Text C   Eye Witness Accounts of the Assassination

1.    On the evening of the 14th of April, at about twenty minutes past 8 o'clock, I, in the company with Miss Harris, left my residence at the corner of Fifteenth and H streets, and joined the President and Mrs. Lincoln, and went with them, in their carriage, to Ford's Theater, on Tenth Street. On reaching the theater when the presence of the President became known, the actors stopped playing, the band struck up “Hail to the Chief," and the audience rose and received him with loud cheering. The party proceeded along in the rear of the dress -circle and entered the box that had been set apart for their reception.

2.    On entering the box, there was a large arm chair that was placed nearest the audience, farthest from the stage, which the President took and occupied during the whole of the evening, with one exception, when he sat down again. When the second scene of the third act was being per formed, and while I was intently observing the proceedings upon the stage, with my back towards the door and the president. The distance from the door and where the president sat was about four feet. At the same time, 1 heard the man shout some word, which I thought was “Freedom!" I instantly sprang toward him and seized him. He wrested himself from my grasp, and made a violent thrust at my breast with a large knife. I blocked the blow by striking it up, and received a wound several inches deep in my left arm, The opening of my wound was about an inch and a half in length, and extended upward toward the shoulder several inches. The man rushed to the front of the box and I tried to seize him again, but only caught his clothes as he was leaping over the railing of the box. The clothes, as I believe, were torn in the attempt to hold him. As he went over upon stage, I cried out, “Stop that man!" I then turned to the President, his position was not changed; his head was slightly bent forward, and his eyes were closed. I saw that he was unconscious, and, supposing him mortally wounded (a wound which he would die from)，rushed to the door for the purpose of calling medical aid.

3.     On reaching the door of the passageway, I found it barred by a heavy piece of plank, on one end of which was secured in the wall, and the other resting against the door. It had been so securely fastened that it required considerable force to remove it. This wedge or bar was about four feet from the floor. Persons upon the outside were beating against the door for the purpose of entering. I removed the bar, and the door was opened. Several persons, who represented themselves as surgeons, were allowed to enter. I saw there Colonel Craw ford, and requested him to prevent other persons from entering the box.

4.    I then returned to the box, and found the surgeons examining the President's body. They had not yet discovered the wound. As soon as it was discovered, they were determined to remove him from the theater. He was carried out, and I then proceeded to assist Mrs. Lincoln, who was intensely excited, to the stairs, I requested Major Potter to aid me in assisting Mrs. Lincoln across street to the house where the president was being conveyed. The wound which I had received had been bleeding a lot, and on reaching the house, feeling very faint from the loss of blood, I seated myself in the hall and soon after fainted away, and was laid upon the floor. Upon the return of consciousness, I was taken to my residence… In my opinion the first shot and the assassin leaving the box did not exceed thirty seconds.

Questions for Discussion or Reflection

1. How was the president greeted when he entered the theater?

2. Who was with him when he was assassinated?

3. What was the writer doing when the man attacked the president?

4. Did the eye-witness succeed in stopping the man?