The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-06
4 MN VINO saw LINCOLN sHOT
Ana Also Met wilkes Booth on the Artcrpoon
OF tho Assassination.

Ana Also Met wnEca Booth on the Artcrnoon
OF tho Assassination.
To THE EDITOR OF THE ~SUN-Sir: 1 recently
picked up n clipping from your valuable paper
containing n statement OF james n. Mills. who
Chains TO have boon present at the time the
lamentod Abraham Lincoln was shot.
In some things I can heartily agree with MT.
Mills's account OF that memorable night. but
rather imagine ho has told this so often that
gradually IL has been added to and made more
OF n story than It was originally. Still / do not
doubt the main facts as stated by Mr.. Mills, ns
he undoubtedly was present in the theatre when
the great tragedy Of the nineteenth century
took place.
l too have a story that has mover been related
in the public prints. 1t also has to do with q
little thing that l witnessed at the time tho
President was assassinated, and also something
that occurred the afternoon prior to 1t. l have
never written this for publication, and nave
hcsitatel n long time now before l could make
up my mind TO do SO. My reasons arc simple
enough; l have always had an idea that IL l did
write 1t ns II occurred IL might DO doubted at
this lato day. Ihave no one to vouch for tho
truthfulness OF 1t. except perhaps those to whom
l at different times since II happened related 1t.
However. I made NJ my mind after reading
what Mr.. Mills said to go on record and givea
short synopsis OF certain events in my IRE mat
"CTB ElOktlN EDIUt'ltu III II III NhJ
and night OF April II. 1868
am not writing this to THE New YORK SuS
for the purpose o. getting my nnms before Inc Inc
merely TO see IL II will he believed. or bring
back to life among the thousands Of those WIG
peruBe the papcr every day one certain man. IL
he ia alive and 1t catches his eye. he can vouch
for the more important details.
of age. ] had been In the army since August,
1862. Was enlisted in Company, II, l4oth New
from my company nearly all tho time from the
spring OF 1863 to the time vas discharged
headquarters. I served in that capacity under
the Colonel Of my %eRiment who for q time com
psndeG the Third R B Second piSE RI ion.
way, was killed at Gettysburg; also under Gen:
Weed, who was also killed at Gettysburg. and
York Volunteers. commanding the brigade. In
1868 and up to the close Of the war was with
o foot orderly, consequently did not have the con.
fdcnce of the officers attached to heaoquarters.
siill was among them. ready to obey any orders
OF the time. hut did not have the honor OF cap
turing a whole brigade Of the enemy, or. per-
forming any Of the heroic acts others tell about.
Some time in the latter part OF March, 1865, l
was sent TO Washington on account OF the loss
in barracks on cast Capitol Hill. On the after
noon Of the tated April II. 1885. I happened in
barkeeper, one jim Peck. While standing near
n stove about the centre OF the room three men
came into the placelaughing and talking loudly.
They all went to the end of the bar nearest the
door, and ordered a drink. One was a tall.
handsome fellow. dressed in the latest fashion.
appeared like workmcn OF some kind. Both
were carelessly dressed and / think one was in
then the fne-looking man turned toward where
! was standing and said, Come up. soldier. and
not at that time become addicted to the habit Of
social drinking. He then approached me and
t toSs me s,e by the 1 T5i. 1n S,s said nd; r riinss es s@a bs nai
out a cigar. handed it to me without any fur.
panions at the bar. They remained. il j remem-
Der correctly, about FIVE minutes after. and then.
all laughing. at something that Peck said, left
Peck who tho big man was. and be said that he
Wtikes Booth. had heard Of him be eftGr Pbn ut
paid no further attention to It except 10 remark
that he seemed to be in a happy frame Of mind,
WHOM Peck stated that he was on a drunk "
and associated with the stage mechanics in the
theatre all the time.
history would develop in a few short hours.
Peck asked me TO accept a couple OF tickets to
, hem ,h SSyfeF 'T no inoy m:T n nn! ! bas S !bs TO gs,
and knowing that the President would be al the
play. Later fo9nd a young man. like myself.
broke. and invited him to accompany me 20 the
PLAY. We were on hand early. and. having good
reserved seats about the centre of the house.
Suffice 1t TO say that the curtain went up and
Our American Cousin was introduced. Twas
lively what act il was that was on. except What
is told in history, when l heard a shot. and i'm
mediatc!y q man appeared at the front OF the
TO the stage beneath. ]. AS well as all Others in
the theatre. was astonished. He ran TO about
the centre OF the stage and raised his left hand
and said something did not catch. and then
disappeared behind the wings. As soon as l
saw him I recognized the handsome man I had
seen in the saloon that afternoon. and turned to
my comrade and said; That's Wilkes Booth.
the actor. and I think he is on n drunk" Before
had finished even this a cry went up that the
President had been, shot, stop that man -
and many other eHciamations / have forgotten.
It was all done so quickly that one had hardly
time to think. Immediately the audience rose
the house. Stop that mani, The Presi.
dent has been assassinated!' and many
others. The people began TO crush each other
anu try 10 get out OF the theatre. but they were
guard on duty there fought TO make them keep
their places. Soon there was a movement on
the side aisle running from the Presidents box,
and, from where l was standing on my seat I
could see what appeared to be a party OF men
carrying some one. Later the rest of the party
were conducted out of the theatre, and when I
managed TO get outside l saw a crowd looking
Meant mi I I M M9sS fol SSp thst tho P Pr.s asking ,n What it
carried there and was dying. I lost my comrade
in the crowd and have never met him since.
u ls unnecessary 10 go into any more details
of what occurred that night. twas excited, as
well as every one else in the city. and got little
rest. Nut that Is my experience. told as briefly
as possible. without any stretch of imaSination.
II | had to do with the same again / think II
would have been better il I had told the officials
what I saw that afternoon, but. as IL was. all
came out right, and the really guilty ones sui.
fercd the penalty Of their crime. met Peek
the next year in New York city, but have never
heard OF or seen him since.
GEO. c. READ. Editor the Starchroom.
CHICAGO. Sept. l..