Abraham Lincoln . Presidents box. He was well knownto the employes, and was admitted by the attendant. He placed thewooden bar across the door, stepped to the box door, peeped throughthe hole which he had bored and saw the position of the President, drewhis revolver and knife, and softly entered. He held the pistol near thePresidents head, fired, and leaped forward. Major Rathburn sprang toseize him. Booth struck at his throat with the knife. Rathburn, inparrying the stroke, received a wound in the arm. In leaping upon thestage a spur on one of Booths feet caught in the folds of the flag hehat
Abraham Lincoln . Presidents box. He was well knownto the employes, and was admitted by the attendant. He placed thewooden bar across the door, stepped to the box door, peeped throughthe hole which he had bored and saw the position of the President, drewhis revolver and knife, and softly entered. He held the pistol near thePresidents head, fired, and leaped forward. Major Rathburn sprang toseize him. Booth struck at his throat with the knife. Rathburn, inparrying the stroke, received a wound in the arm. In leaping upon thestage a spur on one of Booths feet caught in the folds of the flag hehated, and he fell headlong. A bone of one leg was broken ; but he rose,uttered his triumphant shout, ran across the stage, gained the alley,sprang upon his horse, and disappeared. There is poetic justice in the thought that the flag of the republic should be the means of bringing swift retribution to the murderer and his accomplices. Had it not been for the fracture of one limb, it is17* 522 LIFE OF ABRAHAM MRS. SURRATT S HOUSE.[From a photograph taken in 1865.] altogether probable that before sunrise he would have been on the Yir-ginia side of the Potomac, and before the week ended so far away thathe would have, for a time at least, escaped capture. A little past ten oclock a sentinel stationed at the navy-yard bridgecrossing the Eastern Branch of the Potomac saw a man on horsebackrapidly approaching. I live out here in Charles County, and have been waiting for themoon to rise, said the horseman. The sentinel allowed him to pass,and he rode swiftly on. Another man on horseback came. He also said that he lived inCharles County and was going home, and was permitted to cross. THE CLOSING SCENE. 523 A third horseman arrived. That fellow ahead of me has stolen my horse, he said. I cant allow you to pass, the sentinel replied. No explanationor entreaty availed. The first who had crossed the bridge was Booth, and the secondHarold, who was acting as his assistant. It was midni
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