The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-02-11
WASATTHEATRE ON
NIGHT LINCOLN
WAS SHOT
Norman N. Puffer Tells Story
of Assassination
HEARD THE FATAL SHOT
saw Slayer of President Leap from
Box to Stage and Pass Out
Through the Wings.
HEARD THE FATAL SHOT

Norman NJ. Puffer Of this village,
who enlisted as a drummer boy with
the regmental band of the Second
Vermont Regiment in 1881 and re-en-
listed in 1862 of that year as drum
mer boy of the 10th Regiment. serv-
ing through the war is one OF the
few persons living who We're in atten-
dance at Fords theatre ON the night
that President Lincoln was assassi-
mated Mr. Pufer has written the
following story of his experience at
the time
From the LIST Of April to the 18th,
1865 the date of the assassination Of
President Lincoln by Booth. the joy
and excitement at the success OF our
army, with the surrender Of General
Lee, and the heartfelt sorrow al the
death of our beloved President are
beyond description. Nearly "A years
have passed away. yet the memory of
those scenes is before me as if it
were but yesterday. Being a boy of
seventeen at this time with the sx-
perience of man much older, | had
the privilege of joining with the
thousands who gathered about the
| Bulletin Boards eager to get the lat
est dispatches from the front that
were continually coming in and her
aided by men with strong lungs, who
stood In front of the newspaper Of
fees, between the reading Of these
dispatches-the surging crowd would
cheer and yell like mad men when
the dispatch came that told of the UNI
conditional surrender of Lee 20 Grant
there was a scene never 10 be forgot
ten Strong men in the ecstasy Of
JOY embraced each other on every
hand while the tears coursed down
their faces as they uttered AT last,
at last, thank God its over" There
was no sleep in Washington that
night and the following days was al
most a repetition of the proceeding
one The crowd surged about from
hotels to public buildings where emf
nent men were speaking from balco
MES. bands of music were playing
National Airs, and the booming OF
cannon on the defences was inces
SAINT During the day the city had
been profusely decorated and in the
| evening everybody that was able Il
walk or ride joined in a grand torch
| light procession, marching down Pen
Ilnsylyania Avenue through the grounds
of the White House, where they were
reviewed by the President and Other
| notable men amid waving banners
and discharge of fireworks. | remem
Der the look of satisfaction tina
beamed from the countenance o
President Lincoln as We passed by OF
that occasion. The end of thos'
dreadful days OF suspense had come
little did he suspect that within th'
coming week. he would fall a marty
to the cause he so nobly defende'
and by the hand of an assassin. Ont
of the notable events of that evening
was the Joining together of twenty o
more military bands who rendered
the National Airs in concert. Will
thousands of voices joined in Hal
to the Chief" "The Star Spanglet
| Banner" and "My Country it's O
thee, Sweet Land of Liberty, To the
we sing This was the evening o
the. 10th.
| On the morning of the 1ith it wa
| announced in the papers that Gen
eral Grant, enroute to New York
would visit the President and atten
Ford's theatre IN the evening. ST
curing a midnight pass from our con
mandant as early as could tina
morning, fastened to the theatr
and secured a seat we'll back in tn
| tar.l IfI ca tb1f
early, for at the time of opening tn
doors that evening, there We're hur
dreds waiting for an opportunity
procure standing ROOM The hous
was packed to it's fullest capacity
and the play was Our America
Cousin with Laura Keene as Leaf
ing lady. could see from my sittin
the flags that draped the private DO
where there soon would be enacted
tragedy that would cause a>nation [
mourn. 1t was past nine ocloc
when the President came in, passin
through the dress circle. | could NJ
see the party from my position, bl
joined with others In the applaus
that lasted at least five minutes. A
ter quiet had been restored the pla
went on. being funny in characte
and seemingly we'll adapted to Il
occasion. remember distinctly Il
report of the pistol. II came at
time when there was no occasion i'
firing, and the actors on the stal
| looked about in wonder as to Il
| cause. The report appeared to con
| II from behind the scenes, and the pr
| sentiment of some dreadful occu
| renee seemed to prevail in the hear
Of all those present. The house hi
| become perfectly quiet, and / think
was not more than one minute fro
| H the time the shot was fired uni
| Booth jumped to the stage, althoul
| il seemed much longer When ] sa
him he was upon one knee, his sil
| towards the audience. From tn
position he arose slowly and fac
| the audience, when It was said
| uttered the words, sic semper tyra
| lnlsr If this be true did not hear
II He then turned and walked from t
| stage with limp that indicated tn
| he was badly hurt, passing out throu
| the side wings. He carried SON
thing in his hand that might ha
been knife or pistol His face W
pale as death, and the determinati
shown by his terrible act proved b
y TO be desperate man, and the actC