Evening star., 1937-02-07
Lincoln's Blood Stains Cuff
O,vned by Mrs. S. P. Thompson
Laura Keene, Actress Who Wore 1t IN
Ford Theater on FatefhN might, Gaze
Tito Nephe,v of Her Husband.

great washington during that terrible
Winter at Valley Forge, that Laura
Keene produced Our American
Cousin" the most notable production
In which she ever appeared. Joe
Jefferson and the older Sothern, with
Mrs. Sothern, were in its supporting
cast. and it was during the last night
Of its production in Washington that
Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes
Booth.
Gave Charm to Theater.
Joe Jefferson afterward writing Of
her in his memoirs tells US that she
was the first woman to give dignity
and charm to the lighter side Of the
theater and speaks of her unfailing
wit and charm as manager as we'll
as of her integrity as an actress, a
manager and woman. She not only
took feminine leads, but painted
scenery and made costumes for her
self and her cast, SO it is by no means
improbable that the cuffs which were
a part Of the dress she wore that
April night of 1865 when Booths
bullet ended the Presidents life, may
have been of her own fashioning.
Pictures Of the time show the stage
Of Ford's Theater upon this occasion
with Grecian urns flanking the stage
setting and tiers of boxes, with heavy
draperies looped back over white lace
curtains to give them appearance
of privacy. The double box on the
right above the stage had been flag
draped in honor of the expected
presence of the President and Mrs.
Lincoln and displayed a portrait Of
the President. An old play bill Of
that night tells us This evening will
be sponsored by the presence of
President Lincoln" gives the names
Of Miss Keene and her supporting
cast as we'll as the information that
seats in the orchestra cost 81, dress
circle and parquetry rs cents, family
circle 25 cents, private boxes S6 and
$40, and that J. M. Ford was the
manager.
In the action Of the play, "Our
American Cousin" the stage was
almost vacant with all eyes turned
toward Miss Keene. as Florence
Trenchard, making her entrance fol-
lowing the sentence just uttered by
Mr.. Sothern. as Lord Dundreary,
What do you mean by doing all of
these dreadful things?"
Shot StartIes Audience.
Instead of Miss Keenes entrance
and reply, there was the sound of a
pistol shot through that crowded, eX-
pectant house John Wilkes Booth,
thoroughly conversant with the plays S
action. had shot the President through
the head at moment exactly timed
to permit his getaway from his
chosen vantage point before the
audience could come TO a full con-
witnessed. Brushing aside the de-
tanning arm of the Presidents aide,
Maj. Rathbone, who attempted to
grapple with him, Booth leaped to
the stage from the edge of the box
as the martyred Presidents head
dropped forward from the rocking
chair in which he was seated. One
of Booths spurs caught in the flag
draperies, causing him to stumble and
break his leg, but he limped across
the stage, long strip of the flag
trailing from his spur, brandishing a
dagger and shouting, sic semper
tyrannis Thus ever to tyrants)," the
motto Of the State of Virginia, as he
fed to the wings past Miss Keene on
his way to a waiting mare in the
alley outside of the theater.
Inside the theater was scene of
widest confusion. Maj. Rathbore's S
fiancee, Miss Harris, was calling for
some one to bring water or stimu-
liant to the President. Miss Keene, in
the full-f1owing robes of her role, in
stantly responded, rushing to her
dressing room and then up the steps
to the Presidents box. Lifting his
stricken head upon her shoulder, she
vainly tried to administer the water
while the blood from his mortal wound
trickled down upon her arm and
sleeve. Lincoln. however, had passed
beyond the realm of an earthly con-
sciousness- he fingered on
until the next day, April IS.
Torn with anxiety, Miss Keene
awaited news of his fate in the nearby
Metropolitan Hotel and there it was
that next day she sadly handed her
bool-stained cuff to her husbands
nephew, M. j. Adler, to whom it be-
came a cherished possession to be
handed down to his descendants.