The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-04
LINCoLN's LAsT.DAY.
Its Events as Related ny the Late
Secretary McCuIIocb.

Secretary McCuftOch.
In a review OF the new edition of the late
Hugh McCulloch's Men and Measures OF
Half a Century" just issued by the Scrib-
ners. the New York Sun quotes the chap
ter relating 10 the death Of President Lin
coin Mr.. McCulloch had just been made
secretary of the treasury and was one Of
the actors in the last tragic events % the
Presidents life. A day or two after his
second Inauguration Mr.. Lincoln requested
Mr.. McCulIoch to call upon him at the
White House. When our author called the
President was alone, and as he took his
visitors hand he said: Il have sent for
you. Mr.. McCulloch TO let you know that
want you TO be secretary of the treasury.
and II you do not object to il / shall send
your name TO the Senate" The next day the
nomination was made and unanimously
confirmed. Mr. McCulloch was dischaTging
the duties of that Office at the time OF Lin
coins assassination. anc, therefore, what
he says or that event Is OF unmlStakaDle
value to the historian In the chapter
which sets forth the observations of an
eyewitness we read: II never saw Mr.
he was on the day of his death
The burden which had been weigh
ing upon him for four long years, and
which he bad borne with heroic fortitude.
had been lifted: the war had been practi-
cally ended; the Union was safe The
weary look which his face had SO long
worn, and which could be observed by
those who knew him well, even when ne
telling humorous stories, had disap-
peared. IL was bright and cheerful. AS he
took me by the hand as / was about to
leave the White House. he said: We must
look to you, Mr. Secretary, for the money
10 pay off the soldiers i shall look to
the people. / responded. They have not
failed US thus far, and / don't think they
will A 4
unconscious and dying. In the evening
of the 18th of April, 1850, had just gone
10 my sleeping room when / was startled
by a knocking at my door and the cry,
MIR. Seward has been murdered Almost
at the same instant there was a more
violent knocking, and as | opened the door
j met Mr.. Walker. the photographer OF
the Treasury Department, so breathleSS
from running that he could hardly utter
the words: The President has been shot
at the theater,' My lodgings were in one
OF the Cass houses, now a part of the
Arlington Hotel, not more than stones
throw from the house occupied by Mr..
Seward, TO which i Immediately ran. The
outside door was open. and L saw no one
4 went up the stairs and through the
hall TO Mr.. Stewards sleeping room. except
Mrs Frederick Seward, who just
tering another room to attend as L heard
afterward, upon her husband whose skull
had been fractured by "A blow from her
father-in-law'S asSaiiant, whom he had
met at the head OF the stairs and tried
TO arrest. As L entered Mr.. Stewards
room Miss Seward left ~, and L was for a
minute or two alone with her father. He
had been raised from the floor upon which
be had thrown himself In his efforts to
cape the murderous blows that had been
aimed at him. and ne lay on his blood
stained bed. with his wounds still bleeding
AS L took his hand he opened his eyes and
seemed to recognize me, but he Immediate
~ Closed them again, and became apparent
ly unconscious. His wounds were CHASTITY
but they did not seem 10 be fatal. His
breathing was regular and his pulse was
full and strong. Some days before he had
been thrown from his carriage, and his
Jaw had been fractured. To keep the bones
IN place an elastic wire bandage had been
placed upon one side OF his face. extend
ing down to the throat This bandage pre-
vented at least one of the blows of his
powerful aSsaiant from being a death
blow IL was aimed at the throat but the
bowie knife, although welded by strong
hand, was diverted when il struck the
bandage and failed TO infiict a deadly
wound. The life of MIR. Seward was, how
ever, saved by his army nurse. George T..
Robinson, who was in attendance upon
him AS the assassin entered the room,
and. knife in hand, was rushing TO the bed
upon which his intended victim was lying.
the servant. although greatly inferior in
strength. seized hold OF his left arm and
prevented him from using his right arm
with its fun force. AS soon as Mr.. Seward
had thrown himself from the bed TO the
floor the assassin turned uDon Robinson.
save him staggering blow, dashed
through the hall and down the stairs, and
ia a moment he was on the hcrse which
lie had left standing by the sidewalk and
was away. Some days after he was ar
rested in the house of Mr.. Surratt. which
he had entered disguised as a laborer-
Mr.. McCullOch goes on to tell us that. aS
soon as a surgeon ana one or two friends
of MIR. Seward had entered the room, he
left il TO learn the fate OF Mr.. Lincoln. Il
had not gone far toward the White House
before l met number of men who told
me that he was not there. / then ran down
the avenue 20 + street, down + TO Tenth
street and thence To the theater, around
which large crowd had gathered through
which pushed my way TO a house opposite
the theater- into which L heard that he
had been carried, and presently / was at
the bedside of the dying President. Mr..
stanton. Mr.. Wells. Mr.. Dennison and Mr..
Speed. members of the Cabinet. were al
ready there. Surgeon General Barnes.
General MeigS. Mr.. Sumner and a number
OF other friends OF the President, were also
present. The deathlike paleness of Mr.
Lincons upturned face. his stertOrous
breathing and the grief-stricken cOunten-
anceS of the men around him. indicated
too clearly as / entered the room that his
case was hopeless. All night we stood or
sat silent by the bedside. Not word was
spoken. except by Mr.. Stanton, who i'm I'M
dertone gave directions through messen-
gers TO army officers To guard the exits
from the city, 20 prevent. if II might be
possible. the escape OF the assassins Once
only was the impressive silence broken
when Mrs. Lincoln came in kneeling by
the Del. ana cfaspinS a hand of her uncOn-
scious husband. gave vent 10 her irrepres-
siole grief in tones that pierced every heart
and brought tears TO every eye When she
was led away. silence again prevailed. and
IL continued unbroken until O'Clock i'm the
morning. when the death shade came over
his face. and Mr.. Lincoln was at rest
We have given but faint indication of
the worth OF this hook IL constitutes fh..
most important addition 20 our knowledge
Of the inward history OF the Federal gov
eminent during a momentous epoch that
has yet been published.
The Profound quincy.
Boston Transcript.