The Life, Crime, and Capture of John Wilkes Booth | Page 6

assassins were speeding unharmed upon fleet horses
far away--his chosen friends watched about the death-bed of the highest
of the nation. Occasionally Dr. Gurley, pastor of the church where Mr.
Lincoln habitually attended, knelt down in prayer. Occasionally Mrs.
Lincoln and her sons, entered, to find no hope and to go back to
ceaseless weeping. Members of the cabinet, senators, representatives,
generals, and others, took turns at the bedside. Chief-Justice Chase
remained until a late hour, and returned in the morning. Secretary
McCulloch remained a constant watcher until 5 A. M. Not a gleam of
consciousness shone across the visage of the President up to his
death--a quiet, peaceful death at last--which came at twenty-two
minutes past seven A. M. Around the bedside at this time were
Secretaries Stanton, Welles, Usher, Attorney-General Speed,

Postmaster-General Dennison, M. B. Field, Assistant Secretary of the
Treasury, Judge Otto, Assistant Secretary of the Interior, General
Halleck, General Meigs, Senator Sumner, F. R. Andrews, of New-York,
General Todd, of Dacotah, John Hay, private secretary, Governor
Oglesby, of Illinois, General Farnsworth, Mrs. and Miss Kenny, Miss
Harris, Captain Robert Lincoln, son of the President, and Drs. E. W.
Abbott, R. K. Stone, C. D. Gatch, Neal Hall, and Leiberman. Rev. Dr.
Gurley, after the event, knelt with all around in prayer, and then,
entering the adjoining room where were gathered Mrs. Lincoln, Captain
Robert Lincoln, Mr. John Hay, and others, prayed again. Soon after 9
o'clock the remains were placed in a temporary coffin and conveyed to
the White House under a small escort.
In Secretary Seward's chamber, a similar although not so solemn a
scene prevailed; between that chamber and the one occupied by
President Lincoln, visitors alternated to and fro through the night. It
had been early ascertained that the wounds of the secretary were not
likely to prove mortal. A wire instrument, to relieve the pain which he
suffered from previous injuries, prevented the knife of the assassin
from striking too deep. Mr. Frederick Seward's injuries were more
serious. His forehead was broken in by the blow from, the pistol, and
up to this hour he has remained perfectly unconscious. The operation of
trepanning the skull has been performed, but little hope is had of his
recovery. Major Seward will get well. Mr. Hansell's condition is
somewhat doubtful.
Secretary Seward, who cannot speak, was not informed of the
assassination of the President, and the injury of his son, until yesterday.
He had been worrying as to why Mr. Lincoln did not visit him. "Why
does'nt the President come to see me?" he asked with his pencil.
"Where is Frederick--what is the matter with him?" Perceiving the
nervous excitement which these doubts occasioned, a consultation was
had, at which it was finally determined that it would be best to let the
secretary know the worst. Secretary Stanton was chosen to tell him.
Sitting down beside Mr. Seward's bed, yesterday afternoon, he
therefore related to him a full account of the whole affair. Mr. Seward
was so surprised and shocked that he raised one hand involuntarily, and

groaned. Such is the condition of affairs at this stage of the terror. The
pursuit of the assassins has commenced; the town is full of wild and
baseless rumors; much that is said is stirring, little is reliable. I tell it to
you as I get it, but fancy is more prolific than truth: be patient!
[Footnote: The facts above had been collected by Mr. Jerome B.
Stillion, before my arrival in Washington: the arrangement of them is
my own.]

LETTER II.
THE OBSEQUIES IN WASHINGTON.
Washington, April 19, (Evening).
The most significant and most creditable celebration ever held in
Washington has just transpired. A good ruler has been followed from
his home to the Capitol by a grand cortege, worthy of the memory and
of the nation's power. As description must do injustice to the extent of
the display, so must criticism fail to sufficiently commend its perfect
tastefulness, Rarely has a Republican assemblage been so orderly. The
funeral of Mr. Lincoln is something to be remembered for a cycle. It
caps all eulogy upon his life and services, and was, without exception,
the most representative, spontaneous, and remarkable testimonial ever
rendered to the remains of an American citizen.
The night before the funeral showed the probable character of the
cortege. At Willard's alone four hundred applications by telegraph for
beds were refused. As many as six thousand persons spent Tuesday
night in the streets, in depots and in outbuildings. The population of the
city this morning was not far short of a hundred thousand, and of these
as many at thirty thousand walked in procession with Mr. Lincoln's
ashes.
All orders of folks were at hand. The country adjacent sent in
hay-wagons, donkey-carts, dearborns. All who could