The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1913-07-23
OLD PAPER THAT
BREATHED SPIRIT
OF Partisanship Prevalent
In War Times.
ACCOUNTS OF THE INCIDENTS
Which TranSpired When the
Whole Country Was
"Het" Up.
STORY OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH

There recently came to the Edi-
torial Rooms copy of a most in
teresting old newspaper which is
very valuable to the people of the
present day in a historical way The
paper is a copy of the Daily Union
Press" Union paper published in
Louisville during the period of the
Civil War. The paper is dated May
>, 1865, a short time after the as
sassination of President Lincoln,
and shows well the excitement and
turmoil which was rampant in
those troublous times.
The paper, out of respect to the
martyred President, has its columns
on the front and back pages Dor
dered in black. and heavy black
headliners throughout the paper
tell the latest news from the few
closing struggles of the war, the
movements of the funeral cortege
of the slain President and the ru-
mors of the cabinets resignation.
The paper is very partisan in
character and although truthful in
giving the news items, never loses
an opportunity to throw a sling at
the "Rebs." Throughout, the Pres
ident of the fallen Confederacy is
termed "Jef Davis" and the work
of Booth is laid as much as possible
to the hated Southerners. This pa
per, however. was not alone in hav-
ing such partisan tone, for al
most all the papers in the country
at that time. both Northern and
Southern. were bitterly partisan in
their policies.
An article which is particularly
interesting and valuable is one re-
lating to the incidents of the men,
orable Sultana disaster. This ca
lamity was one of the greatest
which has ever occurred in this
country and was attended by an
enormous destruction of life. aggre-
eating over 1.4OO lives-a record
not equaled again until the sinking
of the Titanic last year. The
Press" i'm this article says:
There are all sorts of wild ru-
mOrs as to the origin of the explo-
sion. Some suppose there was care
lessness, incompetency, or malicious
intent. but there is no ground what
ever for such reports. The officers
of the Sultana seem to have been
faithful. competent men. That
there was too large a number of
passengers on board is true, but the
boat was strong. and the engine
had only recently passed inspection.
A competent man. who was on
board, says the boat did not leak
particle. and that the officers did
their duty most faithfully. both be-
ter" The Sultana was a large boat
plying on the Mississippi, and on a
trip up the river on a day in the
latter part of April. 1865. had about
$500 passengers on board. During
the passage a terrific explosion oc-
Cured, the cause of which was un-
which wrecked the vessel
and caused the death of nearly Of
teen hundred of the passengers. The
greater part OF the passengers con-
sisted of Union soldiers who were
on their way home from the battle
field.
There are several lengthy articles
In the paper on the escape and cap
ture of John Wilkes Rooth. the as
sassin of the President These tell
In very descriptive way his escape
from the theater. after catching his
spur In the American flag which
iraped the Presidents box, and fall
ing to the stage below, breaking
Dne of the small bones in his leg.
This injury, according to the
Press" proved to be a great i'm
Dediment TO Booth In making HIS
escape The capture of Booth and
he man who was serving as hi
guide Is told in these words by the
paper:
ION SUNDAY afternoon Booth and !
y arrOld 1.-THE gttiia)f prOseed the
Potomac at Swan Point. short dis |
ance below Matthews Point. and |
passing through Port Royal. en-
quite to Louisa court house. were