The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-06-03
DEATH OF LINCOLN.
loAH BROOKS REcOLLEcTiONS OF
THE GREAT TRAGEDY.
The President Did Not Want to Go to the
Theater. but Would Not Disappoint the
Public-A sorrowing People Under .
Weeping Sky That April Morning.


Weeping Sky Tina April Morning.
The afternoon and evening of April
ii, 1865. were cold, raw and gusty.
Dark clouds enveloped the capital, and
the air was chilly, with occasional show
ers. Late in the afternoon I filled an ap-
pointment by calling ON the president at
the White House. and was told by him
shat he ''had had a notion" Of sending
for me to 60 to the theater that evening
with him and Mrs. Lincoln, but he add
ed that Mrs. Lincoln had already made
up q party to take the place Of General
and Mrs. Grant, who had somewhat IN
expectedly left the city for Burlington,
N. ]. The party was originally planned
for the purpose of taking General and
Mr.. Grant to see "Our American Cous-
i'm at Ford's theater, and when Grant
had decided to leave Washington he (the
%prtIident) had "felt inclined to give up
the whole thing" but as it had been
announced in the morning papers that
this distinguished party would 60 to the
theater that night Mrs. Lincoln had
rather insisted that they ought to go in
order that the expectant public should
lot be wholly disappointed.
On my way home I met Schuyler Col
fax, who was about leaving for Cali
fornia, and who tarried with me on the
sidewalk a little while, talking about
the trip and the people whom I knew
in San Francisco and Sacramento that
he wished to meet. Mr.. Lincoln had
often talked with me about the possibil-
tiles of his eventually taking up his res
idence in California after his term of
Office should be over. He thought, he
said, that that country would afford
better opportunities for his two boys
than any Of the older states, and when
he heard that Colfax was going to Cali
fornia he was greatly interested in his
trip and said that he hoped that Colfax
would bring him back a good report Of
what his keen and practiced observation
would note in the country which he
(Colfax) was about to see for the first
time.
The evening being inclement, I staid
within doors to nurse q violent cold with
which I was afflicted, and my roommate,
McA., and I whiled away the time
chatting and playing cards. About half
past 10 our attention was attracted to
the frequent ~galloping Of cavalry or the
mounted patrol past the house which
we occupied on New York avenue, near
the state department building. After
awhile quiet was restored, and we re-
tired to our sleeping room in the rear
part Of the house.
As I turned down the gas I said to my
roommate: Twill, I have guessed the
cause of the chatter outside tonight. You
know Wade Hampton has disappeared
with his cavalry somewhere in the
mountains of Virginia. Now, my theory
Of the racket is that he has raided Wash
ington and has pounced down upon the
president and has attempted to carry
him Off" OF course this was said jo-
cosely and without the slightest thought
that the president was in any way in
danger, and my friend, in a similar
spirit, banteringly replied, What good
will that do the rebs unless they carry
off Andy Johnson also?" The mex,
morning I was awakened in the early
dawn by a loud and hurried knocking
on my chamber door, and the voice Of
MIR. Gardner, the landlord, crying
Wake, wake, Mr.. Brooks Ihave dread
full news"
slipped out, turned the key of the
door, and Mr.. Gardner came in, pale,
trembling and woe begone, like him
who drew Priam's curtain at the deat
of night" and told his awful story. A
that time it was believed that the presi
dent, Mr.. Seward, Vice President John
son and other members of the govern
ment had been killed, and this was tn,
burden Of the tale that was told to us
I sank back into my bed, cold and shiv
ering with horror, and for a time j
seemed as though the end Of all thing
had come. was aroused by the lou,
weeping Of my comrade, who had no
left his bed in another part of the room
When we had sufficiently collecte'
ourselves to dress and go out of doors il
the bleak and cherries April morning
we found in the streets an extraordinary
spectacle. They were suddenly CROWDS
with people-men, women and childre
thronging the pavements and darkenin
e the thoroughfares. 1t seemed as if every
body was in tears. Pale faces, streamin
d eyes, with now and again an angry
frowning countenance, were on ever
side. Men and women who were strar
X gers accosted one another with distresse
looks and fearful inquiries for the we
fare Of the president and Mr.. Seward
family. The president still lived, but
1t half past Z o'clock in the morning th
j. tolling Of the bells announced to the Il
menting people that he had ceased
breathe. His great and loving heart w,
still The last official bulletin from tt
war department stated that he died
20 90 minutes past z O'Clock on the morl
d ing of April 10.
,e Instantly flags were raised at ha
r mast all over the city, the bells tollt
OF solemnly, and with incredible swiftne
ct Washington went into deep, univers
h mourning. All stores, government d
partments and private Offices we
I'd closed, and everywhere, ON the most pr