DC -- Newseum -- Exhibits -- (6) President Lincoln Is Dead:
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Description of Pictures: “President Lincoln Is Dead: The New York Herald Reports the Assassination”
On display through Jan. 10, 2016
To mark the 150th anniversary of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, the Newseum will display an unparalleled collection of New York Herald special editions from April 15, 1865.
The exhibit brings together all seven editions for the first time since 1865, beginning with the 2 a.m. edition, which contained the first Associated Press report that Lincoln had been shot. The display also includes a recently discovered 8:45 a.m. “extra” that was one of the first newspapers to report the president’s death.
With this exclusive exhibit, visitors will be able to view the newspaper’s complete coverage of the tragic event as it unfolded.
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NEWDEA_150214_004.JPG: President Lincoln in Dead
The New York Herald Reports the Assassination
At 10:15pm on April 14, 1865, actor John Wilkes Booth crept into President Abraham Lincoln's box at Ford's Theatre in Washington, DC, drew his pistol and shot the president in the back of the head.
A special report from the Associated Press alerted newspapers to the tragic news. As reporters in Washington scrambled to cover the story, the latest technology -- the telegraph -- spread the news across the country.
The New York Herald -- the nation's most widely read newspaper -- was one fo the first to report that the president has been shot. Over the next 18 hours, the Herald's staff published an unprecedented seven editions -- more than any other newspaper -- reporting details of the shooting. Lincoln's death, the hunt for his assassin and he swearing-in of the new president.
Displayed together for the first time since they were printed 150 years ago, these rare newspapers shed light on the crime of the century and they biggest breaking news story of its time.
NEWDEA_150214_015.JPG: New York Herald
April 15, 1865 -- 2am edition
NEWDEA_150214_021.JPG: April 15, 1865, 2am edition
The President is Shot:
On April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln and his wife, Mary, were enjoying a play at Washington's Ford's Theatre when actor John Wilkes Booth crept into the president's box and shot him. The news reached The New York Herald by telegraph in time for its 2am edition. The Herald was one of the first newspapers to report the shooting.
John Wilkes Booth shot the president at Ford's Theatre as the Lincolns were watching a comedy with their friends, Major Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris. Lincoln's bodyguard had gone to a nearby saloon to drink, and the president's valet let the famous actor enter the theater box.
NEWDEA_150214_026.JPG: The President is Shot
April 15, 1865 2am edition
The First Report:
Associated Press Washington bureau chief Lawrence Gobright, right, broke the news of the shooting in this report, which appeared in The New York Herald's first edition. Gobright was working late at his office, blocks from Ford's Theatre, when a theatregoer burst in with the news that Lincoln had been shot. Gobright fired off this 13-word bulletin at a nearby telegraph office before racing to the theater to gather details of the crime.
The Official Report:
This dispatch from Secretary of War Edwin Stanton was the first official report of the shooting. Earlier that evening, Stanton, right, ignored warnings about his own safety to get to the Petersen House, where Lincoln lay dying. As doctors surrounded the president, Stanton took control of the crisis, interviewing witnesses to the attack. At 1:30am, he sent his report to the War Department's telegraph office, which released it to the Associated Press. Stanton's concise report, describing the attacks on Lincoln and Secretary of State William Seward, became the model for breaking news stories.
NEWDEA_150214_030.JPG: Important.
Assassination of President Lincoln.
The President Shot at the Theatre Last Evening.
Secretary Seward daggered in his bed, but not mortally wounded.
Clarence and Frederick Seward Badly Hurt.
Escape of the Assassins.
Intense Excitement in Washington.
Scene at the Deathbed of Mr. Lincoln.
J. Wilkes Booth, the Actor, the Alleged Assassin of the President.
NEWDEA_150214_036.JPG: The Official Despatch
War Department
Washington, April 15 -- 1:30am
Major General Dix, New York:
This evening at about 9:30pm, at Ford's Theatre, the President, while sitting in his private box with Mrs. Lincoln, Mrs. Harris and Major Rathburn, was shot by an assassin, who suddenly entered the box and approached behind the President.
The assassin then leaped upon the stage, brandishing a large dagger or knife, and made his escape in the rear of the theatre.
The pistol ball entered the back of the President's head and penetrated nearly through his head. The wound is mortal.
The President has been insensible ever since it was inflicted, and is now dying.
About the same hour an assassin, whether the same or not, entered Mr. Seward's apartments, and under pretence of having a prescription was shown to the Secretary's sick chamber. The assassin immediately rushed to the bed and inflected two or three stags on the throat and two on the face.
It is hoped the wounds may no [sic] be mortal. My apprehension is that they will prove fatal.
The nurse alarmed Mr. Frederick Seward, who was in an adjoining room, and he hastened to the door of his father's room, when he met the assassin, who inflicted upon him one or more dangerous wounds. The recovery of Frederick Seward is doubtful.
