i u ^ Us ui -vi l\i tt ^ ^ ^£> ^ : vTi _ f\> N) o r i Ul U] (A A The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln Recollections and accounts of eyewitnesses Published accounts Folder 1 from the files of the Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection (formerly referenced as: Eyewitnesses binder) l\.ZOO<).0&S. 02203 Lincoln Assassination Narrated By Two Men Who Saw Tragedy "We Knew Crack of Revolver Was Not Part of Play," Says C. L. Willis, Who Beheld Wilkes Booth Leap From Box. The curtain rose for the, third ana out, speaking of the "crack "of a re- last act of the comedy, "Our Ameri- volver," and ''for a few seconds every- can Cousin," at Ford's Theater, in thing was still. A cry, 'The President Tenth street, 64 years ago tonight, is shot,' and the audience stood and "and hardly one word had been looked toward the point from whence spoken," Charles L. Willis, of the Wil- the sound came." lard Court Apartments, "said yester- At the time of the assassination of day, "when the sharp crack of a re- President Lincoln Mr. Willis was a volver was heard." stripling of 18 summers, born in Balti- Mr. Willis is, one of the two or three more but a resident of Washington for persons alive today who was in the four years- "1 thought the world of that man," Abra- historic old theater on the memorable Upper—Ford's Theater; inset, Mr. Willis went on, reminiscing. "He ham Lincoln. night of April 14, 1865. had the kindest eye 1 ever saw in a Lower—Left inset, .). W. Epper- ; "We all knew it was not a part of man's head. I remember that when- son.. Right, Willis. the play," the octogenarian pointed ever he appeared in public I would Charles L. : 1' " ^PP&X.S.t?/^ &, \J, Epperson Viewed Stag* try to se him. And I am proud to say. great, and I made for a piace to avoid that I once shook hands with him." the gathering. I took refuge on the Mr. Willis' story is graphic, first hand, Struggle; porch in front of a house across the Took Drugs an eyewitness account of the scene at street and in a few moments four men the theater the night Lincoln was shot. carrying the wounded President went to President. In his own words let him tell it: up into this same house with him. "On Good Fridcy, April U, 1865, the "In this Washington newspapers stated that house the President died the following morning, Special to The Washington Post. President Lincoln and party would at- April 15, between 7 and 8 o'clock. tend the performance at Ford's Theater Brownwood, Tex., April 13.—The great that evening. The crowd by this time was great. and nyghty of Washington were filing Shouts "Miss Laura Keene, a favorite actress, of "Lynch him," "Hang him," into Ford's Theater on the night "They've of was to appear i the comedy, 'Our got him," were heard all April 14, 1865. American Cousin.' I was then a young around, and the crowd surged fr6m man, 18 years of age, and very fond of side to side. Three newsboys stood near the en- the theater. I suggested to my chum I started toward Pennsylvania ave- trance. Two of them had "sold out' that we go to the iheater that night. nue to take a car for my home on and the third had only one paper left. He readily acceded, ar.d we were a part Capitol Hill. A man said to me, A tall, ungainly of a large audience present on that oc- "What's the matter?" My teeth chat- figure, with long coat casion. The theater was well filled, and tered; I could not speak. I reached and stovepipe hat, stopped and bought the car the audience appreciative and happy. and all were talking of the the remaining paper, smiling at the The first two acts passed off pleasantly, assassination. They said Seward was newsboy. It was the President, Abraham and when the curtain dropped at the killed, Grant was killed. The excite- Lincoln. Secretary Stanton asked foi a close of the second act I suggested to ment among all wpb intense; there was paper, too, and was slightly annoyed friend that the more loud talking my we go out during on that car than in because there intermission." the theater. was none for him. The President and his party pro- As the two young men were on their When I reached home near midnight, ceeded into the theater, leaving the boy way out of the theater, it might be my mother, hearing some tumult, staring after them. The newsboy was well to interrupt the continuity to ex- asked me what was the matter. I J. said, W. Epperson, 11, now a 75-year-old plain that the boyhood chum to whom "Nothing." I feared if I told her carpenter of Brownwood, Tex., one of Mr. Willis refers was John A. Downs, what had been done, she and my father the two or three surviving persons who who has been dead for at least twenty would sleep no more that night. The saw Lincoln assassinated. years, his survivor estimated. Going next morning I went to the Govern- Epperson and his two friends—on* on after the interruption. Mr. Willis ment department where I was em- was named McClelland and the other said ployed and, after telling my experi- Dougherty—both dead long ago pur- "While standing on the pavement in ence, asked to be excused. — I walked chased tickets for the performance, and front of the theater we saw John directly up P street northwest to the climbed to the balcony. It was their Wilkes Booth come out and enter a corner of Tenth street, and looked regular custom. small restaurant adjoining the theater. toward the house where the President When John Wilkes Booth appeared on Booth was a great favorite of all the- lay, and what seems strange to me the stage, one of the boys whispered. atergoers, most especially the young. now, there were no crowds around the "There's that crazy fellow." He was a handsome man, very white place. Later in the day all the Gov- Epperson had sold papers to Booth skin, piercing eyes, and jet black, curly ernment departments closed until after! regularly and many of the theatrical hair. Only a short time before I had the funeral, which occurred on the fol- folk knew them casually. He had sold seen him perform in the same theater, lowing Thursday: a paper to the silent and moody Boo^h with Miss Alice Grey, his last public; When the body of the President was earlier that evening. performance. lying in state in the rotunda of the When the shot was fired the eyes of "My friend and I reentered the the-, Capitol thousands passed through to Epperson and every one in the '.heater ater and resumed our seats, which were review the remains, entering on the west were drawn to the President's box located in the orchestra, our chairs be- ! front, passing in double file and There they saw Secretary Stanton ing not more than seven rows from the leaving on the east side. j struggling with Booth, saw the de- stage and' nearly beneath the box occu- I forced myself through the crowd, mented actor thrown into the lap of a pied by the President and party. As and for the last time I I saw President woman, pick himself up and hurry we entered the theater I saw Booth Lincoln. through the back of the theater. talking to John Buckingham, with Mr. Willis has read more than once, The dazed theatergoers began to stir. whom I was personally acquainted." he said, of the death of some one of Epperson left the balcony and Buckingham, Mr. Willis paused again whom the statement was made, "He squirmed his way to the scene of the to explain, puffing one of the three was the last person who was present excitement. cigars he permits himself each day, was at the theater on the night of the as- When the fatally wounded President the doorman at the theater, as well as i sassination of President Lincoln." Mr was carried out of the theater and to "an employee of my father." Mr. Wil- Willis characterizes such | announce- a house across the street the newsboy lis' father was Cornelius L. Willis. ments as absurd, pointing out that "I followed. "The curtain rose io: the third and was a, little more than 18 years of age Dr. Marshall, the President's physi- last act," the old man took up his and among the audience of more than cian, wanted an errand boy to run to narrative, "and hardly one word had 1,000 there were, no doubt, many of the drug store. He saw Epperson star- been spoken when the sharp crack of my age or under. There may be some ing widfj-eyecl in the street. He called a revolver waa heard. We .'.ll knew that 1 others living who were present." him, and all that night the little it was not a part of the play and for The 18-year-old boy a present at Ford's newsboy ran back and forth carrying few seconds everything was very sti'l. Theater to see the comedy, "Our Amer- medicine for Mr. Lincoln. A cry, 'The President is shot,' the ican Cousin," one and of the very last, at The next day Mr.