Evening star., 1897-02-13
Story of the Night sof President Lin
coins Assassination.
SENATOR STEWARTS- "REMINISCENCES
How Secretary Stanton's Life Was
Saved.
SWEARING IN OF JOHNSON
Written Cor The Evening Star.

would give thousand dollars for it now -
1t was Senator William NJ. Stewart of
| Nevada who was speaking. He was telling
| in a graphic manner the story Of the as
sassination, and was describing some OF
| the scenes of that fateful night, and also
| giving the facts Of the swearing in of An
| drew Johnson as President. He was one of
| the four men present on that occasion, and
| is the only survivor.
"The day before the assa assination," said
| the senator, "I was in New York, talking
| with Niles Searles, an old friend I had
| known in California. He was then judge
and is still living.
81 have come to have very high opin-
| ion of Lincoln he said. I would like TO
| meet him.
".Come over to Washington with me and
I will arrange it, l replied, and he agreed
to do so.
I'VE took the night train and l remember
We had sections opposite, and remained up
all night talking over old times. not having
seen each other in ten years we "niy got
a little nap in the morning.
,The President was unable to see Stewart
and his friend during the day, but they
went over to the White House in the even
ing and sent word TO tie President that
they would like to see him.
The President wrote a note in reply, say
ing to Senator Stewart that he and Mrs;
Lincoln were going to the theater, and
asked him to call with his friend the next
morning. fixing the hour at 10 O'CLOCK.
The Last Letter.
"That note" said the senator, was the
last thing Lincoln ever wrote. 1t was
signed Lincoln I probably tore 1t up
never dreaming that it was the last paper
to which that immortal name was to be
signed by his own hand
l,;, rr;n Stn oh a a
the entrance of the White House, and
were there when the President and Mrs.
Lincoln came out. The President shook
hands with the senator and Judge SearieS
was introduced. They talked few min
utes, and Lincoln left the w nlte douse, 10
return no more alive
On his return from the Baltimore and
Ohio station, where he saw Mr.. Searles OH,
Senator Stewart went to the rooms OF Sen
ator ConneSS of California, VINO had me
apartments on 18th street near +. While
he was there Senator Charles Sumner came
in, and there was general discussion OF
the affairs OF the nation. sumner, said
Senator Stewart, was talking loud and
making speech, very much as IL address
ing the Senate. .,,,.
The First Sad News.
"In the midst of the talk Senator Con-
ness colored servant came in and said:
Secretary Seward has been assassinated.'
Eve all jumped to our feet continued
Senator Stewart. "and1 walked rapidly to
the Secretary's residence, afterward known
as the Blaine house, and now the site of
the Lafayette Opera House. When we
reached the door we met Hugh -McCulloch,
Secretary of the Treasury, coming out.
The Secretary is seriously wounded he
said, but with care will recover. The ply
sicians will allow no one to enter the room.
We turned away and went over to the
White House-Sumnery Conness' and my
Soldiers down
front of the door and about the grounds.
We inquired If they had heard anything
concerning the attempt on Stewards life,
but they had not. 1t was while we were
talking with them that a messenger came
running up to the door.
Lincoln has been killed: shot while in
the theater" he exclaimed, breathlessly.
OF course, we were stunned for a moment.
Conness seemed to be the only man who
grasped an idea. and was the only one of
the three who really did any good at that
time.
Stanton Saved.
"'They mean to kill the President and
all his cabinet!' he said quickly. Go. go at
once to Stanton's house and he may be
saved! Two soldiers ran to Stanton's
house, and as they arrived a man was ring
ing the bell. He ran away as the soldiers
approached. Stanton himself answered
the bell and came to the door. Had it been
the stranger instead of the soldiers who
were there Stanton, too, would have been
killed. He was saved by the quickness with
which Conness had taken in the situation" !"
The three senators hastened to the house
where the dying President lay, Stewart
sturdy and vigorous. arriving in advance
of the others. He met the surgeon general
at the door.
HE is mortally wounded" said that Off
GER; sit is only q question of time until he
dies. The room is too crowded now. You
car go in, bat you would do more harm
than good"
An Awful Night.
Stewart did not go in, nor did Conness,
to whom the surgeon general repeated his
sta tement. Sumner, on the contrary, in
sisted upon going in and remained. while
the other men went about the city and as
sisted in allaying the excitement.
THAT was the most awful night
ever experienced, said Senator Stew
art. "The city was wild with ex-
ctement. Everybody was out; all wrought
up to the highest pitch. 1t was
wonder there was not riot and bloodshed
No one knew what might occur next. No
one knew how far the conspiracy extended
nor how many were involved, and who
were marked for death at their murderous
hands. Seventy thousand frantic people
surged through the streets demanding ven
geance. There We're 10000 confederates In
the city, either as prisoners on parole or