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Show Could Have Bared Lincoln'! Life. The one man in the world who could have prevented the assassination of President Linooln is dead. John Frederick Fred-erick Parker, born in Winchester, Va., come to Washington some time before the firing upon Fort Sumter, and soon found employment upon the metropolitan metropoli-tan police force. When, in 1802, it was decided to strengthen the regular force of doorkeepers and watchmen at the White House with a squad of policemen Parker was one of those selected. It thus happened that when President Lin-doln Lin-doln and party entered the old Ford theatre the-atre on the night of Good Friday, 1865, they were accompanied by Parker as guard. He took his position at the door to the private box from which President Lincoln watched the performance, where he was expected to remain and prevent the entrance of every one except the members of the party. As the play proceeded Parker, from his post, could hear just enough of what was said on the stage to arouse his curiosity, curi-osity, and it was not long before he loft the door and edged his way toward the auditorium. He finally took a seat in the orchestra or "pit," as it was then called, whore he had scarcely settled himself when the whole audience was surprised by the report of a pistol shot. Tho assassin, Booth, had stealthily approached ap-proached the door of the president's private pri-vate box, whore, finding no one to challenge chal-lenge him, ho entered unannounced and fired the fatal shot. There is no question ques-tion iu the minds of those who are familiar fa-miliar with the dotails that had Parker remained at his post Brwth could never have taken President Lincoln unawares. Washington Cor. Chicago News. |