It is not probably that the President will live through the night.
General Grant and wife were advertised to be at the theatre this evening, but he started to Burlington at six o'clock this evening.
At a Cabinet meeting, at which General Grant was present, the subject of the state of the country and the prospect of a speedy peace were discussed. The President was very cheerful and hopeful, and spoke very kindly of General Lee and others of the confederacy, and of the establishment of government in Virginia.
All the members of the Cabinet except Mr. Seward, are now in attendance upon the President.
I have seen Mr. Seward, but he and Frederick were both unconscious.
Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War
NEWDEA_150214_044.JPG: The First Report:
Associated Press Washington bureau chief Lawrence Gobright, right, broke the news of the shooting in this report, which appeared in The New York Herald's first edition. Gobright was working late at his office, blocks from Ford's Theatre, when a theatregoer burst in with the news that Lincoln had been shot. Gobright fired off this 13-word bulletin at a nearby telegraph office before racing to the theater to gather details of the crime.
The Press Despatches
Washington, April 15 -- 12:30am
The President was shot in a theatre to-night, and is perhaps mortally wounded.
The Official Report:
This dispatch from Secretary of War Edwin Stanton was the first official report of the shooting. Earlier that evening, Stanton, right, ignored warnings about his own safety to get to the Petersen House, where Lincoln lay dying. As doctors surrounded the president, Stanton took control of the crisis, interviewing witnesses to the attack. At 1:30am, he sent his report to the War Department's telegraph office, which released it to the Associated Press. Stanton's concise report, describing the attacks on Lincoln and Secretary of State William Seward, became the model for breaking news stories.
NEWDEA_150214_053.JPG: Details of the Shooting:
At Ford's Threatre, Associated Press reporter Lawrence Gobright saw the blood on Lincoln's chair and examined the murder weapon, a small .44-caliber derringer pistol.
Wild rumors were circulating about other attacks on members of Lincoln's Cabinet. One was true -- Secretary of State William Seward had been stabbed at his home near the White House. Seward survived, but he was badly wounded. Gobright went to the scene to interview witnesses.
Across the street from Ford's Theatre, armed guards barred reporters from William Petersen's boardinghouse, where the dying president has been taken. Gobright interviewed more witnesses before writing his story "with trembling and nervous fingers." Transmitted by telegraph at 1:30am, an hour after his first report, his story arrived in New York just in time for The New York Herald's first edition of the day.
The same night that Lincoln was shot at Ford's Theatre, Secretary of State William Seward was attacked at his home. This illustration appeared in the National Police Gazette a week later.
NEWDEA_150214_057.JPG: Celebration Turns to Sorrow
April 14, 1865
The president's assassination horrified a city that was alive with celebration. Five days earlier, Confederate Gen> Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Va., after four years of bloody civil war.
During Act 3 of the comedy "Our American Cousin," a gunshot rang out. A stunned theatregoer cried, "The president is shot!" At left is a playbill for the performance.
Three nights before the assassination, Lincoln addressed a crowd gathered outside the White House. In the audience, John Wilkes Booth heard Lincoln's remarks about giving black men the vote and vowed, "That is the last speech he will make."
NEWDEA_150214_066.JPG: Did You Know?
As the head of wartime censorship, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton jailed journalists -- including New York Herald reporters -- on charges of treason and spying. His efforts to control war news caused an uproar over the suppression of free speech.
NEWDEA_150214_087.JPG: A Suspect is Named:
Shortly after 3am, The New York Herald issued this special edition with updates on Abraham Lincoln's condition and the ongoing investigation. For the first time, actor John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer, was officially identified as the chief suspect in the shooting.
After shooting Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth leaped onto the stage at Ford's Theatre and cried out "Sic semper tyrannis" -- "Thus always to tyrants" -- before escaping on horseback.
NEWDEA_150214_099.JPG: The Latest News
Secretary Stanton to General Dix.
War Department,
Washington, April 15 -- 3am
Major General Dix, New York --
The President still breathes, but it quite insensible, as he has been ever since he was shot. He evidently did not see the person who shot him, but was looking on the stage, as he was approached from behind.
Mr. Seward has rallied, and it is hoped he may live.
Frederick Seward's condition is very critical.
The attendant who was present was shot through the lungs, and is not expected to live.
The wounds of Major Seward are not serious.
Investigation strongly indicates J. Wilkes Booth as the assassin of the President. Whether it was the same or different person that attempted to murder Mr. Seward remains in doubt.
Chief Justice Carlter is engaged in taking the evidence.
Every exertion has been made to prevent the escape of the murderer. His horse has been found on the road near Washington.
-- Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War
Our Special Washington Despatch, Washington, April 15, 1865
When the fatal shot was fired, Mrs. Lincoln, who was alongside of her husband, exclaimed, "Oh! why didn't they shoot me -- why didn't they shoot me?"
