Show j j I 1 74 71 T I 1 I 1 I 1 MA I 1 4 q t m W I 1 tp j 1 z 1 sa kz k Z W ZV Z 4 f Z aai MW X c 6 fai i 2 Us U 77 41 14 I 1 IT b 6 1 edtion 0 O 14 ap pt a 1 r jk wi waxy the baw I 1 atas i ie generation no ago ial bringe to li the important part mart she blaya LU in the greatest tragedy traced y thyga this na jiu e ever ver been called upon thep the tha of abraham lincoln no nie var play bill of fords forda theater in washington announces tor for tho the evening eleming I 1 of friday april 1865 the benent benefit and last NJ night of miss boss lau laura keene P tho the distinguished Mag manageress eress author ws ess and d actress on the same single 9 sheet of faded paper may be read 0 0 1 I this evening the performance will wih be honored by the presence of president lincoln 0 0 a the play was the one the elder sothern bothern did so much to popularize tom taylors celebrated celeb rated eccentric comedy co as originally produced in america by miss keene and performed by her upward of 1 1000 nights entitled our american cousin the prices of admission were were 1 to um the orchestra 75 76 cents to the dress circle and parquet and 25 cents to the family circle the boxes w were ere 6 and 10 each the president occupied one on the northern side iside of the th theater oater just above and upon the stage the house bouse was crowded laura laum keene was standing behind the scenes on the side of the theater tait farthest hest falc from th the e presidential box near what is called the tormentor awaiting her cue of f rig right ht she should not have been so near the prompters desk but he had gone to call some of the actors so eo she placed herself lt at hand band hoping to be of service her part was that of florence ce trenchard the time had come for the entrance of mr G G spear as binney he had a drunken scene to go through and miss keene was to give him a push as aa be went by her to ald aid in the effect as he came within vii thin view of the audience instead she felt herself pushed in the other dire direction cUon from the stage toward which she ahe was not just at that moment looking As she felt herself st struck on the hand by the hand band of another she glanced up and rec recognized nihed john wilkes booth and saw too the dagger he be was clutching at that very moment the appalling exy cry rang out through the houze the president t is shot it was echoed spontaneously from among the aud audience lence and as miss keene came forward farward she could see many men on their feet some of them evidently making for the stage from which they had seen the assassin disappear women were crying aloud men cursing aud children weeping all in an indeterminate panic much as if the alarm of fire had been raised miss keene came down to the footlights forthwith and said for gods sake have presence of mind i and keep your blacas and all will be well meanwhile booth had made his escape through the stage door fleeing on the horse which had been provided for him he had been followed by a mr stewart one of the audience down on an the stage after his leap from the presidents box but had avoided him by dodging about the Ec scenery enery and had bad gr gotten aten away from the stage carpenter who had attempted to detain him by striking at him with tho the dagger no one except mr stewart tried to pursue the aug fug fugitive etive though everybody seemed willing to aid amid the confusion miss keene beard a cy cry for water from the presidential box procuring a glass she made her way from the stage to the box by way of the dress circle mrs lincoln was crying piteously miss keene at once ance did everything in her power to aid though she felt from the beginning that hajj was useless seating herself on the floor to which the body of the president emt had fallen the artless act ess raised his head bend and placed it in her lap lad it was at fu fust first st supposed that the shot had penetrated his lungs when the chest and shoulders had been bared without discovering any sign of injury the poor head was raised then the pool of blood which had gathered in the hollow of miss keenes gown told the story she remained in that position until unta the removal of mr lincoln from the theater then staggered down to her dressing room not only anly her garments but her hands and face dabbled with blood from the effect of the shock and horror of this miss keene never fully rec recovered vered and though she lived more than eight years thereafter she was never E trong strong her nervous system being especially liable to atta att acle |