The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1909-02-05
saw BOOTH
SHOOT LINCOLN
Did Capt. Oliver Catch who
Lives near Cincinnati.
Says Booth Leaped Fourteen Feet
Tothe Stage and Shouted "The
South is Avenged"


"A man who saw Abraham Lincoln
fall from the aesassin's. shot gives
the following account of the tragedy:
He is Capt Oliver c., Catch, now in
his seventy third year, retired far
mer whose home is near Cincinnadd.
He was the first man to enter Lin
coins box In Ford's Theater after John
Wilkes Booth had fired the bullet that
st:.led the heart OF the great emanic-
pator.
Until recently Capt. Catch has been
retfcent upon the subject With even
his closest friends he refused ito dis
cuss the great tragedy. Recently how
ever he was prevailed upon 10 give
an account of the shooting, and the
Disappointing incident he witnessed
on the fatal night.
Capt. Catch and his brother, DIR.
Charles Catch, now dead, left WASH
ington during the excitement follow
ing the assassination OF lincoln with
out giving the names to the authoGi-
ties, and 1t never occurred to them that
their testimony was wanted. at wasn't
necessary" says Capt. Catch.
Capt. Catch while hardly more than
boy enlisted in the army, and was
,captured by the Confederate troops
= and imprisoned unbil March, 1864 when
he escaped from his captors and re-
turned to HIS home, which was then at
Milford.near Cincinnati. There he met
his brother. DR.. Catch Together they
went to Washington ON official busi-
ness. On Friday might. April IA 1866
Good Friday-they went to Ford's
Theater attracted thither by the an
nouncement that President Lincoln
was to be a guest.
Our seats we're I'm the balcony, and
had we desired we could have touch
ed the sentry stationed at the entry OF
the box to b occupied by the Presi-
dent" Catch declares. ''In fact, we
were SO chose to the Presidents box
that We. could hear him chuchle at the
jokes of the play, but we couldn't sale
ham,"
During an internhssion in the play
which was the elder Southerm's great
success. The American Cousin" Capt
Catch and his brother, cramped from
Sitting in one posture stretched them
selves. AS they did 50 they noticed
a handsome young man Watching the
show from position against the wall
near Lincoln's box. 1t was John
Wilkes Booth, who murdered Lincoln
81 saw him edge toward the box"
Catch says. Suddenly he entered the
passageway A few seconds later we
heard shot. BedlaGn reigned in the
audience
"a man-IMajor Rathbone, Utncoln's
guest it was-rushed from the Presi-
dents box and shouted; Get doctor"
My brother said he was a physician,
and he and l were dragged into the
Presidents box. My brother raised
Uincoln's head to probe for the bullet
and the index finger ON his left hand
came In contact with jagged hole at
The back of Mr.. Lincolnis head. When
he Withdrew his hand 1t was filled
with the Presidents brain, which was
oozing out at the CHASTITY hole"
Capt. Gatch's brother tod those in
the box that the wound was fatal, and
advised that THE President be tlleu to
IA private residence near the theater,
and not TO the white House as was
suggested.
A shutter was hastily secured as a
stretcher and Capt. Catch and his
brother, with others raised the Presi-
/ dent from the floor OF the box and
>cauuded him down the stairs and out
of the theater
The sobbing of the people and the
regiment which was hastily summoned
were tine only sound ON the street.
I Lincoln was tendeqly carried ITO a lit
tie house across the street from the
theaber. and the great men of the ma
ton called TO look at hdm before
death came. His wife too, was at
his side.
Capt Catch and his brother remained
In the house and when lincoln died,