The morning journal-courier., 1908-04-14
D. H. VEADER A WITNESS
Winchester Arms Company Official
Tells of the Crimc--IIas Met
But One Other Man Who
Saw IT,

t'"illti H. NcdutI OF % liyldUQ street,
an official Of. the Winchester Arms Co.
who at the time OF the assassination
was connected with the paymasters
department Of the United States army.
Fords theater even at that time was
an old brick building but In spite of
the ravages Of time is still standing. 1t
is located on Ninth street not far from
Pennsylvania avenue and since 1t has
been bought by the government and
put into use as temporary store
house, has been little visited by tour
lists. Indeed there are many who go
to the capital city yearly. who talk
about the martyrdom of the great war
president and who tread the very
ground over which his body was car
ried after the shooting without know
Ing that they are within a stones
throw from where he was shot. on
the night Of the assassination Laura
Keene occupied the boards at Ford's.
She was at the height of her fame
then and her favorite production was
the comedy, our American Cousin
since then PLAYED from one end OF the
country to the other by the elder Soth
ern. Laura Keene was popular In tho
extreme, During her successful career
the arlstocracy of every city she Wis
tied turned out to do her honor and So
when she came to Washington, It was
no surprise for the populace when the
announcement went forth that the
president and his family were going tc
occupy box at Ford's.
For some time previous to that. a
conspiracy was on foot in the capita
city. Cabals were formed almost ev.
erywhere with view of putting TO al
early end, the supposed misrule Of the
president and his cabinet. Discomfort
ed southerners were In evidence every
where and although many of these
were at that time accused of antagon.
izing the administration, II has since
proved that the killing of the presi.
dent was deed Matched solely In the
morbid brain of but one man, and that
man was Booth, 1t Is acknowledged
by some however. that efforts were OF
foot to abduct Mr.. Lincoln and tc
smuggle him out of the city and Tho
probabilities are that had 1t not beer
for his untimely end, such an occur.
renee might have taken place.
From the beginning Of the perform
&C. Mr.. Veader occupied a sea near III,
center isle about the third row in III,
orchestra circle. Like everybody else
he had his eyes on the president con
tinuously. Little Of "Our American
Cousin was seen by anybody In fac
for the flag festooned box Of the chic
executive was made the sinecure of cv
cry eye. In the box with the presI
dent sat Mrs. Lincoln and in addition
TO these. was the daughter of Senate
Harris of New York accompanied b,
her flance, Major Rathbone.
During the first two acts all wen
well. Every heart In the theater wa
heating with Joy for the surrender a
Lee at Appomatox took place only fiv
days before and the boys in blue wer
on their way home. The dove of peac
was seen to make his appearance fror
over the horizon and the city, like tn
country, was In high feather. Prior [
the surrender such an occurrence a
murder might have been expected
Everything was In a turmoil and M
body felt safe to say what he believ
ed or to believe what he pleased. hi
after the war had reached it's end an
the smoke Of the battles that had bee
fought for the Union had cleared ava,
conditions appeared to be brighter a
around.
1t was while the scenes were bein
shifted into place for the perrormanc
OF the third act that 1t was notice
that a stranger was making his wa
4 unto the box Of the president. He wa
seen to climb the stairs leading
where the executive sat with his vii
and friends bat no sooner was he al,
covered than It was learned that II
Intruder was the then famous acto
John Wilkes Booth and then of cour,
little Importance was attached to hin
BY some 1t was believed that he We
only paying the president a visit viii
others were impressed with the ide
that the actor might be connected wit
the performance and that he had bus
ilNSS III lllhl part VI lllG mouse.
These Impressions and ideas, how
ever, were given little time to develc
for the famous performer was bare
In the box when those who were watcl
ing his moves were Mortified to see hi
press pistol close to the head Of IL
president and then fire. BY some II
said that Major Rathbone did what
could to apprehend the assassin AZ
Mr.. Veader IL Of the opinion that II
story of how the major tried to prove,
Booths flight. for which he was cut
the arm by dirk, Is true, but whetl
er this was the case or not the mn
derer temporarily escaped by iumpl,
to the floor of the stage, shouting
the top Of his deep bass voice, the mo
to of Virginia, "Sic scmper URANUS
las he made his leap the spur In oI
OF his boots caught in The folds of Il
flags that decorated the box eausi
him to fall violently to the floor.
though he had expected Just such {
obstacle, he quickly arose again a,
made his way to the rear of the theat
from where he escaped on his charg
that had been in waiting for him.
AS soon as sne could Miss Kee
made her way to the box of the pres
dent where she offered what help s
could. In an instant the entire pla
house was in an uproar and everybo,
either tried to follow Booth by way
the stage or else reach the sire
through the front door. Both the
exits however We're closed and un
Mr. Lincoln was carried from the hou
10 d private dwelling across the sire,