The daily tribune., 1909-02-12
AT PLAYHOUSE WHEN
LINCOLN WAS MURDERED


and Rio Qrande railroad. 10 ono OF
two men now residing in Colorado
who were IN Ford's shesser In Wash
ington on the night that President
Abraham Lincoln was Aasassinated.
Maj. Hooper. just mustered ont Of
the service, after an arduous enlist
ment In the Civil war. WAS on his
wsy home from the South. and the
story Of his experiences on the fareful
eight of the most dramatically dread.
fal murder in the history of the conn
try. is best told in his own wosds:
II had just been discharged from
the service, - said Maj. Hooper yes
terday. land was on my way to ms
home at New Albany, Ind. which /
had not seen for three years. from
Goldsborough. N. O.. the point OF
my last service. after Sherman 8
mAfCn 10 Cno see.
II had been in actual command
of the Twenty third Indiana infan-
try and remained in Washington for
two days in order to settle up my ac.
count with the government. There
WAS a friend with me, and we had
been to Ford's theAter the night be.
fore the assassi sination to see the same
play, Our American Cousin
1--WE heard the next day, however,
that President Lincoln and family
would be at the theater that night,
and another officer and myself re-.
solved to go to the theatre again.
just for the purpose of seeing Father
Abraham. We selected the best seats
from which to view the presideatial
box. and we're in our places when the
party arrived. We only remained
few moments after they came in.
and repaired to an adjoinisg-well.
let US call it q restaurant. We had
been in that place only few moments
when . man came excitedly to the
door and announced the president
had been shot.
my friend and ran to the theater
only a couple Of doors away. and
arrived 30 soon after the tragedy
that only one guard had ~ yet been
placed on the door besides the two
policemen that had been there when
we went out. Our uniforms ad.
mitted us Immediately. and tell
you appreciated the value of should
er straps on that occasion.
"We we're at once pressed into
service. along with all other com.
missioned men in the tbeater.- TO.
keep the crowd back and In control.
Then we formed an escort for the
body and conveyed 1t across the
street. When Mr.. Lincoln WAS brought
down from the box, he was carried 40
close to me that could have laid my
hand on his face.
my friend and were stopping at
the Abbott house and seeing that we
could be of no further service to the
wounded man went to the hotel in.
about an hour to go to bed. There
was 20 much excitement over the
shooting everywhere. that we con
cluded 70 remain up all night. did
not nee Booth at any time. and Il
don't believe over 90 people in the
theatre had any idea of what had
happened until the president had
been carried from the theater.
81 remained In Washington for
the funeral. ! have never seen but
one man that WAS In the theatre
when the tragedy occurred. and
met him at "a lecture which he gave
In Denver, on the subject. He WAS
living at SAlida and have forgot
ten his Lame. After meeting me,
we got togsther and he revised his
lecture to correspond with some of
my recoilections on points of detail. 4"
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