Ohio History Journal

OHIO

Archaeological and Historical

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ASSASSINATION OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN

 

BY HONORABLE JAMES R. MORRIS.

[Some years ago Judge James R. Morris, at the request of

Honorable M. B. Archer, now serving his second term in the Ohio

State Senate, wrote on parchment his recollections of the as-

sassination of Abraham Lincoln. This manuscript, appropriately

framed, Senator Archer later presented to the Ohio State

Archaeological and Historical Society, in whose museum and

library building it is now on exhibition. It is believed that the

readers of the QUARTERLY will be interested in the account of

that tragic event from the pen of one who was an eye witness

and former congressman from Ohio.-EDITOR.]

WOODSFIELD, OHIO, July 26, 1897.

HON. M. B. ARCHER - DEAR SIR: - In compliance

with your request I herewith give you my personal recol-

lections of that astounding and ever memorable tragedy,

the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, - one of the

most remarkable men of this, or any other age, or coun-

try - a tragedy that shocked and amazed the civilized

world.

I was not, on the 14th of April, 1865, a member of

Congress as you have thought. My second term, as a

member of that body, expired on the fourth day of the

preceding month. I had gone to Washington with a

friend, Captain W. M. Kerr, on some business of his

connected with his service in the army. On Friday,

April 14th, we had successfully concluded the business

of our trip and decided to visit Ford's theater.

(1)

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2       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications. We were not aware that the President was to be present. As soon as I saw the President and Mrs. Lincoln enter the box in the balcony tier, I called Captain Kerr's attention to the fact. He had never seen the President before and was, naturally, much gratified at

this opportunity of seeing him.  Another lady and gentleman accompanied the President, who I afterward learned were a daughter of Senator Harris, of New York, and a Major Rathbone. Laura Keene and her company were playing "Our American Cousin," and the house was packed, as it was

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Assassination of Abraham Lincoln.    3

her benefit night. The play had progressed for some

time, the curtain had just been rolled up for another act,

and almost immediately thereafter the audience were

startled by the report of a fire arm. I looked up to see

if I could discover from whence the sound came.

I saw the assassin, as he proved to be, in the Presi-

dent's box making for the front. When he had reached

it he placed his hand on the banister and cried out: "Sic

semper tyrannis," and, leaping over, alighted on the

stage, bringing down with him some of the drapery sur-

rounding the box. When he lit he sank nearly to his

knees, as one naturally would in lighting on a solid floor

from a height of eight or ten feet. He soon straightened

up and ran diagonally across the stage and disappeared

behind the wings or scenery and thus escaped.

Captain Kerr asked me: "Did you notice how

deathly pale he looked?" and I answered affirmatively.

When I first saw the assassin in the President's box

after hearing the report of the pistol, I realized what he

had done, especially so after hearing the words he

uttered. I cannot describe the scene that followed.

There was a dead silence for a few moments. The

President fell or leaned forward, and I think his head

rested on the bannister front. Mrs. Lincoln rose partly

to her feet - extending her arms forward and upward,

and uttering some mournful cries or words that I did

not understand.

I jumped up on my chair and cried: "Hang the

scoundrel!" (Using some expletives

not very creditable to myself.) I did not then think he

had had time to make his escape, but that he could or

would be arrested by some of the troupe. As I saw no

one on the stage when the assassin landed on it, it is not

probable that any member of the company really knew

what had happened until the assassin had left the

theater; and this I have since seen stated in the public

prints is really the fact, although one or two of them

saw him running across the stage and had heard the

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4       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications. shot, but did not know until too late, that the President had been assassinated. About this time Major Rathbone, (if I have the name accurately), rose in the President's box and called out: "Is there any surgeon in the house?" Then numbers

were rushing for the stage-many getting upon it. Right before me was a gentleman, whom I took to be an army surgeon, and a lady. He started forward; the lady clung to his arm, exclaiming, "Oh, what will be- come of me!" I tried to pacify her, telling her to let the doctor go - that there was no danger now. Then

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Assassination of Abraham Lincoln.   5

the police came rushing in and commanded all to leave

the theater. I called to one of them to take charge of

the lady, which he did. Two persons were hoisted over

the heads of those who were on the stage into the Presi-

dent's box-whether the gentleman who had been

seated in front of me was one of them I do not know.

The audience seemed to linger as if to learn if the

President had been fatally wounded, but the police in-

sisted on clearing the house. I went out with the crowd,

but remained on the sidewalk until the President was

carried down and across the street to the house where he

died. I then made my way to the police office, and, being

acquainted with the chief, I told him where I had been.

He said: "Morris, it is reduced to a dot that the

assassin is Wilkes Booth, but say nothing about it until

you hear it from other sources.". This was the first

intimation I had who the assassin was. While in the

chief's office other detectives came hurriedly in and told

the chief that Secretary Seward had been assassinated.

I left the chief and made my way back to the square

where the tragedy occurred, but no one was permitted

to pass the place.

Early next morning I went to inquire if the President

still lived, and was told that he was still living but fail-

ing fast. On the early morning train my friend and I

started for home, and when we reached the Relay

House, nine miles from Baltimore, the train stopped and

we were not permitted to leave there until 4 o'clock in

the afternoon. The President had died after we left

Washington and before our arrival at the Relay House.

Very Respectfully Yours,

JAS. R. MORRIS.

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