Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-02-13

hand resting on her husbands knee. |
The president was leaning upon one
with portion of the drapery. His face
was partially turned to the audience,
and Wore q pleasant smile.
The assassin swiftly entered the
box through the door at the right, and
the next instance fired The ball en-
tered Just behind the presidents left
ear and, though not producing In
staneous death, completely obliterated
all consciousness.
The Escape of Booth.
Major Rathbone heard the report,
and an instant later saw the murderer
about six feet from the president, and
grappled with him. but his grasp was
shaken off Booth dropped the pistol
and drew long, thin, deady-looking
knife with which he wounded the
major. Then, touching his left hand
to the railing of the box, he vaulted
ever to the stage, eight or nine feet
below. In that descent an unlocked
for thing happened, which foiled all
! the plans of the assassin and was the
means of bringing him to bay at last.
| Lincoln's box was draped with the
American flag, and Booth. in jumping
caught his spur in it's folds, tearing it
down and spraining his ankle. He
crouched as he fell, falling upon one
knee, but soon Strengthened himself
and stalked Electrically across the
stage brandishng his knife and shout
ing the state motto of Virginia, sic
semper tyrannis,' afterwards adding
the south is avenged He made his
exit on the opposite side of the stage,
passing Miss keene as he went out.
The president hardly stirred in his
chair, and never spoke or showed any
signs of consciousness again. They
carried him Immediately to the house
! Hf Ir
and there, at 1872 the next morning
the fifteenth of April, he died.
1T was soon known that the murder
of Lincoln was one result of conspir-
acy which had for it's victims, Secre-
tary Seward and probably Vice Presi-
cral Grant and others. Booth had left
a card for Mr.. Johnson the day be-
fore, with the intention of killing him
MIR. Steward received wounds from
which he soon recovered Grant, who
was to have accompanied Lincoln tc
the theatre on the night of the assas-
sination, and did not, escaped unas-
sailed. The general conspiracy was
poorly planned and lamely executed
1t involved abs twenty five persons
Mrs Surratt, David G. Harold, Louise
: Payne, Edward Spangler. Michae
: OLoughlin, j. w. Atzerodt, Samue
Arnold and DR.. Samuel Mudd, wh'
: set Booths leg, which was dislocatet
, by the fall from the stage box, wer
E among the number captured and tried
t The Capture.
/ After the assassination Booth. Wen
L. [.unmolested from the, theare, mounte
e his horse and rode away, accompanies
e by Harold, into Maryland Calvryme
S secured the country. and eleven day
e after the shooting discovered them II
e a barn on CARROTS farm. near Por
!, Royal on the Rappahannock The sol
: diers surrounded the barn and de
4 nlanded their surrender. After tn
second demand Harold surrendered
: under a shower of curses from Bootf
: but Booth refused declaring that h
S would never be taken alive. The cap
G tain of the squad fired the barn. Will
e the barn was burning Booth was she
: down by Sergeant Boston Corbett. VIII
e fred against orders.
d Booths body was taken to Wash
j. ington, and a post norton examina
& ton of it held on board the monte
/, MontauE, and on the night Of Apr
r 81 1t was given in charge of two me
G in row boat, who, it is claimed. dis
d posed Of it in secrecy-how none bl
d themselves know Numerous storie
e have been told OF the final Resin
T. place OF that hated dead man. Who
If ever knows the truth of 1t tells
r not"
o rive or the COnSplTaLoTS we're XIV
o and four, Payne. Harold, Atzerodt ar
e Mrs. Surratt, We're hanged. Dr. Mud
is was sent to The Dry Tortugas for
n period of years, and there he did sue
lie good work among the yellow few
II sufferers during an epidemic that
h was 'pardoned. John Surratt fled
re Italy, but was returned and on tt
I'd second he was freed on plea
lie limitations. Spangler, the scene shift
er, who was an accomplish of Boot
at was sent to the Dry Tortugas, serve
= out his term and died about ten yea
; ago. Mclaughlin, who was arrestt
Of because Of his acquaintance with Il
he consprators was sent to the Dry To
st tugas and there died.
xt Ford's threatre was never played
A after that memorable night. Ten
SIS twelve days after the assassinatit
h. Ford attempted to open it, but Stante
ar prevented it, and the governme
ne bought the theatre for 100000, al
ne converted it into a medical museum.
|