The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-03-21

impossible to leave.
siMy attempting to get away caused
the doctor to cancel my bail bond, and
I was, consequently, imprisoned in n
cell for two days. At the end Of this
time I was released on two surctics,
and got permission to leave for Gin
cinnati, where we were to fill an en-
gagement. At Harrisburg had to
wait over an hour, and, just before
was about to leave, | was arrested
again by the provost marshal and held
for four days, and was only released
on an order from Secretary Stanton.
''In getting to Lincolns box, Booth
came through the dress circle. The
door leading TO the box opened on a
small passage-way from this the door
to the box proper opened. AS Booth
entered this passage he slipped bar,
which had been prepared some time in
the afternoon, and placed in position
across the door leading to the dress
circle, making it impossible for any
one to open it from the audience side.
In the door of the box small gim-
let hole had been bored and grooved,
so as to exactly fit the eye. Through
this Booth could look and get the ex-
act position of the President.
Through this gimlct hole he gaugcd
exactly the range and quickly opening
the door, shot true and fatally.
"Thc plot was not carried out as it
was originally intended, the arrange
mcnts being that the gas was to be
turned off at the meter at the same
time the shot was fired, and, in the
darkness and confusion, Booth could
easily have escaped unrccognizcd.
In John G.. Nicolay and John
Hays Life of Abraham Lincoln,
they say No one, not even the
comedian on the stage, could ever re-
member the last words Of the piece
that was uttered that night. They
arc mistaken, for l remember distinct
ly. 1t was at the ending Of the lines,
the sockdologing man trap, that the
shot was fired. At that point I paus-
ed, and, as I was about to turn, l was
startled by the explosion.
although the incidents connected
with the tragedy were consummatcd
with such rapidity, every movement
and the slightest action of those about
me, just before and after the shot, is
indclibly stamped on my mind, and,
after all these years, the pictures
stand as vividly before me as if it
were but yesterday.
II can see Lincoln unconscious in
his box; the doctor being pushed up
to him over the backs of two men, who
had made sort of bridge Of their bod
les, as it was impossible to reach the
President by the passagcway. l can
see the look of madness on the face Of
Booth as he jumped on the stage, and
his dcmoniacal cry still rings in my
ears, and the excitement, the uproar
and the sudden hush as they carried
yhc President to the house opposite.
Yes, it truly was a night never to be
forgotten, and, with me, seems to
grow more distinct, instead of being
oblitcratcd, by the passing shadows Of
years.
"Still, if I were inclined to forget
the incidents of that fatal night, the
following letter, which l wrote to my
father, in Chicago, few days after
the assassination, would serve to re-
call them, and also as the best possible
proof of their accuracy. The letter
was published once in an account of
the assassination issued by Barclay &
Co., of Philadelphia, but the pamphlet
is now long out of print, and this is
the only copy I have ever been able
to get.
The letter referred to is dated
"Washington, D. c., April 16, 1865, "
and reads as follows:
"My Dear Parents This is the first
opportunity I have had to write to
you since the assassination of our
dear President, on Friday night, as |
have been in custody ever since. I
was one Of the principal witnesses of
the sad affair, having been the only
person on the stage at the time Of the
fatal shot.
II was playing Asa Trcnchard in
The American Cousin. The 'old
lady Of the theatre (Mrs. Muzzy) had
just gone off the stage, and [ was an
swcrng her exit speech, when | heard
the shot fired. turned, looked up at
the Presidents box, heard the man
exc!aim "Sic scmpcr tyrannis, saw
him jump from the box, seize the flag
from the staff and drop to the stage.
lie slipped when he gained the stage,
but got upon his feet in moment,
brandishcd large knife, saying, The
South shall be free, turned his face in
the direction [ stood, and recognized
him as John Wilkes Booth lie ran
toward me, and I-sceing the knife,
thought | was the one he was after
ran off the st...c and up flight OF
stairs. He made his escape out of a
door directly in the rear of the thea.
tire. mounted horse and rode off.
"Thc above all occurred in the space
| of q uuortnr of minutn and at the