ASSASSINATION AND DEATH 
 OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN
 
 
 -i
 
 Enshrined Within the Hearts of 3Ien\ 
 Our Country's Noblest Citizen
 
 ASSASSINATION AND DEATH 
 OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN 
 
 A CONTEMPORANEOUS ACCOUNT 
 OF A NATIONAL TRAGEDY 
 
 AS PUBLISHED IN 
 
 The DAILY MORNING CHRONICLE 
 Washington^ D. C. 
 
 With an Introduction by F. Ray Risdon 
 
 GARDENA, CALIFORNIA 
 
 SPANISH AMERICAN INSTITUTE PRESS 
 
 1925
 
 
 ^7 3. Vi. : L,. 
 
 La-oX v--^ 
 
 T 
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 SIXTY YEARS kave "passed since the assassination 
 and death of Abraham Lincoln. 
 
 Of the many contemporaneous accounts of 
 this tragic eventy which plunged the Nation into 
 grief and caused the whole world to mourn the 
 loss of one who was a friend of all mankind, 
 perhaps none is more interesting and reliable 
 than the record given in the news columns and 
 on the editorial page of the Washington Daily 
 Morning Chronicle^ early Saturday morning, 
 April 15, 1865. 
 
 With the permission of Elizabeth K. Vincent, 
 the author of that charm^ing, personal document, 
 "In the Days of Lincoln/^ which was pub- 
 lished a year ago, this reprint has been made of 
 ^ the newspaper narrative which was given a 
 \^ prominent place in Mrs. Vincent^ s girlhood 
 ^ recollections of life in the Nation^ s capital during 
 
 ^ the stirring sixties. 
 
 ^ The Associated Press reports, the War Depart- 
 
 ^ m^ent^s dispatches and the official bulletins have 
 
 been omitted purposely from the original 
 account of this dire tragedy, in order that col- 
 lectors of Lincolniana might have, in convenient 
 form, this thrilling narrative as actually given 
 to the world by the staff of this Washington daily 
 on that dark day following the assassination of 
 Americans gentlest nobleman, who, though dead, 
 looms today a colossal figure among the sons 
 of men. 
 
 F. Ray Risdon 
 
 Los zAngeles, California
 
 MURDER OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN 
 
 ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE THE 
 
 SECRETARY OF STATE 
 
 MANNER OF ASSASSINATION 
 
 Safety of Other Members of the Cabinet 
 
 Description of the Assassin 
 
 The Police Investigation 
 
 The Surgeons^ Latest Reports 
 
 The Scene at the Theatre 
 
 jT half past ten o'clock last night, in 
 the front upper left-hand private box 
 in Ford's Theatre, while the second 
 scene of the third act of "Our Ameri- 
 can Cousin" was being played, a pistol was fired, 
 and Abraham Lincoln shot through the neck and 
 lower part of the head. A second after the shot 
 was fired, a man vaulted over the baluster of the 
 box, saying, ^^Sic semper tyrannis!^^ and, adding 
 another sentence, which closed with the words, 
 "revenge for the South," ran across the stage 
 with a gleaming knife, double-edged and 
 straight, in his right hand. The man was of mid- 
 dle stature, well-built, white-faced and beard- 
 less, save that he wore a black moustache. His 
 hair and eyes were black. 
 
 The crowd ascended the stagey the actresses, 
 pale beneath their rouge, ran wildly about. Miss 
 Keene, whose benefit night it was, came forward, 
 endeavoring to quiet the audience. Several 
 gentlemen climbed to the box, and finally the 
 audience were ordered out by some gentlemen. 
 
 [7]
 
 Mrs. Lincoln, Miss Harris and Major Rath- 
 burn (Rathbone) were in the box with the Pres- 
 ident. 
 
 The Murderous Attempt at 
 Secretary Seward^s 
 
 The report of an assassination attempted upon 
 Secretary Seward having reached this office, we 
 set out for the Secretary's house, and there found 
 that he too had been assaulted. We learned 
 also that at ten o'clock, just as the man in charge 
 of Lafayette Square called out that the gates 
 were closed, a man made his way into Secretary 
 Seward's house, representing that he was the 
 bearer of a medicine prescribed by Surgeon Gen- 
 eral Barnes, and which he was ordered to deliver 
 to Secretary Seward in person. 
 
