Evening star., 1931-12-06

lincoln, a History" by G Nicoisy and John ~!
Pres ident Lincoin's assassination.
they realize the character of the scheme in
which they had been involved. Understanding
came too late to help four of them.
DOOTH was staying at the National Hotel
- while he matured his nefarious plans He
had a busy day April IA. He visited the
theater and made the arrangements described
above He had some conference communi-
cation with his tools Mrs. Mary Surratt, her
son, John H. Surratt; David E. Herold, George
A. Atzerodt and Lewis Thornton Powell
Payne He endeavored to Vice President
johnson at the Kirkwood House. He went to
a public livery stable and hired horse. He
wrote some letters.
Booths victim also had a busy day. There
had been an important cabinet meeting at the
White House with Gen. Grant attending. Later
Mr. Lincoln had been in conference with
Schuyler Colfax, Speaker of the House, and
Representative George Ashmun of Massachu-
sets. These gentlemen we're with him until it
was time to leave for the theater There is an
old legend to the effect that the President per-
sonally did not wish to attend the play and that
he went only to obge the audience assembled
in the expectation of seeing him. Gen. and
Mrs. Grant, also advertised to be present, were
leaving for Philadelphia instead mere ac-
cidental change in their program saved them
from being in the box at the moment when
Booths plot matured. In place Of the Grants,
Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln were accompanied to the
playhouse by Maj. Henry r. Rathbone and Miss
Clara Harris, betrothed lovers.
The presidential party arrived at Ford's after
the performance had begun. Mr.. Lincoln's en-
trance stopped the play. He was received with
great furore" by capacity audience number
ing between 1000 and 5000 persons. The or
chestra played, Hail to the Chief" The party,
entering the executive box, was cheered and
applauded enthusiastically by all present. The
performance was resumed.
During the third act, shortly after 10 o'clock
there moment when only one actor, Harry
Hawk was on the stage. At this most grimly
appropriate instant the sudden, reverberating
but half f-muffied crash of a pistol was heard
fraction of second more and Booth was
seen the edge of the box, dagger in his
hand. He faced the startled and bewildered
audience, cried something later interpreted
"Sic semper tyranais," the State motto of Vir-
ginia, and then leaped down to the stage. He
fell in an odd, sprawling fashion, rose unstead-
ily and crossed the stage rapidly, exclairning,
Revenge and again fourishing his dagger dis
appeared saying, I have done it." A thin
streamer of blue, torn from the starry field of
the flag draped across the Presidents box, fiut-
tered from one of his spurs he fed. He had
broken his left leg in his fall.
THE house silent. Then the screams of
Mrs Lincoln brought the first intelligence
OF the crime to the hundreds present in the
theater. "The President has been shot!" The
cry rose from a single throat, was taken up
by others and finally was wildly repeated over
and over again by scores who had heard the
bullet fired. The audience rushed toward the
stage, where Miss Keene vainly was pleading
dash for the street. The news of the tragedy
spread like hungry flame. Almost instantly
Tenth street was alive with hysterical multi
tude of people.
Meantime Mr. Lincoln was lying in his box
bullet half an inch in diameter had crushed
and broken his skull: part Of his shattered
brain exposed through a gaping wound
inches above his left ear. He was Of course
totally unconscious. Dr. Charles Taft, the first
physician to reach his side, seems to have
realized at once that he was fatally wounded
After about 20 minutes it WAS decided that the
dying man must be removed from the tumult
Of the theater, and Maj. Rathbone Mai Potter
paymaster Of the Army; Col. Crawford and
others bore the inert form through the dress
circle, down the stairs to the orchestra floor
and across the street to the residence of
William Petersen, tailor at 453 now 5l6
Tenth street Their path was marked BY blood
from the Presidents death-wound
In "a very narrow ROOM in the Petersen
house, room at the back the nrst floor
Mr.. Lincoln was laid a cot which belonged
to soldier named Clark. Years later 1t was
said, The way in which the dying Lincoln was