The age-herald., 1901-09-24
Witness % LsncOlw AssosSsnatson
 TelIs Abe Detotls 0f BootHs Crime

"T am going to see Mir. Wright I reJoined get out
 'erhe 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.
 T talked with Wright and left him fin disgust, as the best he could do was to promise that, if possible, the song would be sung after the closing act, when I knew well that no one would stay to lis- ten to 1t. I stepped down one step of the stairs on my way back to the orchestra when suddenly a pistol shot rang out I stopped, wheeled about, andssaw the dark figure of 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. "As he approached to my horror rec ognized Wilkes Booth His face was a terrible 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.
 T stood stupidly staring at him and said not word. All at once he crouched low and sprang at me, funging with the dagger as he came. It cut through my dress coat, wafstcoat and two shirts. but did not graze the skin. He sprang again, this time high in the air. and struck me from above downward. The point of the weapon buried itself in the back of my neck after passing through the coat just below the collar, and fell to the floor with my face to the rear door. Booth leaped over me. swung the door wide and dashed through. slamming it behind him AS the shaft of light from the stage pierced the gloom outside had a mo- mentary view Of 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. did not know at that time that Booth had broken his ankle when he fell. He moved with remarkable activity.
 q was dragged to my feet by Q detec- tive whose name I 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 vengeance, screaming. Shoot himi Km himr
 "'What is it? asked.
 N" 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 face with a handkerchief, while Laura Keene stood beside her holding pitcher of water.
 Has MT. Lincoln been shotr I in- quired.
 He has, replied the detective. and you are under arrest
 T was taken to the police station- There I told my story and assured the authorities that 1t was Wilkes Booth who had escaped. I was wounded and when the dagger was found an hour 1afer in front of the patent offfce I was dfs- charged. Spangler subsequently con fessed to his share fin the plot At the sound of the pistol shots he was to turn out the lights. Had it not been for mo. he declared. no one could ever have iden- tified the assassin. as he would have es- capped in the darkness.
 Mir. Withers has been to Europe twice under Sothern, and was leader in San Francisco theatre orchestra for five years. He served in the army during the war of the rebellion and at it's close signed at Ford's Theatre His last en- gagement was under Dafy, as late as when "The Geisha'' was produced Since then MT. Withers has suffered from an abscess of the ear and on that account has been compelled to retire He looks much younger than sixty-five4