 Pushing into the Secretary's room, he seized 
 the old, suffering statesman with one hand, and 
 cut him with a dagger-knife on both jaws, then 
 turned and forced his way into the hall, where 
 meeting with Frederick Seward, the Secretary's 
 son, he attacked him, and inflicted three wounds 
 with a dagger-knife (probably the same) on the 
 young man's head, breast, and hand. He also 
 attacked Major Clarence Seward, another son 
 of the Secretary of State, and inflicted upon him 
 several serious wounds. 
 
 The assassin then rushed out, mounted a bay 
 horse, with light mane, and rode off, not at a 
 gallop, but at what is called a "pace." 
 
 Doctors Barnes, Norris, and Nutson were soon 
 in attendance, and did all in their power for the 
 sufferers. 
 
 [8]
 
 Secretary Seward was able to speak and swal- 
 low, but both caused him much pain, though none 
 of the arteries of the throat were cut. The doctors 
 all agreed that the Secretary was in no immediate 
 danger of losing his life. 
 
 Secretaries Stanton and Welles, as soon as they 
 learned the solemn news, repaired to the resi- 
 dence of Mr. Seward, and also to the bedside of 
 the President. 
 
 This being all we could there ascertain, we 
 went in search of the Vice President, and found 
 he was safe in his appartments at the Kirkwood. 
 We called at Chief Justice Chase's and learned 
 there, that he too was safe. Secretaries Stanton, 
 Welles, and Usher, as also Vice President 
 Johnson, and other members of the Cabinet, 
 were with the President. 
 
 Guards were found by us at the residences of 
 Chief Justice Chase, Secretary Usher, Vice Pres- 
 ident Johnson, and Secretary Stanton, and we 
 were gratified to be able to announce that all 
 members of the Cabinet, save Mr. Seward, are 
 unharmed. 
 
 Traces of the Assassin of the President 
 
 We then ascertained that the police were on 
 the track of the President's assassin, and found 
 that a variety of evidences, all pointing one way, 
 would in all probability justify the arrest of a 
 character well known throughout the cities of 
 the United States. Evidence taken amid such 
 excitement would, perhaps, not justify us in 
 naming the suspected man, nor could it aid in 
 his apprehension. A number of persons have 
 
 [9]
 
 been arrested who, it is hoped, will be able to 
 identify him. The assassin left behind him his 
 hat, a spur, and a horror and gloom never 
 equalled in this country. 
 
 The hat was picked up in the President's boxj 
 and, since we began this statement, has been 
 identified by parties to whom it has been shown, 
 and accurately described as the one belonging to 
 the suspected man, by other parties not allowed 
 to see it ere describing it. 
 
 The spur was dropped upon the stage, and 
 that also has been identified as the one procured 
 at a stable where the same man procured a horse 
 in the evening. The horse so obtained was a 
 dark bay, which was also the color of that mount- 
 ed at the stage door of the theatre by the flying 
 assassin. The horse, up to the hour of 2 a.m., 
 had not been returned to the stable j has been 
 seen riderless, with English saddle and plain 
 stirrups, roaming the streets, but escaped from 
 pursuit. 
 
 The Condition of the President 
 
 At 2:15 A.M., we hear that the wound of the 
 President is very highly dangerous. The ball 
 entered three inches below the left ear, and 
 behind it a little, just beneath the base of the 
 brain, took an upward direction, lodging in the 
 brain, where it can be felt by the surgeons, but 
 whence they cannot dislodge it. 
 
 An Attack Upon Secretary Stanton 
 
 Thwarted 
 Two gentlemen who went to apprise the 
 Secretary of War of the attack on Mr. Lincoln, 
 
 [lO]
 
 met, at the residence of the former, a man 
 muffled in a cloak, who, when accosted by them, 
 hastened away without a word. It had been the 
 Secretary's intention to accompany Mr. Lincoln 
 and occupy the same box, but pressing business 
 prevented. 
 
 It, therefore, is evident, that the aim of the 
 plotters was to paralyze the country by at once 
 striking down the head, the heart, and the arm 
 of the country. 
 
 General Grant arrived safely at Philadelphia. 
 
 The Popular Commotion 
 
 The whole city was moved. The crowds that 
 poured through the streets gathered in numbers 
 on the corners adjacent to the residences of the 
 various members of the Cabinet j but the greatest 
 and most excited gatherings were on E and 
 Tenth streets, in the vicinity of Mr. Peterson's 
 house, opposite Ford's Theatre, to which the 
 President was removed. Mr. Lincoln was at- 
 tended by Surgeons Hall, Stone, Ford, May, 
 Leiberman, King, Surgeon General Barnes, 
 Drs. Crane, Taft, Leale, Getz, McMillan, 
 Abbott and Buckler. 
 
