 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
ly ready to accompany us. We three
hen drove to the Kirkwood house, on
Twelfth street and Pennsylvania
avenue, and proceeded to the room of
Vice President johnson. I hammered
Upon the door and awakened Mr.. John
ION, who had but recently fallen into
lumber from exhaustion and nervous
strain. 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 the
bedroom which he had just left, Mr..
Johnson took the oath of president of
he United States, which was admins
cred to him by Chief Justice Chase, in
he presence of Senator Foote and my
elf. There were no other witnesses.
some other people may have entered
he room, as has been stated In the
newspapers, but they were not noticed
" us and were not men of prominence
n public life SMITH d. FRY.