There is evidence that Secretary Stanton was also marked for assassination. On receipt of intelligence at the War Department of the attack on the President, two employees of the department were sent to summon the Secretary. Just as they approached his home, a man jumped out from behind a tree box in front of the house...
NEWDEA_150214_102.JPG: John Wilkes Booth is Identified:
Secretary of War Edwin Stanton named John Wilkes Booth the chief suspect in the attack on the president in a 3am telegram, confirming earlier reports. Stanton said the assassin's horse had been found near Washington. In fact, the horse belonged to one of Booth's co-conspirators.
"Investigation strongly indicates J. Wilkes Booth as the assassin of the President."
-- Secretary of War Edwin Stanton in The New York Herald
"His Condition is Utterly Hopeless":
A report issued at 2:12am revealed details of the attack on Lincoln as he clung to life, a bullet lodged in his brain.
A Suspect in Custody?
In the race to report the news, The New York Herald published rumors as well as facts. This report said "it is rumored" that assassin John Wilkes Booth was in custody. In fact, he had escaped Washington and was on the run in southern Maryland.
Did You Know?
In 1865, the word "assassination" meant a surprise attack or attempt to kill. Lincoln was the first American president to be assassinated. Since his death, the word has come to mean the murder of a politician or other prominent person.
NEWDEA_150214_106.JPG: One O'Clock am
The President is perfectly senseless, and there is not the slightest hope of his surviving. Physicians believe that he will die before morning. All of his Cabinet, except Secretary Seward, are with him. Speaker Colfax, Senator Farwell, of Maine, and many other gentlemen, are also at the house awaiting the termination.
NEWDEA_150214_111.JPG: Death of the President
April 15, 1865
8:45am Extra
NEWDEA_150214_116.JPG: News on Lincoln's death was telegraphed from his office, one of several commercial telegraphs operating in Washington in 1865. One telegraph operator said, "It seemed to us... whose fingers manipulated the keys, that never sadder signals formed."
Julius Ulke, who lived at the Petersen House, captured this photo of Lincoln's deathbed minutes after the president's body was removed.
NEWDEA_150214_122.JPG: "Abraham Lincoln Died This Morning"
The news arrived in a one-sentence statement from Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, who was at Lincoln's side when he died. Throughout Washington, church bells rang out in mourning.
Lincoln's Deathbed:
Minutes after the president's body was removed to the White House, Julius Ulke, a boarder at the Petersen House, took the only known photograph of Lincoln's deathbed, bottom left. Unseen for nearly a century, this haunting photo shows the blood-soaked bed in the morning light. Newspapers did not have the capacity to reproduce photos until 1869, but they did publish illustrations of Lincoln's deathbed.
NEWDEA_150214_124.JPG: Extra.
Saturday, April 15, 8:45 o'Clock am
Death of the President!!
Secretary Stanton to General Dix
War Department, Washington, April 15, 1865
To Major General Dix, New York:
Abraham Lincoln died this morning at twenty-two minutes after seven o'clock.
Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War
NEWDEA_150214_126.JPG: Death of the President:
Less than 90 minutes after Abraham Lincoln died, The New York Herald issued this "extra" edition, one of the first to report the president's death.
This illustration of the president's deathbed was published in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper two weeks after Lincoln's death. Artist Albert Berghaus used a photograph of the room to reconstruct the details of the scene.
NEWDEA_150214_129.JPG: Extra.
Saturday, April 15, 8:45 o'Clock am
Death of the President!!
Secretary Stanton to General Dix
War Department, Washington, April 15, 1865
To Major General Dix, New York:
Abraham Lincoln died this morning at twenty-two minutes after seven o'clock.
Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War
The Rebels.
Jeff. Davis at Danville.
His Latest Appeal to His Deluded Followers.
He Thinks the Fall of Richmond a Blessing in Disguise, as It Leaves the Rebel Armies Free to Move from Point to Point.
He Vainly Promises to Hold Virginia at All Hazards.
Lee and His Army Supposed to be Safe.
Breckinridge and the Rest of Davis' Cabinet Reach Danville Safely.
NEWDEA_150214_136.JPG: Important.
Assassination of President Lincoln.
The President Shot at the Theatre Last Evening.
Secretary Seward daggered in his bed, but not mortally wounded.
Clarence and Frederick Seward Badly Hurt.
NEWDEA_150214_140.JPG: This illustration of the president's deathbed was published in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper two weeks after Lincoln's death. Artist Albert Berghaus used a photograph of the room to reconstruct the details of the scene.
NEWDEA_150214_141.JPG: Uncovering the Plot:
Details of the plot to assassinate the president emerged in The New York Herald's 10am edition. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton reported the discovery of a letter in John Wilkes Booth's room at the National Hotel -- today the site of the Newseum -- containing details of the conspiracy and implicating accomplices.
