Evening star., 1915-05-23
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

In IHE OIAk
A few days after the military COM
mission before which the persons ac-
cused of completely in
Ford Theater the Lincoln-Seward as
Trsnao+ad sassination plot were
tried began it's sittings
1t was found necessary, in order to
understand the testimony regarding
the happenings at the theater the night
of the shooting. to visit the scene of
the tragedy. Accordingly, Tuesday
morning. May is. 1865, the court went
over the premises. and an account of
the visitation appears in The Star of
that date, in part as follows:
company G. gath Veteran Reserve
Corps. Maj. Steckner, which has been
on guard duty at the theater since the
night of the assassination. was found
Vlgllant at its post. The stage is al
most precisely in the condition it was
IN at the moment of the assa assination.
me me scene third act. American Cous-
IN is SET as at that moment, with the
red-curtained recess In the center, used
by Asa Trenchard. The box used by
Mr.. Lincoln bears the same picture Of
Washington at its front and a couple
OF hags are draped over the box. as
nag, which caught Booths spur on
that occasion. The green baize stage
cloth has foot-long rent at the point
where Booth struck the stage, but
whether made by him in his fall is not
known.
"a close inspection was made of the
stage box and it's surroundings, and
especially the point where the bar was
inserted between the wall and the
door. whereby access to the box was
bloody work. The curious fact, not be-
fore remarked. was ELECTED that the
excavation. some three inches In length
and one in depth, in the wall intended
to admit the bar had been covered
carefully at some time previous to the
assassination with neatly fitting piece
of wall paper similar in color to that
on the wall, and which had evidently
been pasted over the excavation, cover
ing 1t to the sight This accounts for
the fact. not heretofore explained, that
such Disagreement on the wall at
tracted no attention. This piece of pa
per-apparently squarish, oblong
slip, judging from the paste marks-is
missing. Measuring the distance from
the wall to the angle of the door the
feet in length and prepared with some
care to ft exactly.
"A close inspection was made of the
rear exit and its approaches. by which
Booth escaped. Two
The Door of doors were found in
Eeoona the rear, one of large
''p'' size, perhaps fifteen
feet by twenty, hung at the top by
hinges. and used only for the pass
ing IN and out of large articles. This
door, in the center o. the stage rear.
was not opened on the night of the as
sassination. The second door. the one
used by Booth. is at the northeast cor
ner of the stage. 1t is small, not much
higher than a tall mans head. and has
sash and wooden shutter, the sash
unglazed. This door is Immediately in
the rear of the passage between the
slips and the wall on the north side of
the stage. and 1t was quite perceptible
that the scenes had been set carefully
previously to the assassination by some
accomplice of Booth, to afford much
more than the usual facility of eeress.
Emerging to the paved alley over rough
pebbles of which Booth spurred his
horse on the fatal night, large car
penter's bench Is pointed out as the
bench on which Peanut John Law and
drowsed while holding Booths horse"
The columns of The Star during this
period are filled with the reports of
the testimony taken
The Place OF before the military
ro,G,auo,+ commission at the
w a n gton bar
racks. In The Star of May 20 is a de-
scription of the appearance of the pris-
oners and their bearing in confinement:
"A mild-looking. middle-aged gentle
man in spectacles. with rosebud in
his buttonhole. who sits placidly read
ing the morning paper near Mrs. Sur
ratt, would hardly be taken for the
jailer but for the huge key dangling at
his waist. He keeps a watchful eye,
however. to the left as he reads, and
presently as Herold, who is apt to in
dulge In all sorts of sprawling. slack
twisted attitudes, slides down upon his
knees as If to whisper between the
rails to gentleman seated below him,
the jailer admonishes him to take his
seat, which Herold does with his never
failing grin.
The prisoners are confined in the
range of cells formerly occupied in
py pIlSOHSlS
They are secured there much as they
appear in the courtroom" during the
trial the prisoners were ironed with
the exception that in their cells they
are required to wear a close-f1tting
padded cap with eyeholes and breath
ing holes, designed to keep them from
suicide, as Payne did on
the monitor, by butting his head
against his prison walls.
'"The prisoners are properly cared
for and fed. an attendant being con-
stantly on duty at
The Prisoners each cell In the case
of Mrs. Surratt the
oeAAeoAoA' prison diet has been
varied somewhat, to the extent of al
lowing her toast. etc, when she has
been i'll. She spends most of her time
reading a prayer book. Herold's mood
is mercurial, sometimes exuberantly
buoyant and sometimes as much de-
pressed. Mudd pays considerable at
to his personal appearance and
is particular as to cleanliness Of body.
Like Mrs. Surratt, he occupies much OF
his time in reading religious books
Atzerodt Is stolid and uncommunica-
tive for the most part. OLaughlin con-
ducts himself quietly, seems to feel
the situation the most deeply of any
of the prisoners and walks his cell