The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-05-15
When LYON Shot at Booth.

Few remember the name Of Mark Gray
Lyon. who died at Keokuk Iowa. last
week. There was time when his name
was on every tongue In America, not for
any great deed he had done, but for the
attempted murder OF Edwin Booth while
tho latter was playing on the stage OF
Mcvlckers Theatre on shakespeare's
birthday anniversary April g. 1879.
Lyon was stage struck and deranged
dry goods clerk. who came here from st.
Louis for tho express purpose Of killing
the great tragedlan. He dlsliked Booth S
rendition OF the role OF Richard ILL.," and
other characters and that. he said, was
his sole motive for the attempted murder.
on the day OF the shooting Lyon came
to Chicago. That night he secured a
seat Il, the first row OF the balcony at
McVlcker's Theatre. During the play,
when Booth had entirely captured the
attention OF every one in the audience,
and while there was not sound IN the
building save that OF the actors voice.
Lyon leaned over the railing Gar, and as me
tragedian recIted the lines THUS play |,
In one person, many people, and none
contentcd,' Lyon fired one shot toward
the stage. Booth did not move or seem
to notice, and continued. Sometimes
eli, king: then treason makes me
A second shot cut short the speech
Booth turned and moved toward the
wings, At once the house was In confu-
sion, The audience saw at q glance that
AN attempt upon the actors life had been
made, thing which had been frequently
predicted ever since John Wilkes Booth
killed President Lincoln.
AS Booth stepped toward tho wings he
pointed to the balcony. There several
men already had seized the Would-be
murderer, who was fighting savaSely to
free himself. As soon as the audience
saw the young man who had tried to
kill the tragedian, a thousand voices took
up the cry. Hang him. A panic fol-
lowed. Men leaped down the stairway.
women screamed, and the crowd TANNED
into the aisles But the men were not
trying to get out of the theatre. Every
ono was fighting to reach the man who
had fired the shots.
Once some one cried that the man had
escaped and the panic again became dan
gero,s. until Detective James Morgan
cried out, Keep back; have him. The
young fellow was handcuffed, but he
fought SO fiercely that the steel cut
deeply into his wrist. He fought all the
time he was being dragged from the
theatre, while all tho time cries OF
N-ilVhN nm NH Iliti WH'N rN'i'i9
shouted by tho audience. Once he broke
loose and made n wild dash for liberty.
a stunning blow In the face feed him,
and Immediately half dozen men We're
upon him
BY the time the young man was dragged
to the street n great crowd had gathered
outside. AS the officers led the prisoner
away people who had left the theatre
turned and re-entered the playhouse and
began shouting for Booth. In few
minutes he came out upon the stage,
bowed, and said: ~ thank you, Excuse
me for moment while J see my wife.
and tho play will 40 on" He soon re-
turned to tho stage. took UP the lines
where the shots had broken them, and
played the role as II nothing unusual
lad happened.
When the curtain went down OH the
inal act the audience would not leave.
'he people remained within the theatre
allIng for Booth. who was compelled
gain to como before the curtain,
The young fellow who had tried to kill
Booth gave his name ms Mart Gray, He
aid he was from st. Louis, and that he
lad planned for three years to kill the
ragcdian. lie said he had never before
red pistol. and blamed his lack of
practice for his erling aim. An eNamina-
Lon OF the stage, however. showed that |
Booth had narrow escape. One Of the
bullets, the second one fired. Embedded |
itself In the scenery just back OF the
actof
Lyon was native OF Keokuk. Iowa.
lie was a hard working young fellow. |
but had twice been dismissed for the too
free use of whisky, lis had always
told his friends lie would some day be-
some famous actor, He had an idea
he could play a better "Richeleu'' than
Booth could, and his belief that Booth
degraded all the Shakespearean charac-
crs through poor playing led him TO
ittempt tho assassination.
Booth went to the county iail day
N two after the attempted assassination
md had long talk with Lyon, The
Incident did not cause Booth TO interrupt
MS engagement The following night ha
appeared in "rhe Fools Revenge" which
le repeated on the two following nights,
'he next week he played "Brtus,"
Hamlet "Richeleu' and liking Lear"
Tho week during which the shooting
occurred was notable one I'm theatricals
u this city. Booth the greatest lrnge-
IAN OF his time was playing his great
epertoire at McVickcr's, Clara Morris,
Imported By Joseph Wheelock, was play
~ Camille at Hayery's Theatre; Stuart
robson and William II, Crane were play
lg THE Comedy OF Errors at Hooley's
htatre. Robson and Crane were fol-