New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-14


Now seriously H. who attended dying President
Lincoln.
faculties. and recalls wildly the scenes and in
cldents connected with the assassination OF
President Lincoln.
In describing the tragedy for The Tribune, Or.
Taft said:
had gone to the theatre with my WIFE TO see
sOur American Cousin" which was very popu-
lar and we sat in the orchestra, while the Presi-
dent and his immediate party occupied the sec
ond tier boxes-twC boxes being thrown INTO
one that night-on the right hand looking tow
ard the stage. Our seats were almost qlrecI i
under the box. The President and Mrs. Lincoln
had been laughing heartily at the humorous
sallies in the play, and at times would exchange
words with Major Rathbone and MISS haFTls'
who later married Major Rathbone.
THE SCENE IN THE THEATRE.
I shall never forget the scenes Of that at. night
in the theatre. Suddenly pistol shot was
heard it seemed to come from behlnd the
scenes While il startled everybody, 1t was
supposed 10 introduce some new scene IN the
plaT the stage being at that time empty and the
curtain raised. Then hatless and white faced
man vas seen climbing over the front of the
Presidents box As he jumped 10 the stage, ten
feet below his riding spur caught in the nag
which was draped around the box, and he partly
fen as he struck the stage. Instantly sprnging
10 his feet with the suppeness OF an athlete' ne
faced the audience for moment. brahdlshlng
his dagger, shouted. sic Senper TErannls. ana
walked rapidly off the stage to the rear exit
A piercing shrek from the Presidents box,
repeated call for Water, water" and "A sur
yeoni" in quick succession, conveyed the truth
TO the almost paralyzed audience a most terri
BILE scene Of excitement followed With loud
shouts Of XIII him." Lynch him. part OF the
audience stampeded toward the entrance ana
/ Ieaped from the top of the orchestra railing
in front of me upon the stage. and, announcing
myself as Army surgeon, was Immediately
lifted up to the Presidents box by several gen
tlemen VINO had collected beneath l happened
to be in uniform, having passed the entire DAY
IN attending to my duties at the Signal Camp
of Instruction in Georgetown, and not having
had an opportunity TO change my dress. When
/ entered the box the President lying on the
floor surrounded by his waing wife and sew
oral gentlemen who had entered from the pri-
vate stairway and dress circle. Assistant Sur
geon Charles A. Leale, L S N, was in the
box and had caused the coat and waistcoat to
he cut off in searching for the wound. The car
rage had been ordered, to remove the President
10 the White House. but the surgeons counter
manded the order and he was removed TO bed
IN a house opposite the theatre Inc wound IN
the head had been found before leaving the box,
but at that time there was no blood oozing
When the dying President laid upon the
bed. in a small but neatly furnished room OPP
pssite the theatre il was found necessary to ar
range his great length diagonally upon it. The
room having become speedily filed TO suffoca
ton, the officer in command of the provost
all except the surgeons This officer guarded
the door until relieved, later in the evening, by
General NJ. c. Meigs, who took charge of it the
rest of the night. by direction of Mr.. Stanton.
BRANDY PLACED IN PRESIDENTS MOUTH
The wound was then examined. A ia blespoon-
ful Of diluted brandy placed between the
Presidents lips, but II was swallowed with
much difficulty The respiration now became
labored pulse, a; feeble; the left pupil much
contracted, the right widely dilated; total in
sensibility 10 light in both Mr.. Lincoln was di
vested of all clothing, and mustard plasters were
placed on every inch Of the anterior surface of
the body. from the neck to the toes. At this
time the Presidents eyes were closed, and the
lids and surrounding parts so injected with
blood as 10 present the appearance Of having
been bruised He totally unconscious, and
was breathing regularly but heavily, an coca
slonal sigh escaping with the breath. There
was scarcely a dry eye in the room. and 1t
the saddest AMI most pathetic deathbed scene
I ever witnessed Captain Robert Lincoln OF
General Grants staff, entered the room and
stood at the headboard, leaning over his dying
father. At first his terrible grief oYerpowered
him. but recovering himself he leaned his
head on the shoulder Of Senator Charles sum
ner and remained in silent grief during the long,
terrible night.
About twenty-five minutes after the President
laid upon the bed Surgeon-General Barnes
and DR.. Robert King Stowe, the family physi-
clan, arrived and took charge OF the case. It
was owing 10 Dr. Leale's quick judgment in in
stantly placing the almost moribund President
IN a recumbent position the moment he saw him
IN the box that Mr.. Lincoln did not expire in
The theatre within ten minutes from fatal
Syncope. At DR.. Stoves suggestion placed an
ether teaspoonful Of diluted brandy between the
Presidents lips. to determine whether it could
be swallowed; but, as II was not, no further
attempt made
some difference Of opinion existed as to the
exact position or the ball, but the autopsy
frmed the correctness Of the diagnosis upon
first exploration No further attempt was made
10 explore the wound. The injury was pro-
nounced mortal After the cessation OF the
bleeding the respiration stertorous UP to
the last breath, which drawn p minutes
and - seconds past = O'Clock. the heart did not
cease 20 beat until % minutes and 10 seconds
after o'clock. My hand was upon the Presi-
dents heart, and my eye on the watch of the
Surgeon-General, who was standing by nv side
with his finger upon the carotid. The respira-
ton during the last thirty minutes was charac-
teTized by occasional intermssons no respira-
tion being made for nearly a minute but bv
conVusive effort air would gain admission To
the lungs. when regular, though stertorous res
piTation would go on for some seconds followed
by another period Of perfect repose.
CABINET MEMBERS AROUND THE BED
The Cabinet Ministers and others were sur-
rounding the deathbed. watching with suspend
ed breath the last feeble inspiration: and as the
unbroken quiet would seem 10 prove that life
had fed they would turn their eyes to their
watches: then the struggling life within
would force another futtering respiration they