 They Have Slain Their Best Friend 
 
 Comment on this deed now were worse than 
 useless, were it even possible to us with our 
 present feelings. The perpetrators of the deed 
 stand (we hope we are not profane) like Judas 
 Iscariot — in thisj that they have stricken down 
 the Man who stood forth their best intercessor 
 before the nation and the laws they had raised 
 
 [II]
 
 their Impious hands to slay by unprovoked re- 
 bellion. Their only shield, their truest, most 
 forgiving friend, he who plead with his people 
 to temper justice with mercy — him have they 
 slain. And who can now tell the consequences? 
 
 Police Headquarters 
 
 No sooner had the dreadful event been an- 
 nounced in the street, than Superintendent 
 Richards and his assistants were at work to dis- 
 cover the assassins. In a few moments the 
 telegraph had aroused the whole police force of 
 the city. Mayor Wallach, and several members 
 of the city government were soon on the spot. 
 Every measure of precaution was taken to pre- 
 serve order in the city, and every street was 
 patrolled. At the request of Mr. Richards, 
 General Augur sent horses to mount the police. 
 Every road out of Washington was picketed, 
 and every possible avenue of escape thoroughly 
 guarded. Steamboats about to depart down the 
 Potomac were stopped. 
 
 As it is suspected that this conspiracy originat- 
 ed in Maryland, the telegraph flashed the 
 mournful news to Baltimore, and all the cavalry 
 was immediately put upon active duty. Every 
 road was picketed, and every precaution taken 
 to prevent the escape of the assassins. 
 
 A preliminary examination was made by Mr. 
 Richards and his assistants. Several persons were 
 called upon to testify, and the evidence, as 
 elicited before an informal tribunal, and not 
 under oath, was conclusive to this point: the 
 murderer of President Lincoln was John Wilkes 
 
 [12]
 
 Booth. His hat was found in the private box, 
 and identified by several persons who had seen 
 him within the last two days, and the spur which 
 he dropped by accident, after he jumped to the 
 stage, was identified as one of those which he 
 obtained from the stable where he hired his 
 horse. 
 
 This inan Booth has played more than once at 
 Ford's Theatre, and is, of course, acquainted 
 with its exits and entrances, and the facility with 
 which he escaped behind the scenes is easily 
 understood. He is the son of Junius Brutus 
 Booth, the renowned actor, and has, like one of 
 his brothers, in vain attempted to gain a reputa- 
 tion on the stage. His father was an English- 
 man, and he was born in Baltimore. He has 
 long been a man of intemperate habits and 
 subject to temporary fits of great excitement. 
 His capture is certain, but if he is true to his 
 nature he will commit suicide, and thus appro- 
 priately end his career. 
 
 Further Items Respecting the Assassin 
 
 As everything that tends to throw light upon 
 the matter is of interest, we think it well to add, 
 that last evening a dark roan horse was hired 
 at Thompson's stable, on the corner of E and 
 Thirteenth streets, at about ten minutes after 
 ten o'clock. The horse had a black English 
 saddle and ordinary stirrups. The man who 
 hired him was dressed in black, and was some 
 five feet six inches in height. When asked when 
 he would return, he said, "Probably in two hours, 
 perhaps never." He wore a black moustache 
 
 [13]
 
 and goatee. One of the stable boys followed 
 him, but lost sight of him on Tenth street. 
 
 After hearing of the assassinations, the same 
 stable boy rushed to the Nav\^ yard, thinking to 
 head the man and horse off, should he prove 
 the criminal, but learned that the man and horse 
 he described had passed over the bridge some 
 time before^ and being told that if he followed 
 he would not be allowed back over the bridge, 
 he followed no further, but returned. 
 
 It will be seen, by referring to another column, 
 that General C. C. Augur, provost marshal of 
 the Department of Washington, offers a reward 
 of ten thousand dollars to the party or parties 
 who will arrest the person or persons who assas- 
 sinated the President, Mr. Lincoln, the Secretary 
 of the State, Mr. Seward, and his son. 
 
