Evening star., 1901-09-20
BOOTHS CRIME RECALLED
WITNESS TO THE LINCOLN TRAGEDY
LIVES IN NEW YORK.
He is William Withers and Was
Leader of the FOrd's Theater
Orchestra.

Leader of the FOrd's Theater
Orchestra.
! From the New York Sun.
| is an old man to whom the shooting of
President Mckinley comes home with espe-
| cal force. He is William Withers, and he
was once the leader of the orchestra in
| Ford's Theater, Washington, and while
there he was an eyewitness of the shooting
of President Lincoln on the night of April
| Il, 1865.
"In life of sixty-five years, almost fifty
| of which have been spent as an orchestra
| leader, / have seen many strange things,
he said to a Sun reporter on the night OF
| the shooting of President Mckinley, "and
have travelled all over this continent and
| Europe; but of all the things that recall
none remains SO indelibiy stamped upon
| the tablets of my memory as the scenes OF
| that terrible night. 1t seems but yesterday
| since Lincoln died.
| Laura Keene's company was at Ford 8
| Theater and on that particular night-it
was Good Friday-the play was the 'Amer1-
| can Cousin with Laura Keene as the star.
| was young and enthusiastic then, and
| very much wrapped up in my work. l had
| written and composed song which L
| called Honor to Our Soldiers l had en-
gagged a quartet and we had practiced time
and again Miss Keene had promised me
| that it should be sung between the acts
| that night.
The entrance of the presidential party,
| which was entirely unexpected, very eff
| fectualIy put an end to our plan. The
| party consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln.
! Major Rathbone and the two boys, rad
| and Robert Lincoln. They proceeded to
| box to the right Of the stage and fourteen
| feet above it's level. AS the party walked
| along the passage the vast audience cheer
ed enthusiastically, while the orchestra
struck up Hail to the Chief. l had heard
| that played often at the entrance or a
President to some public gathering, and
| had frequently noted that the chief execu-
| tive ignored it and failed to acknowledge
that he understood it's import. Not SO
| with Lincoln. He smiled and bowed poi1te-
ly to orchestra and audience; then with
characteristic modesty, he withdrew to a
far corner Of the box, so that his face was
shaded by the curtain. He did not sit In
front as has been enormously stated.
"'How great and good and amiable,
thought /.
Drank With Booth.
Before the overture Wilkes Booth and
had a drink together, and now that the
President was seated, I saw him moving
down the passageway leading to the box.
He seemed to be intently watching the
play.
"'What has come over Booth tonight,
l wonder, that he follows the play so close
ly?' 1 remarked to a member OF the
orchestra.
'.This was near the conclusion of the first
act Just as the curtain was about to be
rung down, J. B. Wright, the prompter
sent word to me that 1t would be impoS-
sible to produce my song that night, be-
cause Miss keene was nervous over the
unexpected arrival of the President and
was fearful lest something would occur to
mar the play. was angry at this, as Miss
keene had given me a positive promise,
and had said. moreover, that she would
aid me as much as she could. / was natur-
ally eager to see how the song would take
as I was somewhat proud of It, l made
up my mind, therefore, to go to the rear OF
the stage and demonstrate with Wright
Just inside the door leading to the point
I wished to reach, the box containing the
governor which controlled the gas jets
of the entire building was placed. Lean
ing over this box was Spangler, scene
shifter apparently watching the play.
" Get out of my way, exclaimed.
"'What business have you here? he de-
manded.
~ am going to see Mr.. Wright I re-
Joined, get out.
"The fellow moved away. and before he
had time to return to the box the whistle
blew and he had to make the changes for
the dairy scene.
Il talked with Wright and left him in
disgust, as the best he could do was to
be sung after the closing act, when knew
well that no one would stay to listen to 1t.
/ had stepped down one step of the stairs
on my way back to the orchestra when
suddenly pistol shot rang out stopped.
wheeled about, and saw the dark figure
of a man flying through the air from the
Presidents box to the stage Half way
his foot caught in the flag, and he fell to
the floor. He was up again in an instant
and rushing In my direction. He held a
dagger in his right hand.
Recognizes Booth.
"As he approached to my horror recog-
nized Wilkes Booth. His face was a ter
rible sight. It was drawn and white, and
his black eyes blazed like fire and seemed
to protrude from his head His long black
| hair seemed to stand on end.
Let me pass Let me pass!" he said.
II stood stupidity staring at him and said
not a word. All at once he crouched low
and sprang at me, lunging with the dagger
as he came. 1t cut through my dress coat.
waistcoat and two shirts, but did not Craze
the skin. He sprang again, this time high
in the air, and struck me from above down.
ward. The point of the weapon buried 1T
self in the back of my neck after passing
through the coat just below the collar, and
l fell to the floor with my face to the rear
door. Booth leaped over me, swung the
door wide, and dashed through slamming
1t behind him. AS the shaft of light from
the stage pierced the gloom outside had
q mOmentafy view O1 the picture framed
by the darkness. I recognized the head
and hand of Peanut John, and the heads
Of the two horses he was holding. I did
not know at that time that Booth had
broken his ankle when he fell He moved
with remarkable activity.
II was dragged to my feet by a detective
whose name 1 no longer remember, and led
to the front of the stage. There was great
| confusion, and the stage was crowded with
people, who shouted for vengeapce scream
| ing, Shoot him! Kill him!
"'What is it? asked.
The Martyr President.
"'Look,' replied the detective, pointing
| to the Presidents box. did look and saw
the Presidents head hanging over the rail-
His face was very white. Mrs. Lincoln was
wiping his forehead with a handkerchief,
while Laura Keene stood beside her hold
| ing a pitcher OF water.
"'Has Mr.. Lincoln been shot?' inquired.
".He has, replied the detective, and you
| are under arrest.