Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1927-10-13

box, waving a long dagger in his
right hand, and exclaiming "Sic SEM
per tyrannis!" and Immediately leaped
from the box, which was in the Sec
ond tier, to the stage beneath, and
ran across to the opposite side, max
ing his escape, amid the bewilder-
ment of the audience, from the rear
of the theatre, and, mounting horse,
fled.
The screams of Mrs. Lincoln first
disclosed the fact to the audience that
the President had been shot, when all
present rose to their feet, rushing to-
wards the stage, many exclaimlng
Hang him! Hang him."
The excitement was of the widest
possible description, and of course
there was an abrupt termination of
the theatrical performance.
There was a rush towards the Pres
ident's box, when cries were heard
"Stand back and give him air." "Has
any one stimulants?"
On a hasty examination it was
found that the President had been
shot through the head above the back
of the temporal bone, and that some
of the brain was oozing out.
He was removed to a private house
opposite to the theatre, and the Sur
geon General of the army and other
surgeons sent for to attend to his con-
dition.
On an examination of the private
box, blood was discovered on the back
of the cushioned rocking chair on
which the President had been sitting,
also on the partition and on the floor.
A common single barreled pocket
pistol was found on the carpet.
A military guard was placed in
front of the private residence to which
the President had been conveyed. An
immense crowd was in front of it
and deeply anxious to learn the con-
dition of the President. 1t had been
previously announced that the wound
was mortal, but all hoped otherwise.
The shock to the community was ter
rible.
At midnight the Cabinet, with
Messrs. Sumner, Colfax and Farms
worth, Judge Curtis, Governor Ogles-
by, General Meigs, Colonel Hay. and
few personal friends, with Surgeon
General Barnes and his immediate
assistants, were around his bedside.
The President was in a state of
syncope, totally insensible, and
breathing slowly. The blood oozed
from the wound in the back of his
head. The surgeons exhausted every
possible effort of medical skill, but
all hope was gone.
The parting of his family with the
dying President is too sad for descrip-
ton.
The President and Mrs. Lincoln did
not start for the theatre until fifteen
minutes after eight O'Clock. Speaker
Colfax was at the White House at the
time and the President stated to him
that he was going. Mrs. Lincoln had
not been well, but because the papers
had announced that General Grant
and they were to be present, and, as
General Grant had gone North, he did
not wish the audience to be disap-
pointed.
He went with apparent reluctance,
and urged Mr.. Colfax to go with him,
but that gentleman had made other
engagement, and, with Mr.. Ashman,
of Massachusetts, bid good-by.
When the excitement at the theatre
was at it's widest height, reports were
circulated that Secretary Seward had
also been assassinated.
On reaching this gentleman's resi-
dence a crowd and a military guard
were found at the door, and on enter
ing it was ascertained that the re-
ports were based on truth.
Everybody there was so excited that
scarcely an Ineligible word could
be gathered. But the facts are sub
stantially as follows
About ten o'clock a man rang the
bell, and the call having been an
swered by a colored servant, he said
he had come from DR.. Verdi, Secre-
tary Stewards family physician, with
prescription, at the same time hold
ing in his hand a small piece of folded
paper, and saying, in answer to a re-
fusal. that he must see the Secretary,
as he was entrusted with particular
directions concerning the medicine.
| He still insisted on going up, al
though repeatedly informed that no
one could enter the chamber. The
man pushed the servant aside, and
walked hastily towards the Secretary's
room, and was then met by Mr.. Fred
erick Seward, of whom he demanded
to see the Secretary, making the same
representation which he did to the
servant.
What further passed in the way of
colloquy is not known; but the man
struck him on the head with billy,
severely injuring the skull and fell
ling him almost senseless.
The assassin then rushed into the
| chamber and attacked Major Seward,
Paymaster United States Army, and
Mr.. Hansell, messenger of the State
Department, and two male nurses, dis
abling them all.-@
| He then rushed upon the Secretary.