To Co-Conspirators:
David Herold, George Atzerodt, Lewis Powell and Mary Surratt (top row) were hanged for their roles in the conspiracy. Surratt was the first woman to be executed by the US government. Michael O'Laughlin, Samuel Arnold, Samuel Mudd and Edman Spangler (bottom row) were imprisoned for their roles in the crime.
April 15, 1865 10am edition
NEWDEA_150214_153.JPG: Death of the President!
Secretary Station to General Dix.
War Department
Washington, April 15 -- 4:10am
To Major General Dix:
The President continues insensible and sinking.
Secretary Seward remains without change.
Frederick Sewall's skull is fractured in two places, besides a severe cut upon the head. The attendant is still alive but hopeless. Major Seward's wounds not dangerous.
It is now ascertained with reasonable certainty that two assassins were engaged in the horrible crime, Wilkes Booth being the one that shot the President, and the other a companion of his whose name is not known, but whose description is so clear that he can hardly escape.
It appears from a letter found in Booth's trunk that the murder was planned before the 4th of March, but fell through then because the accomplice backed out until "Richmond could be heard from."
NEWDEA_150214_168.JPG: Evidence linking John Wilkes Booth to the crime was discovered in his room at Washington's National Hotel, on the site now occupied by the Newseum. The building also housed a commercial telegraph office and the War Department's official news censor.
This letter, sent to John Wilkes Booth by co-conspirator Samuel Arnold, was discovered in Booth's trunk at the National Hotel. It was later used to convict Arnold of complicity in the assassination.
NEWDEA_150214_172.JPG: A Letter Details the Conspiracy:
A letter found in John Wilkes Booth's hotel room, referred to in this report by Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, showed that the conspirators had been plotting against Lincoln for months. The letter's author, Samuel Arnold, was sentenced to life in prison but was later pardoned.
Sign of Mourning:
In the 1860s, newspapers used heavy black borders to denote tragic news.
Did You Know?
Angered by Abraham Lincoln's war on the South, John Wilkes Booth and his accomplices initially planned to kidnap the president for ransom. Later, the plot turned to murder. Eight co-conspirators were convicted; four of them were hanged.
NEWDEA_150214_176.JPG: Six days after the shooting, the reward was boosted to $100,000. This notice was posted on Pennsylvania Avenue and other prominent locations.
$10,000 Reward:
The $10,000 reward for the president's assassin was later raised to $100,000.
Washington Mourns:
In Washington, church bells tolls and government offices and business remained closed. The night before, thousands kept an all-night vigil in the streets awaiting news of the president's condition.
"The most profound sensation prevails here, and the deepest realization of the irreparable loss which the nation has sustained pervades the minds of the people."
-- Special Washington Dispatch, The New York Herald
Mourners gather outside the White House. More than 25,000 people visited the White House to see Lincoln lying in state.
Ford's Theatre was draped in black after the assassination. The theater remained closed for more than 100 years.
NEWDEA_150214_183.JPG: $10,000 Reward:
The $10,000 reward for the president's assassin was later raised to $100,000.
Washington Mourns:
In Washington, church bells tolls and government offices and business remained closed. The night before, thousands kept an all-night vigil in the streets awaiting news of the president's condition.
"The most profound sensation prevails here, and the deepest realization of the irreparable loss which the nation has sustained pervades the minds of the people."
-- Special Washington Dispatch, The New York Herald
NEWDEA_150214_184.JPG: Ten Thousand Dollars Reward Offered for the Arrest of the Assassins
NEWDEA_150214_186.JPG: Wanted: John Wilkes Booth:
Thick black borders, a symbol of mourning, framed the front page of The New York Herald's 10am "reward edition." Headlines announced a $10,00 reward for the capture of assassin John Wilkes Booth and his accomplices.
This image of Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth, appeared on the reward posted at far left.
April 15, 1865 10am "Reward Edition"
NEWDEA_150214_193.JPG: Death of the President!!
Condition of Secretary Seward.
Ten Thousand Dollars Reward Offered for the Arrest of the Assassins.
J. Wilkes Booth Identified as the Murderer of the President, &c., &c., &c.
NEWDEA_150214_199.JPG: Important.
Assassination of President Lincoln.
The President Shot at the Theatre Last Evening.
Secretary Seward Daggered in His Bed, but not mortally wounded.
Escape of the Assassins.
Intense Excitement in Washington.
Scene at the Deathbed of Mr. Lincoln.
J. Wilkes Booth, the Actor, the Alleged Assassin of the President, &c., &c., &c.
NEWDEA_150214_207.JPG: Extra.
Saturday, April 15, 2 o'Clock pm
The National Calamity.
The Condition of Secretary Seward and His Sons.
Frederick Seward Not Expected to Recover.
Additional Particulars of the Assassination of President Lincoln
[Note: Frederick Powell survived the attack, served as the Assistant Secretary of State twice, and died in 1915.]
