The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-04-15
Fifty Years Ago This Morning the
Great EmaneIpator, Lincoln,
Died From Assassin's
Bullet.
INCIDENT RARELY TOLD
Man Connected With ouartermas,
tiers Department Tells Of Hap
peninss In Presidents Box
That Night.

/ 1OGay was the nftleIn anniversary
| OF the death Of Abraham Lincoln.
Flags which were displayed through
out the city were displayed at half
stan today. pursuant to the request
from the G. A. RS, following the re-
quest made Of the naticn by the presi-
j dent.
| The assassination Of Abraham Lin
coin on the night of April IA, 1865,
lives in the memory of the American
people as red hour of grief. Lin
coin was attending jubilee perform
ance OF Our American Cousin In
company with his wife at Ford s
! theatre.
The hour was one of great rejoicing,
peace was certain, and was the su-
preme moment of joy and happiness
! for Lincoln. Lee had surrendered and
that same day at noon "Old Glory
the identical shot-torn banner which
had once been hauled down, was fly
ing over Fort Sumter.
John Wilkes Booth crept into the
presidents box. barred the door be-
hind him. and placing a pistol to Lin
coins temple. fred the shot which
brought nation filed with gladness
to an. hour OF awful grief. There is
q piOPhSSiC I0tkCu tUS IdCJ IOdC the
national banner which decorated the
box caused Booth to break his leg.
Lincoln died early the next morn.
ing without regainng consciousness.
His cabinet and stern leaders of the
army and navy were gathered around
him. At twenty-five minutes after
seven on the morning of April Is the
physicians silently indicated that
od Cat ~
ton: Now he belongs to the ages"
Eye Witness Story.
When John Wilkes Booth sprang
from the presidents box in Ford
theater. April IA, 1865, and chai.
lenged the world with his dramatic
cry. THE south is avenged" only one
man in the audience seemed to feel
the shock of the world-tragedy.
For several seconds after the bull
let carried its death blow to Lincoln.s
brain, the audience seemed paralyzed
with fright.
But from the top most gallery q
young man leaped to the balcony rail
below and swung into the president.
box just in time to see an inciden,
that seems to have escaped everyone
| Lieutenant Charles H. Jones, then
connected with the quartermaster's
department at Washington. is the mar
who sprang from the gallery in time
to hear a man on the stage announce
THE assassin is captured" and thus
prevent immediate pursuit Of Booth,
| This is Lieutenant Jones' story Of
Lincoln's assassination:
] waS tho third 10 n1,-
Our American Cousin 1 heard the
shot in the presidents box; saw
Iincoln's head fall forward mar
sprang from the box, tripped on the
American flag that curtained it. ant
/ stumbled to the stage, fourteen fee
below.
CAS- he rose to his feet he cried
The south is avenged
Not half dozen people in tn,
theater realized they were witnessin,
a great tragedy, but seemed to di
vine what had happened. I leapet
over the gallery and balcony rails
swung into the presidents box just II
time to see Major Rathbone remov,
his hands from the presidents head
They were covered with blood. knew
then the emancipator was dying.
Who was This Man.
Histories have been written abou
tLincoln's assassination, but all of tn
histories omit one important thing
a thing that I saw and no man cal
contradict my statement in regard t
i this
I CAS- soon as Booth disappears
from the stage a man in eevnfn
clothes announced He has been car
tured' and turned back the people VIII
weer pursuing the assassin.
"One man had followed Boot
when he rushed from the stage, bu
he was outwitted when Booth shu