, 1897-04-23

u MN WIN IIaEseT-h Ii
Was First to Identify the Assassin.
AZ the Professional Woman's league,
while the members worked diligently
over the novelties being made for the
coming bazaar, the question came up,
us there anybody living who saw Lin
coin a~ssassinatcd?'
Immediately everybody had ono
thing to say about somebody else who
had a friend who was ut the thcatcr that
night. Tho most interesting story was
told Of William Withcrs, Jr., now or
chostra leader for Mr.. DAILY, but at the
time Of the assassination leader of the
orchestra CT Ford's thcater.
Mr.. Withcrs enjoys the distinction Of
having not only been at the tlcater the
night Lincoln was ass%assinatcd, but of
having been piclccd by the dagger Of
the assassin just a few moments aftCl
Booth had hICd the Slot that made Lin
coin a martyr. Every time he gees to
Washington he is requested to tell this
story, and, although many and varied
are the ~roCitals of this thrilling event
Mr.. Withers' is somewhat diifCl,nt from
the others. Here is the story as he tells
it in the Washington Post:
Il was Il of the orchestra at the
time, and as the president was to wit
ness inc performance OF our American
Cousin l thought that, as L,itted the
OCCASION, L would compose Il song. So
uld. IL was emitted hohor TO Our sol
dlers ana dedicated to the president.
his was to be sung between two OF the
acts by /; quartet had engaged Il the
ehtlre company, VINO were to be attlrcd
IL the American colors.
a was on my 49, to the tho&tor
II met John Wilkes Bcoth Just Ill front
OF George Harry saloon, which nd
1o'iod the thcater. 1t was IL su!try
nlSht, ana Booth had his ovCrcoat over
his arm. Good evening, Billy, he said.
Come and have something's:
las was leaving to enter the thea
ter Booth remarked, III witness the
performance tonight noticed nothing
strange about his demeanor &hd subsc-
quently saw HIM as l was coming out
for Vie overture.
Soon the president, his wife, Major
Rathbonc and Robert ard Tad entered
their box. l siSnaled for Hail to the
Chief, and the audience cheercd, and
the president turned smlIlnSiy and
bowed. Then he seated himself, and
with his accustomed modesty drew the
curtains half across the box.
After the first act j. I. Wright, the
stage manager, e me word he would
be unable to have the special song sung
at that time. but he would try to have
1t rendered between the second and third
acts. a similar message was sent to me
at the close of the second act, and l be
came somewhat exercised. l started to
so upon the stage when saw Booth OH
the balcony walking down the aisle in
the direction of the presidents box. He
was seemingly attentive toward the act
ing, for the curtain had again gone up.
l encountered a scene shiftcr, Spanglcr,
whose office aftorward learned was to
turn out the EEh'sln the theatcr as soon
as the shot was fired. He o~bstructcd my
passage.
What do you want hcre:' he de-
Ah"h'N' iNi'N scit hihi ~ "t
none of his business. Mr.. Wright ap'
pearing, Spangler left his position on
the stage alongside the box i'll which
was the apparatus for Illuminating the
theater. l closed the lid Of the tox and
sat upon it to talk to the manager, un-
conscious that | was spelling the plan.
MIR. Wright told me the song would
be sung at the close Of the performance,
and Miss kecne had sent word to the
president requesting him to stay to
hear 1t.
II was just about to return to the Or
chestra when the crack of a revolver
startled Inc. All was quiet instantly. /
saw Il man jump from the presidents
box on to the stage. 1t was Booth. He
ran directly toward the door leading
into the alley. This course brought him
right in my path. He had a dagger in
his hand, and he waved it threatening
ly. He evidently did not recognize me-,
for he appeared like IL maniac. His eyes
seemed starting from their sockets, and
his hair was dlsheVeled.