NEWDEA_150214_209.JPG: A New President Takes Office
April 15, 1865 2 pm Edition
A New President Takes Office:
By the 2pm edition, news of Abraham Lincoln's assassination filled The New York Herald's front page. With Page One locked in type, editors pushed the latest news to this back page, where headlines reported the swearing-in of Vice President Andrew Johnson hours after Lincoln's death.
Vice President Andrew Jackson took the presidential oath of office in his room at Washington's Kirkwood House hotel.
April 15, 1865 2pm Edition
Wrong Date:
In the rush to report the news, The New York Herald printed the wrong date at the top of the back page of its 2pm edition, listing Friday, April 14, instead of Saturday, April 15.
Mounting Evidence:
The New York Herald reprinted news from Washington's Daily Chronicle about evidence found at the crime scenes. John Wilkes Booth's hat and spur were found at Ford's Theatre, and a hat and a rusty revolver belonging to co-conspirator Lewis Powell, also known as Lewis Payne, were found at Secretary of State William Seward's house. Seward survived Powell's attack.
A Grieving Nation:
As news of Lincoln's assassination spread across the country, flags flew at half-staff. Businesses and theaters remained closed. On Wall Street, a group of prominent businessmen issued a statement calling the news a "calamity not to this nation alone, but to the civilized world."
"All is the deepest gloom and sadness. Strong men weep in the streets."
NEWDEA_150214_212.JPG: A New President Takes Office:
By the 2pm edition, news of Abraham Lincoln's assassination filled The New York Herald's front page. With Page One locked in type, editors pushed the latest news to this back page, where headlines reported the swearing-in of Vice President Andrew Johnson hours after Lincoln's death.
Vice President Andrew Jackson took the presidential oath of office in his room at Washington's Kirkwood House hotel.
NEWDEA_150214_216.JPG: Vice President Andrew Jackson took the presidential oath of office in his room at Washington's Kirkwood House hotel.
NEWDEA_150214_217.JPG: Inauguration of Vice President Johnson as President of the United States.
Washington, April 15 -- 12 o'clock. Andrew Johnson was sword into office as President of the United States by Chief Justice Chase to-day at eleven o'clock.
Secretary McCulloch and Attorney General Speed and others were present.
President Johnson's Speech.
He remarked:
"The duties are mine. I will perform them, trusting in god."
NEWDEA_150214_220.JPG: Wrong Date:
In the rush to report the news, The New York Herald printed the wrong date at the top of the back page of its 2pm edition, listing Friday, April 14, instead of Saturday, April 15.
Mounting Evidence:
The New York Herald reprinted news from Washington's Daily Chronicle about evidence found at the crime scenes. John Wilkes Booth's hat and spur were found at Ford's Theatre, and a hat and a rusty revolver belonging to co-conspirator Lewis Powell, also known as Lewis Payne, were found at Secretary of State William Seward's house. Seward survived Powell's attack.
A Grieving Nation:
As news of Lincoln's assassination spread across the country, flags flew at half-staff. Businesses and theaters remained closed. On Wall Street, a group of prominent businessmen issued a statement calling the news a "calamity not to this nation alone, but to the civilized world."
"All is the deepest gloom and sadness. Strong men weep in the streets."
-- The New York Herald
Lincoln's Final Hours Detailed:
Dr. Ezra Abbott was at the president's deathbed and took detailed notes on Lincoln's condition during his final hours, including his pulse and breathing rate. The New York Herald reprinted the doctor's notes from Washington's Evening Star.
"Six o'clock -- Pulse; respiration twenty-eight.
Half-past six -- Still failing and labored breathing.
Seven o'clock -- Symptoms of immediate dissolution.
Twenty-two minutes past seven -- Death."
-- The New York Herald
President Johnson's Speech:
Sword in as president in Washington's Kirkwood House hotel, where he lived, Andrew Johnson said, "The duties are mine. I will perform them, trusting in God."
NEWDEA_150214_226.JPG: New York Herald, Friday, April 14, 1865 [wrong date]
NEWDEA_150214_229.JPG: The following minutes, taken by Dr Abbott, show the condition of the Late President throughout the night:
Eleven o'clock -- Pulse 44.
Five minutes past eleven -- Pulse 46 and growing weaker.
Ten minutes past eleven -- Pulse 45.
Quarter past eleven -- Pulse 42.
Twenty minutes past eleven -- Pulse 49, respiration 27 to 29.
Twenty-five minutes past eleven -- Pulse 42.
Thirty-two minutes past eleven -- Pulse 48 and full.
Forty minutes past eleven -- Pulse 45.
Quarter to twelve -- Pulse 45, respiration 22.
Twelve o'clock -- Pulse 48. respiration 22.
Quarter-past twelve -- Pulse 48, respiration 2l, Echmos both yes.
Half-past twelve -- Pulse 48.
Thirty-two minutes past twelve -- Pulse 60.
