Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-09-14

4
JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
lat Fords theater, Washington. April II. 1861
| resOunded with the music of bands.
The inhabitants were hoarse with
cheering.
At about S o'clock Mr.. and Mrs. Lin
coin started for the carriage. As soon
as they were seated in the carriage the
president gave orders TO the coachman
TO drive around To the home of Senator
Harris for Miss Harris. a few min
utes later the presidential party of four
persOns-the president and Mrs. Lin
coin, Miss Harris and Mr.. RathbOne of
Albany, stepson of Senator Harris-ar-
rived at the theater and entered the
front and left hand upper private box.
The play, The American Cousin"
was being presented by Laura Keene
the famous actress. From the story of
that great crime as told in the life Of
Lincoln by John Hay and John G. Nico-
lay the following is taken:
The president had been detained by visitors.
and the play had made some progress when he
arrived. When he appeared in his box. the band
struck up Hail TO the Chief the actors ceased
playing and the audience rose, cheering tumultu-
ously. The president bowed in acknowledgement
OF this greeting, and the play went
Inc uitph rose thai hlSiL AT ~ o CLOCK. Few
minutes before that hour Booth called one of the
underlings OF the theater 10 the back door and
left him there holding his horse. He then went
TO a saloon near by, took drink of brandy and,
entering the theater. passed rapidly through the
crowd in rear OF the dress circle and made his
way to the passage leading 10 the presidents box
He showed card TO a servant in attendance
and was allowed to pass in He entered noiseless-
~ and, turning. fastened the door with the bar
he had previously made ready without disturbing
sny OF the occupants of the box. between whom
and himself there yet remained the slight parti-
ton of the door, through which he had bored the
hole.
The murderer seemed to himself, it was after
ward thought, to be taking part in play. Par
tisan hate and the fumes OF brandy had for weeks
kept his brain in a morbid state. lie paused
If expecting applause.
Holding pistol in one hand and knife in the
other, he opened the box door. put the pistol
the presidents head and fired. Dropping the
weapon. he took the knife in his right hapd, and
when Major Rathbone sprang 10 seize him he
struck savagely at him. Major Rathbone received
the blow on his left arm, suffering wide and
deep wound.
Booth, rushing forward, then placed his left
hand on the railing of the box and yauted lightly
over to the stage. II was high leap, but nothing
TO such trained athlete. lie in the habit
of introducing what actors call sensational leaps
in his plays.
He would have got safely away but for his
spur catching in the folds OF the Union flag with
which the front of the box was draped- He fell
the stage, the torn flag trailing his spur
but instantly if he had received no hurt,
though in fact the fall had broken his leg.
He turned TO the audience. brandishing his drip
ping knife and shouting the state motto of Vir-
ginia, ''SIc Semper Tyrannis." and fed rapidly
across the stage and out of sight.
The wounded president was borne to
the house of Mr.. Petersen, across the
street from the theater. where every
thing within the powers of surgery and
medicine was done to save his life.
1t was at 7:22 Saturday morning,
April 10, that President Lincoln breath
ed his last. closing his eyes as if falling
asleep, his features bearing the repose
of perfect serenity. There was no indi-
cation OF pain and only the gradual