NASHVILLE UNION!
Saturday M^oniiug, A.pril 15th, 1865.
THE REBEL FIENDS AT WORK,
President Lincoln S hot.
The President and Mr.
Seward both Dead.
Grief of Mrs. Lincoln.
Seward's Son and At¬
tendants Attacked,
Young Seward's Skull
Fractured.
Wilkes Booth the Pre¬
sident's Assassin,
Seward's Assassin
caped.
Es=
hi o Celebration in Nash¬
ville.
Washington,April 15th, 12:30a m.—The
President was shot in the Theatre to
night; he is perhaps mortally wownded.
2nd Dispatch.—The President is not
expected to live through the night. He
was shot at the Theatre. Secretary Sew¬
ard was also assassinated. No arteries
were cut.
Washington, April 15.—President
Lincoln and wife with their friends
this evening visited Ford's theatre for
the purpose of witnessing the perform¬
ance of American Cousin. It was an¬
nounced in the papers that Gen. Grant
would also be present,but he left by the
late train of cars for New Jersey. The
Theatre was densely crowded and every
body seemed delighted with the scene
before them. During the 3d act and
while there was a temporary pause for
one of the actors to enter, the sharp
report of a pistol was heard which
merely attracted attention but suggests
ed nothing serious,, until a man rushed
to the front of tlie President's box
waving a long dagger in his right hand,
and exclaiming Sic Semper Tyrannis,
and immediately leaped from the box
which was in the second tier to the
stage beneath, aind ran across to the
opposite side of the stage, making his
escape amid the bewilderment of the
audience, from the rear of the the atre,
and mounting a 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 thedr feet, rushing to
the stage, many exclaiming hang him.
The excitement was of the wildest pos¬
sible descrption, and of course there was
an abrupt intermission of theatrical
performances,
There was a rush toward the Presi¬
dent's box, when cries were heard stand
back, give him air, has any one stimu¬
lants. After there was a hasty |examina=
tion it was found that the President had
been shot through the heat' above
and back of the temporaf bone,
and that some of his brain was oozing
out. He was removed to a private house
opposite the theatre, and the Surgeon
General of the army and the other sur¬
geons were called to attend his condi¬
tion. On an examination of the pri¬
vate box, blood was discovered on the
back of the cushioned rocking chair,
on which the President had been sit¬
ting ; also, on the partition; and on the
floor a common single-barreled pocket-
pistol was found on the carpet A mil-
itary guard was placed in front of the
private residence to which the Presi¬
dent had "been conveyed. An immense
crowd was in front of it, aii deeply anx¬
ious to learn the condition of the Pres¬
ident It had been previously announ¬
ced that the wound was mortal, but all
hoped otherwise. The shock to the
community was terrible. At midnight
the Cabinet, Messrs. Sumner, Farns-
worth, Judge Bates, Gov. Ogiesby, Gen.
Meigs, Colonel Hayes, and a few
personal friends, with Surgeon General
Barnes and his immediate as¬
sistants were around his bedside. The
President was in a state of syncope,
totally insensible and breathing slow¬
ly. The blood oozed from the^wound
at the back of his head. The surgeon
used every possible effort of medical
skill, but all hope was gone. The part¬
ing of his family with the dying Presi¬
dent is too sad for description. The
President and Mrs. Lincoln did not
start for the theatre 'till fifteen minutes
after 8 o'clock. Speaker Colfax was at
the White House at the time, and the
President stated to him that he was go¬
ing although Mrs. Lincoln had not been
well, because the papers had announced
that Gen. Grant was to be present, and
as Gen. Grant had gone north he did
not wish the audience to be disappoin¬
ted. He went with apparent reluc¬
tance, and urged Speaker Colfax to go
with him,but that gentleman had made
other arrangements and with Mr. Ash-
mead of Massachusets, bid him good
night.
War Department, Washington, April
15.—Maj. Gen. Dix: Abraham Lincoln
died this morning at 22 minutes past 7
o'clock. E. M. Stanton,
Secretary of War.
New York, March 15,9 A. M.
Intense sorrow is depicted on all
countenances at the horrible events
that occurred in Washington lar-Uaight.
and the grief of all good men iTappa¬
rent everywhere at the death of the
President.
No flags were hoisted in this city this
morning until the state of the Presi¬
dent was known, when they were all
placed at half-mast.
People appear perfectly horrified, and
the utmost rage is undoubtedly felt
towards all known secessionists and
rebel sympathizers.
War Department 4 10 a. m., Apr. 15.—
Maj. Gen. Dix:—The President contin¬
ues insensible and is sinking. Secre¬
tary Seward remains without change.
Fred. K. Seward's skcM is fractured in
two places besides a severe cut on the head.
The attendant is still alive but hopeless,
Maj. Seward's wounds not dangerous. It
is now ascertained with reasonable certainty
that two assassins wero engaged in the hor¬
rible affair; Wilkes Booth being the one
that shot the President, and the other, a
companion of h:3, whose name is not known
but whose description is so clear that he can
hardly escape.
It appears from letters found in Booth's
trunk that the murder was planned before
the 4th of March, but fell through then
because the accomplice backed out until
Richmond could be heard from. Booth and
his accomplice wore at the Livery Stable at
6 o'clock last evening, and left there with
their horses about 10 o'clock or shortly be¬
fore that hour. It would seem that they
had for several days been seeking their
chances, but for some unknown reason it
was not carried into effect unlil last night.
One of them has evidemtly made his way
to Baltimore; the other has not yet been
traced.
(Signed) E. M. STANTON.
Washington, April 15.—-When the ex
citement at the theatre was at its wildest
height, reports were circulated that Secre¬
tary Seward had also been killed. On
ching this gentleman's residence,
crowd and a military guard were around
its door, and on entering it was ascertained
that the reports ware based in truth.
Everybody there was so excited that
scarcely an intelligible word could be
gathered, but the facts are substantially as
follows: About tea o'clock, a man rang
the bell, and the call was answered bj^a
colored man.
Ho said he had come from Dr. Veer-
dier, Secretary Seward's family physi¬
cian, with a prescription, at the same
time holding in his hand a small piece
of folded paper, and saying in answer
to a refusal, that he must see the Sec¬
retary as he was intrusted with
particular directions concerning the
medicine. He still insisted on going up
although repeatedly informed that no
one could enter the chamber; he pushed
the servant aside and walked
tily towards the Secretary^ room,
He was there met by Mr. Fred Sew-
ward, of whom he demanded to see
the Secretary, making the same repre¬
sentation which he did to the servant.
What further passed in the way of col¬
loquy is not known, but the man struck
him on the head with a billy, severely
injuring the skull, and felling him al¬
most senseless.
The assassin then rushed to the eham
bers, and attacked Mr. Seward, the pay¬
master of the United States Army, Mr.
Hansel, a messenger of the State Depart¬
ment,and two male nurses disabling them
He then rushed upon the Secretary who
was lying in bed in the same room, and in¬
flicted three stabs in his neck, but severing
it is thought and hoped no arteries, though
he bled profusely.
The assassin then rushed down stairs,
mounted his horse at the door, and
road off before an alarm could be given
and in the same manner as the assas
sin of the President.
No Celebration.
We are requested by Mayor Smith
to state that, in a consultation with
Gen Thomas, it has been determined
to stop the intended procession and il¬
luminations, in Nashville, this day, in
consequence of the terrible events de¬
scribed above. Where flags are out
they should be draped in black.