Thirty-five minutes past twelve -- Pulse 66.
Forty minutes past twelve -- Pulse 69, right eye much swollen and coh...
Fortv-five minutes past twelve -- Pulse 70.
Fifty five minutes past, twelve -- Pulse 80, struggling motion of arms.
One o'clock -- Pulse 86, respiration 30.
Half past one -- Pulse 96, appearing easier.
Forty-five minutes past one -- Pulse 86; very quiet; respiration irregular Mrs. Lincoln present.
T«n minutes past two -- Mrs. Lincoln retired with Robert Lincoln to an adjoining room.
Half-past two -- President very quiet; pulse 54; respiration 38.
Fifty-two minutes past two -- Pulse 48; respiration 30.
Three o'clock -- Visited again by Mrs. Lincoln.
Twenty-five minutes past three -- Respiration 24, and regular.
Thirty-five minutes past three -- Prayer by the Rev. Dr. Gurley.
Four o'clock -- Respiration hard; regular.
Quarter past four -- Pulse 60; respiration 25.
Fifty minutes past five -- Respiration 2S, regular; sleeping.
Six o'clock -- Pulse failing; respiration 28.
NEWDEA_150214_236.JPG: Crowds gather outside the New York Stock Exchange. Across the country, many businesses closed for a period of national mourning.
NEWDEA_150214_240.JPG: Among the crime scene evidence described in The New York Herald was an "old rusty navy revolver" dropped by co-conspirator Lewis Powell during his attack on Secretary of State William Seward.
NEWDEA_150214_248.JPG: Extra.
Saturday, April 15, 3:30 o'Clock pm
The National Calamity.
Capture of Booth.
The Condition of Secretary Seward and His Sons.
Frederick Seward Not Expected to Recover.
Additional Particulars of the Assassination of President Lincoln
NEWDEA_150214_250.JPG: Inauguration of Vice President Johnson as President of the United States.
Washington, April 15 -- 12 o'clock. Andrew Johnson was sword into office as President of the United States by Chief Justice Chase to-day at eleven o'clock.
Secretary McCulloch and Attorney General Speed and others were present.
President Johnson's Speech.
He remarked:
"The duties are mine. I will perform them, trusting in god."
NEWDEA_150214_253.JPG: The Hunt for the Assassin:
Nearly 18 hours after Abraham Lincoln's assassination, The New York Herald printed its seventh and final edition of the day. With front-page news locked in place, the latest reports were added to the back page. Headlines falsely announced the arrest of the assassin John Wilkes Booth. In fact, the manhunt would drag on for another 11 days.
On April 26, assassin John Wilkes Booth and co-conspirator David Herold were cornered in a Virginia tobacco barn, which was set on fire by federal troops. Booth, left, was shot and killed. Herold, right, was captured and later hanged for his role in the crime.
April 15, 1865 3:30 pm edition
NEWDEA_150214_257.JPG: On April 26, assassin John Wilkes Booth and co-conspirator David Herold were cornered in a Virginia tobacco barn, which was set on fire by federal troops. Booth, left, was shot and killed. Herold, right, was captured and later hanged for his role in the crime.
NEWDEA_150214_260.JPG: Arrest of J. Wilks Booth:
Telegram -- Saturday, 12:30pm
John Wilks Booth, towards whom the evidence conclusively points as the assassin of the President, has been arrested near Baltimore, and will be placed for safe keeping on board a Monitor at the Navy Yard here, which will be anchored in the stream.
The indignation of the people is so intense than an attempt to confine him in any prison would lead to a sanguinary conflict between the people and the guard.
The condition of Secretary Seward remains unchanged. Fred. Seward is still insensible. The surgeons will not give an opinion as to the result of his wounds. The other wounded are doing well.
Vice President Johnson was sworn in at his rooms at the Kirkwood House, a few minutes before eleven o'clock. He will probably issue a proclamation to the people in the course of a few hours.
A Cabinet meeting is now in session at the office of Secretary McCulloch, in the Treasury building. All business is suspended, and the people throng the streets, notwithstanding the rain, which is falling from time to time. A number of parties have been arrested and are held in custody for uttering disloyal language.
NEWDEA_150214_265.JPG: False Report of an Arrest:
A report in The New York Herald claimed that John Wilkes Booth had been arrested near Baltimore and imprisoned on an ironclad warship in Washington's Navy Yard. But Booth and his accomplice David Herold eluded searchers, eventually crossing the Potomac River from southern Maryland into Virginia. On April 26, they were surrounded by federal troops in a tobacco barn near Port Royal, Va. Booth was shot and killed. Herold surrendered and was later hanged as a co-conspirator.
Funeral Preparations:
As the country mourned, The New York Herald covered preparations for a national funeral. More than 25,000 people paid their respects to the fallen president at the White House. A funeral train returned Lincoln's body to his hometown of Springfield, Ill., on a 12-day trip that witnessed the largest outpouring of grief the nation had ever seen.
