Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-12

professional service. But the place was
closed and dark. Then / went to the White
House, but only to int already a Gordon
Of ~sentries guarding the grounds from all
intruders, and to learn from a bystander
that the president was not there, but was
lying In some private house near the the
alter where he had been shot. Under these
circumstances the only place where l could
be sure of promptly meeting a call for
duty was my own quarters, so l turned my
steps homeward again.
And even now, though but a short time
had elapsed since the public alarm, the
very atmosphere OF the streets seemed
changed. Where, half an hour before, the
faces of wayfarers had reflected Joy over
thoughts of AppOmattox. the fall of Rich
mond and the surrender Of Johnston, now
all was blanched horror. while in the road
ways horses hoofs rang and sabres clanked
as squads Of gaIlOping troopers patrolIed
the streets in the sudden stern assumption
of martial law against q plot OF murder
whose scope was unknown.
No summons zane to me through that
feverish night, but morning brought the
new OF the president dead and the secre-
tary Of state, with his son and others Of
his household, grIevously wounded.
1 went early to my post OF duty, and soon
after arrival received instructions to &C
company a colleague to the White House
at IL o'clock for service in making. under
the direction Of the surgeon general. such
~post-mortem examination OF the remains.
in the presidents case. as might be neces-
sary to establish o~fhcially the fact Of
death by homicide.
The incidents of the autopsy thus under
taken. together with the thoughts engen-
dered by the same. are best told in the
words OF my home letter. already referred
to. written one week after the events, as
follows:
WASHINGTON. D. c., April %. 1866
Dear Mother; A week ago today
the surgeon general to make a post-m0rtem
examination, In his presence, on the body
OF the president. According y, at IL o clocK.
we at the White House in the
room where the body lay. The room has
been described. IL contained but little fur
sofa or two. bureau. wardrobe and chairs
comprised all there was. Seated around
some civilians. silent or conversing in
whispers, and to one side, stretched upon a
rough framework OF boards and covered
only with sheets and towels. lay, cold and
~immovable. what but a few hours before
was the soul of a great nation. The sur
the room when l arrived and detailed to
me the history Of the case. He said that
%tenacity Of life and. had not his wound
been necessarily mortal, might have sur
Yived an injury to which most men would
succumb.
Upon the arrival OF DIS. Crane. Stone
(private physician TO the presidenO, Wood
ward and Notson, DIR. Woodward and ]
proceeded to open the head and remove the
brain down to the track OF the ball. The
latter had entered a little TO the left of the
median line at the back Of the head, had
passed almost directly forward through
the center OF the brain and lodged. Not
hiding Il readily, we proceeded to remove
the entire brain; when, as l was lifting the
latter from the cavity OF the skull. suddenly
the bullet dropped out through my nngers
and fell. breaking the solemn silence OF
the room with its ~clatter, into an empty
basin that was standing beneath. There II