Evening star., 1931-12-06

him at that moment He did not suffer The
mechanisms of pain had been destroyed. He
breathed and feebly moved, but in effect he
was dead man from the instant of Booths
assault.
Miss Keene and Miss Harris escorted Mrs.
Lincoln from the theater to the Petersen
residence. They found everything in con-
fusion. Maj. Rathbone, slightly wounded by
Booths dagger, had tainted from loss of blood.
He was carried to his home. Surg. Gen.
Joseph K Barnes DR.. Robert X Stone, Dr. E.
w. Abbott, and other medical men, hastily
summoned, arrived The President still
breathed, but glance at his wound convinced
the physicians that he could not survive. News
was brought to the effect that Secretary
Seward, lying i'll in bed in his own residence,
had been stabbed three times by a strange
assailant, who after also assaulting Frederick
Seward, the Secretary's son, had made his
escape
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury M. B.
Field arriving at the Petersen house. pro
ceeded at once to the room in which the
President lying" He has left record of
his first impressions of the Scene. A keen
observer, he noted even Landseer print of
white horse on the wall. The bed was
double one he says, "and found the President
lying diagonally across it, with his head at the
outside The pillows were saturated with blood
and there was considerable blood upon the floor
Immediately under him. There patch
was only so far removed, from time to time, as
to enable the physicians in attendance to feel
the arteries OF the neck or the heart.
His eyes were closed and injected with blood
both the lids and the portion surrounding the
eyes being as black if they had been bruised
by violence. He was breathing regularly, but
with effort, and did not seem to be struggling
suffering
In the vicinity of the house an immense
crowd gathered. Most of those who had been
In the theater remained in the neighborhood.
Their numbers were augmented by hundreds
who, hearing the news hastened to the scene
Late the next day trains still bringing
people from distant cities-peope who, perhaps
unreasorably, felt drawn by the tragedy. The
military authorities took over complete control
of the Capital. Within an hour after the actual
shooting the long roll had been beaten and
soldiers guarded every avenue. Gen Grant was
reported to be returning.
BY midnight the members of the cabinet had
arrived at the dying Presidents side. Vice
President johnson, Speaker Colfax, Senator
Charles Sumner, Maj. John Hay and Capt
Robert Lincoln also appeared. Chief Justice
David K. Carter OF the District Court was
commissioned ito take evidence" at Fords.
Newspaper extras were promptly issued.
Examined at this late day these early reports
OF the tragedy are found to be exceedingly
interesting. They produced under condi-
tions OF great difficulty but they furnished the
news with accuracy and fidelity not surpassed
by the best journals of our time. The
news men of 1866 were competent reporters.
At 3 O'Clock in the morning Secretary Stan
ton announced that investigation strongly
indicates j. Wilkes Booth as the assassin of
the President" An hour later he told the
press that the actors trunk had been found at
the National Hotel, and that in the trunk
there was a letter which suggested that the
crime was planned before March f." Maj Gen.
c. c. Augur was advertised as having offered a
reward of $4,000 for Booths apprehension.
The city Councils promptly offered $4,000 on
the municipalities account. At length a total
OF $200,0 900 was offered. Meanwhile Supt A. c.
Richards ordered the sale of liquor discon-
tinued Officers were sent out to enforce his
mandate.
1t WAS "a night of wild excitement" Under
the stress of their emotion people knelt in the
streets and prayed. The newspapers printed
the petition God Almighty. grant that his
life may be preserved" Throngs med about
the neighborhood of Fords the Petersen resi-
dence, the White House, Secretary Stewards
home and the newspaper Offices
Mr.. Lincoln died at 7:22 am. His counte-
nance at the end wore IAN expression of per-
feet serenity" AS his spirit passed the Rev.
DR.. P. D. Gurley, pastor of the New York
Avenue Presbyterian Church, led the assem-
bled company in prayer Secretary Stanton
uttered his famous prophecy, Now he belongs
to the ages" Mrs. Lincoln piteouSy threw
herself across the Presidents lifeless form
Maj A. F. Rockwell shortly after the tragedy
prepared diagram of the first floor of the
Petersen house indicating the names and the
positions occupied by those present as Mr.
Lincoln expired. The list Includes Surg Gen
Barnes, Rev. DR.. Gurey, Surg. (Brig. GEM
Charles Crane Robert Lincoln Senator Sum-
ner. Assistant Secretary Field, Maj Hay Sec
Gideon Cen Uooe
Halleck, Attorney General James Speed O. M
Gen. Montgomery c. Megs Secretary John p
Usher, Secretary Stanton, Gov. William Den
nison OF Ohio, Maj. Thomas T. Eckert, Mrs
Kinney, Miss Kinney, Col Thomas M. Vim
cent, Col. l.. H. PelouZe, Maj. Rockwell, Gen.