Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-16
THE GREAT TRAGEDY.
ME-. John e. Buckingham's Recollec-
lions of the Assassination.

Twenty-Five years ago Saturday Abra-
ham Lincoln, President of the United States,
was sssassinated in Fords Theater by John
Wilkes Booth. One of the most graphic &C
counts Of that cad event is that by Mr..
John e. Buckingham, who was the ticket
taker at the theater on that fateful night.
He has put his memories of that occasion
into book form, and the volume is called
"Reminiscences and Souvenirs Of the Assas-
sination of Abraham Lincoln" From that
is taken the following:
Booths Actions Preceding the Crime.
In looking back over the occurrences
now" says Mr.. Buckingham, in speaking of
the event. Il can see that Booth must have
been under great stress of excitement, al
though his actions did not seem to me at
that time to be at all strange. He was nat
urally nervous man and restless in his
movements. I remember he first came in,
and said as he took hold of two of my fin
gers, What time of night is ii? told him
to step into the lobby. and there he could
see the clock. Next he came and asked me
10 give him chew of tobacco, which
readily did Afterward went into the sa-
loon just below the theate- to get a drink
and Booth was there drinking brandy /
went back to the door, and he soon came
again. He passed into the house. and stood
moment looking at the audience. and
ne returned, and passed in and around up
stairs into the balcony, humming a tune L
dld not see where he went at the time, for
was engaged In putting my checks in
little closet that had there, and was so &C.
cupled when 1 heard the pistol shot. I
turned just in time to see him leap to the
stage, although for moment | did not rec
ognize the man as Booth. 1t was only when
ne raised himself and gave utterance to the
words. Sic semper tyrannis,' that discov-
ered that II was John Wilkes Booth.
Horror of the Audience.
mo one." continued Mr.. Buckingham.
can picture the horror and excitement that
took possession of that audience. Every
body jumped to his feet, ladies screamed
and tainted, men cried Stop him. and sew
eral jumped to the stage In their endeavor
to prevent Booths escape. Finally the ex-
mayor, Wallach. who was standing IN the
sidewalk in front of the theater was asked
70 come IN and request the people to retire.
lie Old so willingly, begging them TO retire
as quietly and as speedily as possible In
this way the theater was emptiea, and then
attention was turned to Mr.. Lincoln, whose
mead had fallen forward. and who was evil
oently unconscious, and breathing stertor-
ously. Mr.. Lincoln and his party occupied
Two boxes on that occasion and the parti-
ton between them had been taken out SO
that practically 1t was one large box. In
enc compartment sat Mr.. Lincoln and Miss
Harris. the daughter of Senator Ira Harris
or New York. and in the other were Mrs.
Lincoln and MAJ Rathbone. Mr.. Lincoln
was unconscious, and Miss Laura Keene
went up into the box and took his head
upon her lap, and held 1t while the ex-
ANIMATION was made by some physician
oont remember who-who happened to
De IN the audience, as to the character of
tne wound. 1t was found that the bullet
nad gone through one Of the cervical yerte-
Drae and lodged in the brain, and that the
injury was necessarily fatal. He was taken
across the street to the house of Mr. Peter
sen' ana Surgeon General Barnes was sent
for. ' '
The Subsequent Events.
PERSONALLY, I cannot tell of any of the
subsequent events in regard to Mr.. Lincoln
on that night. i was so busily engaged in
looking out for myself The theater was
Immediately taken possession of by United
states troops and guard placed at every
entrance. I know 1t was months after that
before 1 had returned to me an oyercoat
mat had left in the theater, and then n
was IN such condition. although it was
Ssomparativeiy a new garment that 1 save
II away to a colored man."
Mr.. Joseph Sessford who was in the ticLot
once OF Ford's Theater on the night Of the
assassination. remembers distinctly the
manner OF Booth and of his coming II, to
the tneater and going out again several
times during the evening. He can tell MANY
anecdotes OF the man, whose ability was
great as an actor. but whose awful crime
mas ieft only obloQuy upon a name that IS
otnerwise honored. Mr.. Sessford corrobor
ates Mr. Buckingham in req TO Booths
actions just previous to his Altering the
private oox and firing the fatal shot.