The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-05-10
THE ASSASSINATION.
(From IN old priut.)

cagO Record.
Harry Hawk was friend of Edwin
Booth. AS the principal witness of the
the preliminary hearing in Washington.
After that he declined to talk of the
crime, out of respect for the distin-
guished brother of the assassin. Never
during Mr.. Booths life would he allow
himself to be questioned.
lon the evening of April II. 1865"
said Mr.. Hawk, II appeared at the old
Ford theater as Asa Trenchard in 'The
American Cousin 1t was a benefit
performance for Laura Keene. Presi-
dent Lincoln and a party of friends sat
in an upper box overlooking the stage.
The house was crowded.
I'VE were giving good performance
that night. Both the company and the
audience seemed in the best Of humOr.
President and Mrs. Lincoln and their
party came in during the first act. John
Matthews, who was playing Lord Dun
dreary, had just asked one Of his fool
ish conundrums, and then added in a
lisping way: They don't thee it. The
people had turned about and were ris-
ing in their seats to greet the president.
l put in gag line and said: No,
but they see him. The house laughed
and cheered. the orchestra played Hail
to the Chief and there was great en-
thusiasm when the president and his
party came into the upper box at the
right hand, as you faced the stage.
AS I said before, the performance went
smoothly.
In the second scene of the third act
it was a forest setting with no furni-
ture on the stage. [ was on the stage
with Mrs. AIuzzey, our old lady, In
the play it was supposed that [ had
lost my fortune, and SO she refused to
allow me, the American cousin, to mar
~ her daughter. The dialogue was as
follows, she speaking first:
"'Sir, it is plain to be seen that you
| are not accustomed to the manners Of
| good society,"
After speaking these lines she left
| the stage, and I said:
| mot accustomed to the manners Of
| good society, eh? Well, guess l
know enough to turn you inside out,
| old woman; you darned old sock-doleg-
ing man-trap.'
| Just as [ finished these lines and
| was standing toward the front Of the
| stage opposite from the presidents box
| the shot was fired. The report startled
! me somewhat, but as the sound was
mutfled [ thought it came from the
| property room Of the theater. I did
not recognize the sound as q pistol
shot. Then I saw 4 man with long
dagger at the front of the presidents
box. He jumped to the stage, but be
fore he jumped he shouted: Sic sem
per tyrannisv although I did not I'm
derstand the words at the time. Tht
spur ON his boot caught in Tie draper
les of the box and he fell to the stage
He dragged himself up on one knee
and was slashing the long knife arount
him like one who was crazy and desper
ate. 1t was then, I am sure, l hear(
him say: The South shall be free!
recognized Booth as he regained hi
feet and came toward me waving hi
knife. I did not know what he ha(
done or what his purpose might be
l did simply what any other mai
would have done-I ran. My dressing
room was up short fight Of stair
and I retreated to it. Booth follower
me through the same exit and reache
the back stage door where his hors
was in waiting.
When T realized that Booth was no
after me. ran back to the stage, an
as I came on Col. Steward, who ha