Evening star., 1937-04-11

Anniversary of Death Inspires Recolecton of Trumphs and
Sorrows of Great Presdent-Houses Which Were
Associated With Last Days in Office

emotion which swept the country vhen
the news of his death the following
day was made known to the Republic
and to the world
The President and Mrs. Lincoln
had gone to Ford'S Theater, still
standing at 511 Tenth street, for the
| purpose Of witnessing q performance
Of Our American Cousin" and were
accompanied by Miss Clara H. Harris,
daughter of United States Senator Ira
Harris Of New York, and her fiance,
Maj. Henry r. Rathbone. U. S. A.
| Maj Rathbone and Miss Harris were
later married, and their son, Henry
R. Rathbone, native Washingtonian,
later served several terms in the
United States House of Representa-
tives, as member from Illinois.
1t was to be e. grand occasion, not
only to be attended by the President
and Mrs. Lincoln and by many out
standing people of that day, but par
ticularly by the lieutenant general Of
the Army, U. S. Grant, to whom but
a few days before Gen. Lee had sur
rendered the Army Of Northern Vir-
ginia.
Gen. and Mrs. Grant, however, did
not attend the performance as the
guests of President and Mrs. Lincoln,
| as planned, but instead took a train
for Burlington at o'clock that eve
ming. MI. Lincoln was much disap-
pointed at this disruption of the plans
onH oftar hri iaf fol will AL
man and Speaker Colfax, left the
White House for the theater, stopping
on the way at the home of Senator
Ira Harris Of New York, then residing
on the site of the Woodward Building,
Fifteenth and H streets. Here they
picked up Miss Harris, the Senator's
daughter, and Maj. Rathbone, who
accompanied them to the playhouse.
THE party arrived at the theater
late and the President was received
with enthusiasm and tumultuous ap-
plause; the band played Hail to the
Chief" and the party was seated and
the play continued.
There have been many versions
printed of the actual killing of the
President; the question as to whether
the murderer did or did not say Sic
Semper tyrannis" has never been con-
clusively settled, and the further we
get away from the time of the crime
the harder it becomes to prove or dis
prove this and other minor details of
the assassination.
A statement made at the time by
James P. Ferguson was regarded then
as important, and might well now be
taken as authentic.
Mr.. Ferguson, who was accompanied
to the theater by lady said he saw
the presidential party enter the box
and later saw John Wilkes Booth max
ing his way along the dress circle to
| the Presidents box, of which he had
an excellent view, being seated in the
dress circle just opposite it. next to
the private boxes on the other side of
the circle
"Mr. Ferguson watched for his ap-
pearance in the box" according to
the account, desiring to see who in
that party the actor could be on such
intimate terms with as to feel war
ranted in taking such a liberty.
whether Booth shut the door Of the
little corridor or left it open behind
him, Mr.. Ferguson fears to state
positively, but from what he observed
OF the door, and for reasons hereafter
to be stated, believes he did shut it.
The shot was the next thing Mr.. F.
remembers. He saw the smoke, then
perceived Booth standing upright, with
both hands raised, but, at that mo-
ment, saw no weapon or anything else
in either. Booth then sprang to the
front Of the box laid his left hand
on the railing in front, was checked
an instant, evidently by his coat or
pants being caught in something, or
held by something lit was by Mai.
Rathbone).
Mr.. Ferguson and Booth had met
in the afternoon and conversed. and
were well acquainted with each other,
so that the former Immediately rec
ognized him. Booth stepped two steps
from the door, took off his hat and,
holding it III his left hand, leaned
against the wall behind him. In this
attitude he remained for a half a
minute; then, adds Mr.. Ferguson, he
stepped down one step, put his hand
on the door of the little corridor lead
ing to the box, bent his knee against