Thousands flanked Washington's Pennsylvania Avenue on April 19 to watch Lincoln's funeral procession from the White House to the US Capitol.
An estimated 7 million people -- nearly one in four Americans -- saw Lincoln's funeral train on its 1,700-mile journey to the president's final resting place in Springfield, Ill.
The only known image of Lincoln in death was captured by photographer Jeremiah Gurney Jr. as the president lay in state at New York's City Hall on April 24. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton ordered the photo destroyed but one print survived.
Some Celebrate Lincoln's Death:
In the aftermath of the bitter Civil War, not everyone grieved Lincoln's death. The New York Herald reported people being arrested for celebrating the news in Washington and in Poughkeepsie, NY. An update from Louisiana in Texas's Galveston Daily News noted "All cheerful here" when reporting the assassination.
NEWDEA_150214_269.JPG: False Report of an Arrest:
A report in The New York Herald claimed that John Wilkes Booth had been arrested near Baltimore and imprisoned on an ironclad warship in Washington's Navy Yard. But Booth and his accomplice David Herold eluded searchers, eventually crossing the Potomac River from southern Maryland into Virginia. On April 26, they were surrounded by federal troops in a tobacco barn near Port Royal, Va. Booth was shot and killed. Herold surrendered and was later hanged as a co-conspirator.
Funeral Preparations:
As the country mourned, The New York Herald covered preparations for a national funeral. More than 25,000 people paid their respects to the fallen president at the White House. A funeral train returned Lincoln's body to his hometown of Springfield, Ill., on a 12-day trip that witnessed the largest outpouring of grief the nation had ever seen.
Thousands flanked Washington's Pennsylvania Avenue on April 19 to watch Lincoln's funeral procession from the White House to the US Capitol.
NEWDEA_150214_272.JPG: Thousands flanked Washington's Pennsylvania Avenue on April 19 to watch Lincoln's funeral procession from the White House to the US Capitol.
NEWDEA_150214_274.JPG: An estimated 7 million people -- nearly one in four Americans -- saw Lincoln's funeral train on its 1,700-mile journey to the president's final resting place in Springfield, Ill.
The only known image of Lincoln in death was captured by photographer Jeremiah Gurney Jr. as the president lay in state at New York's City Hall on April 24. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton ordered the photo destroyed but one print survived.
Some Celebrate Lincoln's Death:
In the aftermath of the bitter Civil War, not everyone grieved Lincoln's death. The New York Herald reported people being arrested for celebrating the news in Washington and in Poughkeepsie, NY. An update from Louisiana in Texas's Galveston Daily News noted "All cheerful here" when reporting the assassination.
NEWDEA_150214_277.JPG: Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie, April 15, 1865.
Intense excitement prevailed here this morning in relation to the national disaster. A woman named Frisbee exulted in public over the assassination of the President, when the house, in Main street, in which she resided, was immediately surrounded by several hundred infuriated people, who demanded her immediate arrest. A young man named Denton interfered with the mob, when he was immediately throttled, and, together with the woman, was handed over to the authorities, who lodged them in jail. This being accomplished the populace quickly dispersed.
NEWDEA_150214_294.JPG: This fake edition of The New York Herald features an illustration of Abraham Lincoln. No such image appeared in the 1865 newspaper.
NEWDEA_150214_297.JPG: A Famous Fake:
The New York Herald's coverage of Abraham Lincoln's assassination is one of the most-copied newspapers in American history. Many of the reprints were produced for advertising purposes, not as forgeries to deceive collectors. Some copies date back as far as 1876, America's centennial. The real newspaper was printed on rag paper, which does not yellow and crumble with age like modern pulp-based newsprint.
NEWDEA_150214_309.JPG: War Department Telegraph Office:
Secretary of War Edwin Stanton's telegrams were transmitted from this telegraph office.
The White House:
Lincoln's body lay in state in the East Room of the White House.
William Seward's House:
Secretary of State William Seward and two of his sons were attacked here by an accomplice of John Wilkes Booth.
Petersen House:
Lincoln died in William Petersen's boardinghouse, across the street from Ford's Theatre.
Ford's Theatre:
John Wilkes Booth leaped from the president's box onto the stage after shooting Lincoln.
Associated Press Office:
Associated Press reporter Lawrence Gobright was working late when he heard that Lincoln had been shot.
Kirkwood House Hotel:
Vice President Andrew Johnson was sworn in as president in his room at this hotel, where he lived.
The New York Herald Office:
The New York Herald's Washington bureau was on 14th Street's Newspaper Row.
National Hotel:
John Wilkes Booth stayed here the night before he killed Lincoln. Today, the Newseum occupies the site.
NEWDEA_150214_326.JPG: Reporting the News in 1865
A newsboy hawks The New York Herald on the streets of New York in this illustration form Harper's Bazaar.