 The person who assassinated Secretary Seward 
 left behind him a slouched hat and an old, rusty 
 navy revolver. The chambers were broken 
 loose from the barrel, as if done by striking. The 
 loads were drawn from the chambers, one being 
 but a rough piece of lead, and the others balls 
 smaller than the chambers, — wrapped in paper, 
 as if to keep them from falling out. 
 
 [14]
 
 Assassination of President Lincoln, 
 
 Secretary Wm. H. Seward, and 
 
 Assistant Secretary F. W. 
 
 Seward ! 
 
 (an editorial) 
 
 It is with feelings of profound horror, sorrow, 
 and indignation, that we are called upon to 
 announce to the country one of the most terrible 
 tragedies of which history affords an example. 
 At about half-past ten o'clock last evening Presi- 
 dent Lincoln was assassinated in Ford's Theatre, 
 in Tenth street, between E and F, while quietly 
 looking at the performance, all unconscious of 
 danger. He occupied, in company with Mrs. 
 Lincoln, and her friend. Miss Harris, the private 
 box in the second tier, on the right. 
 
 The location of the wound on the skull, which 
 was inflicted by a pistol ball, shows clearly that 
 the President sat at the moment with his face to 
 the stage, and that he had no intimation of the 
 approach of the monster traitor who has robbed 
 the country of its most precious life. The ball 
 entered about three inches from the opening of 
 the left ear, in the cerebellum, or lower half of 
 the head, and penetrated several inches into the 
 brain. The President immediately fell forward, 
 and the villain at the same moment leaped over 
 the railing upon the stage. He fell to the floor, 
 but rose, ran to the rear of the stage and disap- 
 peared, brandishing a large knife and exclaiming, 
 "The South is avenged! Sic semper tyrannis!^^ 
 The amazement and horror of the audience were 
 so great as to destroy all presence of mind, and 
 the wretch escaped for the time by the back door. 
 
 [15]
 
 The President, in a completely unconscious 
 condition, was after a few minutes removed to 
 the opposite side of the street, and placed in the 
 comfortable house of Mr. Peterson, No. 453. 
 He occupies the neat little bed-room in the back 
 building, first floor, where he must in a few 
 hours breathe his last. 
 
 Every aid which surgical and medical skill 
 could supply was immediately given, but to no 
 purpose. It was our melancholy privilege to see 
 the great and good heart of Abraham Lincoln 
 slowly giving up its life-blood, his heart-broken 
 wife kneeling by his bedside, which was sur- 
 rounded by all the members of the Cabinet, 
 except Mr. Seward, as well as by other dis- 
 tinguished friends. Among the latter were 
 Senator Sumner, Speaker Colfax, General Au- 
 gur, General Meigs, General Farnsworth, of 
 the House of Representatives, and others. 
 
 Thus has the day which was set apart as a day 
 of rejoicing been turned into a day of mourning 
 by one of those astounding exhibitions of desper- 
 ate wickedness of which history, at long inter- 
 vals, has given examples. Language would fail 
 us in the attempt to portray the mingled anguish, 
 horror, and indignation which pervades this 
 community. 
 
 But we may say, in brief, at this late hour that 
 treason has culminated in crime in the murder of 
 President Lincoln, and that since the 14th day 
 of April, 1861, when Fort Sumter was fired 
 upon, nothing has occurred so calculated to ex- 
 asperate the loyal millions, and cause them to 
 
 [i6]
 
 demand vengeance upon the authors of the 
 rebellion. 
 
 It is now five o'clock, as we write, and we find 
 it indispensable to close these remarks with only 
 a brief reference to the contemporaneous effort 
 to murder Secretary Seward, and his son, F. W. 
 Seward. It is not yet ascertained whether the 
 murderous assault upon these gentlemen was 
 made by the same desperate wretch who assassin- 
 ated the President. It is probable, however, that 
 there were confederates, and that other dis- 
 tinguished gentlemen only escaped by accident. 
 
 A strong suspicion was fixed upon J. Wilkes 
 Booth, an inferior actor, and the son of the old 
 tragedian of that name, as the murderer of the 
 President. But for particulars we must refer 
 the reader to our local columns. 
 
 P. S. — A letter found in Booth's trunk identi- 
 fies him as the murderer. 
 
 Chronicle Office, 
 
 April 15 — 6 A.M. 
 
 The President is still alive, but is sinking 
 rapidly. He cannot survive much longer. No 
 change in the condition of Mr. Seward. 
 
 [17]
 
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