The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-27
SAW LINCOLN KILLED
WILLIAM WiTHERS, LEADER OF FORD'S
ORCHESTRA, TELLS HIS EXPERIENCE.

ORCHESTRA, TELLS HIS EXPERIENCE.
He'd WrIttcn q Song For That Particular
| Pcrformancc-was on tho Stage and
| Booth Struck Him with a Daggcr-ne
Was First to Identity tho Assassin.
| At tho Professional Woman's 8 league,
whilo tho members worked diligently
over tho novelties being made for the
coming bazaar, the question cnmo up,
as there anybody living who saw Lin.
| coin assassinutcd?'
Immediately everybody had some
thing to say about somebody clscSwho
had u friend who was at tho thcatcr that
night Tho most interesting story was
told of William Withcrs, Jr now or.
chestra leader for Mr. DAILY, but at the
timo of the assassination leader of tbs
orchestra Of Ford's thcatcr.
Mr.. Withcrs enjoys tho distinction Of
having not only been at tho thcatcr tho
night Lincoln was aSSassinatCd, but Of
having been pierced by the dagger %
the assassin just II few moments after
Booth had fired tho shot that mudo Lin
coin n martyr. Livery timo ho goes to
Washington ho is requested 70 ,cll this
story, and, although many and varied
arc tho rtcitals OF this thrilling event.
Mr.. WithcrS' is som Cwl,at different from
tho others Here is the story as he tells
it in the Washington Post:
II was leader of tho orchestra at tho
time, and aS tho president was to wit
ness tho performance of Our American
Cousin | thought that as bcfittcd the
occasion, l would compose song. So I
did. 1t was entitled Honor to Our Sol
dicrs' and dedicated to the president
This was to be sung between two of tho
acts by quartet | had engaged and the
entire company, who wcro to DO attircd
III the American cOlOrs.
AS was on my way to the thcatCr
met John Wilkes Booth just in front
of George lIarry's saloon, which ad-
Joined the thcatcr. 1t was sultry
night, and Booth had his ovcrcoat over
his arm. Coed evening, Billy, nc said
Come and have something's
"As l was leaving to enter tho thea
ter Booth remarked, 'I'll witness tho
performance tonight Inoticcd nothing
strange about his dcmcanor and suLsc-
qucntly saw him us | WAS coming ont
for the overture
Soon the president, his wife, Major
Rathhonc and Robert and Tad entered
their boX. signalcd for Hail to tho
Chief, and the audience rhccrcd, and,
the president turned smilingly and
bowed. Then nc seated himself, and
with his accustomed mcdosty drew the
curtains half across the box.
AFTER tho first act j. p. Wright, tho
stage manager, sent me word he would
be unable to have tho special song sung
ut that time, but he would try to havo
it rendered between the second and third
acts. a similar message was sent to mo
at tho close of the second act, and l bo-
camo somewhat exercised. | started to
go upon tho stage when saw Booth Oh
the balcony walking down tho aisle in
tho direction of the presidents lox. IIo
was seemingly attentive toward the act
ing, for the curtain had again gcno up.
encountered II SCcno ShiftCr, SDanglcr,
whose Office | aftcrward learned was to
turn out tho lights in the thCntrr us soon
rs ,ho shot was fired. uo obstructd my
passage.
What do you want hcrc?' no de-
mandcd In reply told him it was
mono of his business. MIR. Wright ap-
pcaring, Sranglcr left his position on
tho stage alongside tho box in which
was tho apparatus for Illuminating the
thcatcr | closed the lid Of the Lox and
sat upon it to talk to the manager, UNI
conscious that l was spelling the plan
Mr.. Wright told mo tho song would
DO sung ut the close Of tho performance,
and Miss kcrno had sent word to tho
president requesting him to stay to
hear it,
Il was just about to return to the or.
chestra when the crack of revolver
startled me. All was quiet instantly. !
SAW man jump from the presidents
box on to the stage. 1t was Booth uo
ran directly toward tho door leading
into tho alley This course brought him
right III my path. Hc had Il dagger in
his hand, and no waved it threatening
~. Ho evidently did not recognize me-
for ho appeared like II maniac His eyes
seemed starting from their sockets, and
his hair was dishcvclcd
with head down, ho ran toward mo
and cried, Let mo pass! Ho slashcd at
mo, and tho knifo cut through my coat,
vest and undcrclothing. Ilo struck
again, the point of tho weapon pcnctrat-
ing tho back of my neck, and tho blow
brought me to tho floor l watched him
make his exit into tho alley and caught
sight of tho horse, held by Peanut
John.
"Tho commotion in tho audience was
something terrible. Several actors, in
cluding Harry Hawke, rushed out, and
man who proved to be Il detective lift
ed me up and said. 1 arrest YOU
WHAT'S this all aEout2' asked
I'm stabbed. l was quickly told what
was tho matter. Tho thought flashed
across my mind that Booth was tho as-
sassin
II was taken to tho police station,
and my deposition was received in the
presence of Mayor Wallach. That was,
l believe tho first intimation that they
had of tho identity of tho murderer. l
was Mt tho trial of tho c0nsnirotOrs onS