The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-04-14

ianiilSrs al the theatre saw no reason
TO suspect him
Il had been his castom to ride 10
the theatre on horseback. and Keep
his horse in an alley behind the build-
Ing. Here. when forming his earlier
plan OF kidnapping Lincoln. which he
discarded In March. he kept his horse.
IN little stable hired for the purpose
That horse had been sold. but on April
IA Booth hired another. a little bay
mare. at a livery stable. That after
noon he showed the PAGES OF his ami
nal To a saloon keeping friend.
Tbs WORK IN The theatre % prcparins
Booth. he knew the house 80 well that
he need not study u nov. When Tn.
wctkmen had gone. At supper time. %
slipped through the aarkcned theatre
20 the Presidents box No o.. .a,f MIN
there. but a hol. Wa bored in the .sn,i
81 the boa door. and bar wa ltt-d
behind IN. door opening from ths hal
cony on the little corridor At the uaCz
OF the box. with one end Of th. htr
IN a hole dug In the plaster OF the waiI.
and the other pressed against IN. sid.
OF a panel the door could not be opened
These things. done. and the bar taken
the door Booth left the theatre.
That evening at O'Clock. In room
IN a -econd-ratc hotel Booth mot three
men. They were members Of the band
one was Lewis Powell. alias Payne.
Him Booth assigned to assassinats
secretary OF state William "A. seward
roldt. was told on 70 XIII Vice President
Andrew johnson at his hotel The third
been ordered to attack Secretary 81 War
stanton. hut whose chief duty was 90
meet Booth after the assassination of
Maryland 20 the lower Potomac.
The nights work thus laid out. Booth
Tho Shooting of Lincoln.
The President was late IN reaching
action Of the play ceased. the audience
rose and Cheered and the orche Stra
played Hail TO the Chief"
Lincoln took his seat iu a sork ug
chair at the left 81 the box. from the
door. Mrs. Lincoln sat next 10 him. and
the young couple on a sofa At their hight.
The Presidents party was accom-
panied by one guard from the White
placed in the little corridor AT the bach
OF the box. but the man wished to see
the play. and leaving his post took a
seat among the audience. at some dis
lance from the outef door OF the roD.
Booth, who was not az he theatre
when Lincoln arrived. left his horse AT
the stage door between = and a.3o. and
passed through the house. Several times
between $3.50 and 10 he passed In and
with the doorkeepcr. and again consent
ing to an introduction 20 some Of the
| mans country friends.
At 1910 the assassin passed In for the
last time His Keen eyes had noticed On
his earlier visits the absence OF the
Presidents guard from his post. TITS
path TO his victim was not obstructed
and the time he had set TO strike. when
the stage would be clear OF all but one
Passing down the side aisle toward the
box, Booth leaned easily against the
wall. his face directed 10 the stage. but
his alert eyes covertly studying the
Several people saw him there. but non,
4 saw him softly open the door To the lit
tie corridor behind the Presidents box
and close IL quickly behind him.
/ The bar was easily put In PLACE. =
| door showed the ASSASSIN that all foul
| OF the persons In the box were preoccu.
Piled. Lincoln's gaze was directed to Chs
| left more toward the orchestra thar
| toward the stage. on which "A scene wa
| drawing 10 close. waves OF lrughtci
PASSED over the house Booth stood
| there for an instant and drew from hi,
| pocket a revolver.
Then softly opening the box docr-h'
| knew its lock wa out Of order and tn,
! ASSASSIN stepped noiselessiy upon the
/ carpet behind the Presidents chair. Tn,
| actor on the stage finished a funny lin,
| "A line ending with the word IMAM
| trap"
II was the last wSd Lincoln ever
! In another instant Booth aimed ut nj,
] victims head and fred. The sound oi
/ his loud. clear voice. utterinG the word.
| sic Semper Tyrnunis." mingled viii
and outlasted he brief. sharp report oi
| the pistol.
The Assassin's Escape.
| NJ the shot LiucOln's head dropped
! forward ana 20 one side. The ASSASSIN
dropped his smoking weapon and. draw
/ ing from tie sheath long knife ad
! vanced 20 the front Of the box
| Maj. RathboEe attempted To strik.
/ him down. but Booth thrust az him saw
| aEely with the knife. gashing the arm
I ne raised oe n guard
Z Then selling the front Of the box. the
I ASSASSIN vaulted owe the edge. though
! retaining his hold tc break his faif. The
D hight was about niue feet. AZ his
, feet cleared the rail one Of his spurs
I struck TIRE frame Of WnShington's nor.
. trait. caught 90 the drupcd flag and
caused him 60 pitch forward and strik
the stage heavily. first on his left foot
and then ou all fou-T. A. Dee fcu per,
sons IN the audience saw his cleaning
and bloody knife in his riRht hand
Booth's left leg was broken. but IN
an Instant De wse ny and AZ Mai Eath.
I bone pale and bleeding appeared nj
the front % the box and cried 'gfou
that mauf" before any hand could atay
him the assassin STROBE across the stage
as he had often before trod the board
I'm mimic tragedy. passed into the wings
struck aside musician who accidental
y barred HE WAY. and gained the baci
door % the theatre.
His horse was thcre. held by a half.