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Show I : PINKERTON'S HITHERTO UNPUBLISHED STORY OF THE FIRST ATTEMPT 1 1 TO ASSASSINATE LINCOLN j H t The American Magazine (or Fobru- H ary baa got hold of a long lottcr writ- H ten In 1866 by Allan Plnkerton, tho H amoua detective. In which Plnkerton H , tells to tho world (or the first tlmo H , th. Btory of his connection with the H plot to assassinate Lincoln at Baltl- H ' mora on hla way to Washington In H February, 1SG1. Plnkerton discovered H the plot and saved Lincoln's life. He H accompanied Lincoln from Phlladel- H phla to Washington, and of his ex- H porlenccs with Lincoln In the train H he writes In part: H . "Mr. Lincoln woro nn overcoat H thrown loosely about his Bhouldors, H i without Inserting his arms In the H sleeves, and a black Kossuth hat, H which, ho told me, somo ardent sup- H porter had presented to him during H tho campaign. He took a scat with H Mr. Lamon and myself, Mr. Kennoy H tho superintendent of tho P. W. & H B. Railroad, sharing tho scat with H tho driver overhead. As it was too H early for us to approach the P. W. H & D. depot, Mr. Kennoy had tho H drlvor tako us around tho city It was H just about tlmo to reach tho depot H minutes after tho train was due to H leave. Wo left tho carriage at a dark H spot a short dUtanco from the depot H and, Mr. Lamon keeping a llttlo in H the rear of Mr. Lincoln and mysolf, H tho latter leaning upon my arm, H and Btooplng somewhat so as to dim- H inlsh his height as much as possible, H passed rapidly through tho depot, on- H torcd tho sleeping car, and within H twomiautcs Mr. Konnoy meanwhile H having delivered tho packago of vnl- H uablo papers to tho conductor, John H Lltzenburg, tho train was In motion, H and wo wcro speeding along toward 1 T7 n 1 t V1 nun Wnnn rt , 1. n .., 1... H any. At Havro do Grace, on my re- H turn Insldo the car, after having been H out to sco If my Blgnnls wero all H right, Mr. Lincoln remarked: 'They H say wo nro at Havro dc Grace, and H aro moving along well. I understand H wo are on tlmo.' H "Although Mr. Lincoln did not H sleep, ho was by no means restless. H I could not then nor havo I since H been able to understand how anyono H under liko clrcumstnnces, could havo H manifested such complcto mental H composure and cheerful spirits as he i H exhibited during tho entire Journey. H On arriving nf tho Ilnltlmoro and H Ohio depot in Daltimoro, v0 lincl si H wait of nbout half an hour. Here I H again left tho car, but remained out- H fiklo only long enough to satisfy my- H self that everything was all right. H It was now nbout four o'clock. When H I returned everybody In tho enr H seemed to bo asleep but our party. H Presently the train rolled out of tho H depot, and wo were at Inst bound for H , Washington. All thu night through H Mr. Lincoln, being unablo to sleep, H had been telling us jokes and stor- H , les, of which he seemed to have nn H endless store, In n voice so low no H (l ono heard him but Lamon and me. H "As tho train neared tlio Capital H City (It wag then daylight, and we H wero making tho necessary prepara- H tlons for our orderly appearance on H our arrival at tlio Washington depot) H Mr. Lincoln yawned, and, turning H toward Lamon and mo, said with u M smile, 'Well, boys, thank God this H prayer meeting's over." Then ho told H a story io emphasize tho rurt that H ho was now at tlio end of his perl- H lous journey and no longer needed H our nld or companionship. A steam- H boat on one occasion, ran Into n sand H bar in the river with such force and Hl became so deeply embedded In the H obstruction, It was found Impossible, H' with tho methods and appliances then H in voguu to movo her. Tho only oth- H er remedy left was to wait and no H one could tell how long that would H.. be till tho high wntorB should como H) and float her nvay. Mcanwhllo there Bf happened to bo a revival In progress HS at tho church In n vlllago on shore, HH opposlto the point where tho helpless K vessel lay. Yielding to tho entreat- H)i Iob of tho church people, tho captain Hij 0"o day consented that n prayor M mooting might bo held In tho cabin S- or largo room of tho boat. Tho meeting meet-ing had not progressed hj far un- H til the vessel, yielding to l no movo- H, raents of tho crowd n 1 tho addition- H &1 weight at one end, began to lurch Ml, nllgbtly, and presently slid off tho X , offending sand bar. In nn Instant H' ; she floated away Into deep water. H At that particular moment an old H, brother, with oyos closed, was on his Mf Knees Bonding up a long nnd fervent H, petition to tho Almighty. Tho cap- H'j tain's Joy knew no bounds. Without k. waiting for good brother to finish Hp his prayer, tho former mounted a H chulr and cried out nt tho top of his Hi volco, 'Got off this boat, every d d H ono of you; this prayer meeting's 'j ended.' Hil "At the depot, awaiting us aa tha Hu train rolled In, were Mr, Washburn, of Illinois, and Senator Seward. Wo then proceeded at onco to Wlllard's Hotel, whore Mr. Lincoln registered hla own name and that of Mr. La mon and myself, and was assigned rooms, though not thoso he expected he would have, as ho had arrived somewhat in advance of tho appointed appoint-ed time. During tho morning after tho news of his arrival had spread, thcro was more or less excited talk. Few men were willing to believe ho had actually reached tho city, and many wero tho vllo and bitter imprecations impre-cations I heard heaped upon his head whlio mingling with tho crowds In tho hotels and public places of that robellous city. Its people, as a rule, appeared scarcely more favornblo to the Union than In Baltimore. Mrs. Lincoln, accompanied by Mr. Judd and tho rest of the party, followed In duo tlmo. Before they left Har-rlsburg, Har-rlsburg, tho news had been telegraph cd all over tho country of tho safe arrival of President-elect In Washington. Wash-ington. In passing through Baltimore thoy met with anything but a cordial reception. At Mr. Lincoln's suggestion, sugges-tion, I returned to Baltimore that afternoon for tho purposo of learning learn-ing whethor those who sought his llfo In that city might not amend their plot so as to attempt to dostroy htm on tho day of his Inauguration, and I accordingly remained there till after tho lattor event had taken place." |