Evening star., 1918-04-14
Washngtonin Carried News Of Lncons Death to Stanton

and reached Stanton's residence waa
breathless. johnson rang the bell. and
the door was promptly opened by Edwin
L. Stanton, the son Of the Secretary.
.As was exhausted. johnson did the
talking. We have come he said, &c
! tell your father that President LincolE
has been shot,
Young Stanton recognized me and I'm
vited US into the house. We went to the
library. Secretary Stanton had gone
to his room for the night. but he soon
came downstairs. He was q short, heavy
man. and. although slow in his move
ments, was restless and nervous. His
voice was deep, his eyes were brown
excitement or when irrftated he would
thrust his spectacles upward to his
forehead. At other times he would take
them of and furiously wipe them with
brusque, and his countenance almost
severe. I shall never forget his ap-
pearance that night. He fairly shouted
to me in his heavy tones: 'Mr. Sterlingl
what news is this you bring?'
The President I replied, was shot
while at the theater, and, was told,
Is dead
DO you know who shot him" he
asked
yes I answered. They say it was
a man named Booth, who spIang to the
stage from the Presidents box with a
large knife in his hand and escaped
During the conversation Secretary
Stanton walked back and forth across
the room In great agitation. AS we
were coming to your house. I contin-
ued. a man informed US that Secretary
Seward also had been assassinated, but
that may be street rumor and un-
true
"'Oh, that can't be 90; that can't be
,sov. Stanton exclaimed.
'1t was at this time that Mrs. Stanton
came into the library. 7 must go to
Stewards immediately the Secretary
said to her. Order the carriage at
once
Mrs. Stanton tried to persuade him
to remain In the house. pointing out
the danger Of his being on the street at
the late hour Of the night under all
he must go.
'There was ring at the door. and
Mr.. Stanton answered 1t. although Mrs:
Stanton and I ran ahead OF him and
attempted to push him aside. The man
at the door was the one we had met In
the street. He was q clerk in the ONCE
of the provost general and had come
to inform Stanton OF the assault on
Seward.
,headquarters.' Stanton told the man,
and ask him to send g. cavalry guard
to my house at once.
The bell rang again in q few min
utes, and I went to the door. although
have gone II Mrs. Stanton had not held
him back He seemed to have no fear.
even after all of us had repeatedly
warned him that the life Of no con-
spicuous man in the government was
safe.
'aThis time the caller was MAJ. Chip
man, afterwards Gen. Chipnan of the
War Department. At Mrs. -Stanton's
request. I compelled him to give hfs
name before opened the door. Stanton
was relieved to see him, saying he was
about to drive to Stewards house and
that he desired him to go along.
The two men then went away to-
eether in Stanton's carriage. re-
mained until the guard OF cavalry ap-
peared. some fifteen or twenty men on
their horses, who were posted by their
oficer in front and at the back OF the
house.
ut has since been stated that the
coins assassination saw man run away
from the house and that this man be-
loneed to the band of conspirators. but
that Is not true. johnson and myself
"During the trial of tho persons i'm
plicated with Booth I was asked by
Mr. Stanton as to the report about the
man VINO n6O Doen ee0u running 1Ioiu
his door I explained the rumor away
and fortunately did not become q
witness in the case. It was also i'd
that a man had been secreted behind 9
tree box in front OF Stanton's house.
That may be so: cannot believe 1t.
however But do know that q broken
door bell did not save Mr.. Stanton's
life.
you have no bearing on tho tragedy
at the theater nor on the calamity and
sorrow that fell upon the nation. They
only relate to Mr.. Stanton. tho war
and, 30 far a. he is concerued,
are perhaps Of some historical value.
How" Mr.. Sterling was askta. did