Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-04-09
APRIL IS. 1865
BY c. LUTHER LANGDoN.

llOpyTlEHlt i1iJ- Ny AiiCiieAA HoSo-
ciation.l
TT was benefit night at Ford's the
alter ON April IA, 1865. The Large
audience had been led to expect
that President Lincoln and Cen
eral Grant would occupy the press-
dents box.
Civilian Washington barely knew
Grant by sight, and as the Appomat-
tox Juror had not subsidized the house
filed early. Although the gayly deck
ed box of the president was empty
when the hour arrived, the curtain
went up and the play began, its be-
witching humor making people forget
that the Hamlet or Hamlets of the oc-
casion had not arrived.
About $3.50 there was an interruption
to receive the president. He was ac-
companied by Mrs. Lincoln, Major
R%athbone of the army and the daugh-
ter of Senator Ira Harris. Grants abb
sence from the party was not explain
ed to the audience, and many took it
for granted that he would appear lat
er. The best of feeling prevailed be-
fore and behind the footlights, and the
play, "Our American Cousin" proceed
ed happily well into the third act. A
young actor, Harry Hawke, having the
role of Asa T~renchard, was on the
stage alone, holding the attention of
the audience while awaiting the next
entrance
Although absorbed in his difficult
part, Hawke was probably the best
witness present to note the vital scene
In the tragedy which was now rudely
superimposed upon the thread of q
drama anything but somber or grew
some. He faced the audience and was
engaged in a monologue when he heard
a shot behind the box which more than
any other was in eyerybody's mind
that night. lager watchers of the en
trance of that box for a glimpse of
Grant had. seen late in the evening
a pale, thin, actor type of man, for
those days, pass in the usual way be-
hind the dress circle seats and ap-
proach the box. This was not the nero
of Appomattox, so no one gave him at
tention better bestowed. they thought,
upon the fictitious personages on the
boards.
Pistol and Dagger and Blood.
The stranger passed through and
closed the door leading to a passage
behind the presidents box and was
lost to all conscious sight until Hawke
turned at the sound of the shot and
saw a man push through the group
with Lincoln, make his way, with a
blood stained knife In his hand, to the
balustrade, pause and exclaim dramat-
ically, "Sic semper tyrannisr' Letting
himself down to the stage by a flag
trailed around the box, he fell, but
soon regained his feet, took the cen
ter of the stage and, brandishing the
knife, shouted, Liberty for the SOUTH"
or THE south is avengedr' Hawke
said that the intruder strobe straight
1t him, that he supposed he was a
mailman and meant to do him harm,
that he did not know the president was
the target for the mysterious shot, that
1t all occurred in a few seconds and
he Hawke) instantly fled to the wings.
Minor details have been added to
Hawkes. study--for instance, that the
pistol was held over Mrs. Lincoln's
shoulder, that her sharp cry followed
the shot, that Major Rathbone strug-
gled with the intruder and was cut by
the dagger, and so on. But Hawkes.
story remains as that of the only Il
who could be called a looker-on from
the front, and he saw and was a part
of what the transfixed audience saw
as the climax Of that horrible nights
work.
Some in the audience said to them
selves, as breath and consciousness re-
turned after the stupefying scene,
"John Wilkes Booth. John Wilkes
Booth Supineness ruled everywhere
except in the box and behind the
scenes. Miss Harris called out over
the rail for water and stimulants, add
ing, "The president has been shot"
The stage people were in q panic. No
body did the right thing except Miss
Harris and Major Rathbone. Rath-
bone rushed through a door that the
assassin had barred behind him, press
ed back the crowd which moved spas
medically in that direction and sent
for surgeons.
Unfortunately the bullet had made q
wound which bafied surgical skill.