The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-12-08
Saw Lincoln Shot.
James \. MllIs. Of Rrooklyn. sars:

James n. Mills, Of Brooklyn, says.
II was born in Brooklyn in 1915. 50
that at The outbreak Of the war l was
under 10 years Of age. wanted to goto
the front as drummer boy, but when
! applied tn the officers of regiment
called the Brooklyn Phalanx. efterward
known as the First Long Island regi-
ment, they told me I was too young,
I afterward made my way 20 Wash
ington without my mothers con-
sent and enlisted as a drummer boy in
1852. / served in the Army Of the Po-
tomae for three years, and during the
closing days OF the war was a clerk in
the department
'On the night Of the assassination Of
President Lincoln attended the thea
ter 10 see Laura Ksene in 'OuT Amer
lean COnsin.' The theater was packed.
There must have been 200 people in
the house, every one desiring 10 see
the president and General Grant, who
was also expected to be present. After
the president took his seat in the box
and the cheering ceased the crowd was
absolutely still can account for their
silence by the fact that il was a eosmO-
politan crowd, presenting about every
regiment located near Washington and
including travellers from every state
in the Union.
General Grant did not attend, aud
Mr.. Lincoln, accompanied by Mrs.
Lincoln and Colonel RathOone of the
United States army, made up the pres
idential party. They occupied the
right hand box on the dress circle.
''The third act Of the play had begun
and Harry Hawk, an actor Of the COM
pany, had just appeared ON the stage
from the left, when there was the re-
port OF pistol shot. Looking over at
the presidents box, I saw a man stand
ing and gestlculating at the occupants.
An instant later the man jumped from
the box TO the stage, turned, looked at
the audience, and then disappeared
de muttered something as he looked
toward the audience, but [ have never
been able TO recall just what he said.
Instantly the audience arose as if
spell-bouud, the whisperings Of mo-
ment before became roar of voices,
and when it dawned upon the audi
Gience that the president had been as
sassinated the confusion was indescrib-
ble. made my way to the head of the
stairs as quickly as the crowded coudi-
ton of the house would permit, and,
passing out into Ten,h street, gave the
alarm to the provost guards. These
guards, by the way, We're stationed at
al theaters to examine the passes of
soldiers in uniform who were in the city
after nightfalI The guard l spoke 20
ran around to the alley entrance Of the
theater on Fstreet and entered the back
door.
II returned to the front Of the theater
and made my way to the dress circle
aud to the private box of the presiden-
tial party just as Mr.. Lincoln was be-
ing carried out on the shoulders Of two
men. One OF these was the proprietor
of a saloon adjoining the tn eater. He
was in hisshirt sleeves, the head Of Mr..
Lincoln resting on his shoulder and the
blood triekling down the sleeves aad
the back of his shirt. The president
was carried down stairs and across the
street into MCs. PetersOn's boarding
house, directly opposite the theater.
As Mrs. Lincoln was for the moment
without au escort, gently grasped her
arm and Led her from the box. She
was nearly hysterieal, crying and sob
bing bitterly. We followed the men a.
they carried Mr.. Lincoln across the
street. lie was placed on a bed in a
room on the ground floor, where he died
the following morning.
'The proprietor OF the saloon who
carried Mr.. Lincoln from the theater
subsequently informed me that John
Wilkes Booth had spent a few moments
ia his place just before the close of the
second act of the play. While there
he drank nearly glas5ful Of brandy
New York Sun.