The New York Herald:
In 1865, The New York Herald was the nation's most widely read newspaper. Brimming with gossip, scandal, crime, sports, weather and stock reports, the Herald boasted more than 100,000 daily readers -- twice as many as its influential competitor, the New York Tribune. Publisher James Gordon Bennett, a fiery Scottish immigrant, spared no expense to report the news. The latest high-seed presses and an unrivaled team of reporters ensured that the Herald was rarely scooped. A fleet of hired boats netted the freshest overseas news from incoming ships, and special trains sped Herald reporters to the front lines of the Civil War.
The New York Herald's high-speed presses could print 16,000 sheets an hour.
New York Herald publisher James Gordon Bennett was one of Lincoln's harshest critics, with a reputation as a sensationalist and a racist. He also was one of the most influential publishers of the era, pioneering such aspects of modern journalist as interviews with newsmakers and the use of foreign correspondents.
Washington reporters race to file their stories via telegraph in this engraving from Harper's Weekly.
A News-Breaking Invention:
The invention of the telegraph revolutionized the news business. Before the 1840s, news traveled by horse, ship or locomotive, often taking days or weeks to reach readers. By 1846, New York and Washington were linked by telegraph. The completion of the transcontinental telegraph in 1861 meant news could travel from coast to coast in minutes. During the Civil War, reporters used the telegraph to relay breaking news from the battlefield.
Telegraph Key:
Long before email and text messages, telegraph keys like this one were used to send messages over long distances. A telegraph operator tapped out a message using Morse code, which transforms letters and numbers into a series of dots and dashes. The code was transmitted along telegraph lines as a series of electric pulses. At the other end, a device called a "sounder" transformed the pulses into clicking sounds, which were decoded into words by a telegraph operator.
NEWDEA_150214_329.JPG: The New York Herald's high-speed presses could print 16,000 sheets an hour.
NEWDEA_150214_333.JPG: New York Herald publisher James Gordon Bennett was one of Lincoln's harshest critics, with a reputation as a sensationalist and a racist. He also was one of the most influential publishers of the era, pioneering such aspects of modern journalist as interviews with newsmakers and the use of foreign correspondents.
NEWDEA_150214_335.JPG: A newsboy hawks The New York Herald on the streets of New York in this illustration form Harper's Bazaar.
NEWDEA_150214_342.JPG: Washington reporters race to file their stories via telegraph in this engraving from Harper's Weekly.
NEWDEA_150214_346.JPG: A News-Breaking Invention:
The invention of the telegraph revolutionized the news business. Before the 1840s, news traveled by horse, ship or locomotive, often taking days or weeks to reach readers. By 1846, New York and Washington were linked by telegraph. The completion of the transcontinental telegraph in 1861 meant news could travel from coast to coast in minutes. During the Civil War, reporters used the telegraph to relay breaking news from the battlefield.
Telegraph Key:
Long before email and text messages, telegraph keys like this one were used to send messages over long distances. A telegraph operator tapped out a message using Morse code, which transforms letters and numbers into a series of dots and dashes. The code was transmitted along telegraph lines as a series of electric pulses. At the other end, a device called a "sounder" transformed the pulses into clicking sounds, which were decoded into words by a telegraph operator.
Test Your Telegraph Skills:
"The President was shot in a theatre tonight, and is perhaps mortally wounded."
The Associated Press sent this 13-word message by telegraph to break the news of Lincoln's assassination. Use this telegraph key and the Morse code chart at left to test your skills. To make a dot, tap and release the telegraph key quickly. To make a dash, hold the key down longer before releasing it.
NEWDEA_150214_352.JPG: Newspaper Row on 14th Street was home to the Washington bureaus of may out-of-town newspapers, including The New York Herald, at center.
Washington's Newspaper Row:
The Civil War transformed Washington from a quiet town with only a handful of full-time journalists into a hub or war news, buzzing with scores of reporters. The center of activity was 14th Street's Newspaper Row, where The New York Herald and other out-of-town newspapers were conveniently located near a telegraph office and the saloons of E Street's Rum Row. Washington had several influential newspapers, including the Daily Chronicle, National Intelligencer and Evening Star, but none could compete with the power and reach of The New York Herald. In the tense hours after Lincoln's assassination, Washington's newspapers kept anxious readers informed with special editions reporting the latest news.
Did You Know?
Dates and times were printed at the top of breaking news stories to alert readers to the most recent news. Historians refer to the seven editions of the April 15, 1865, New York Herald by the latest times in each edition.
The Associated Press Breaks the News:
A news bulletin from Associated Press Washington bureau chief Lawrence Gobright alerted The New York Herald and the world that Abraham Lincoln had been shot. The AP was a news cooperative founded in 1846 by five New York newspapers, including the Herald, to share the costs of reporting the Mexican-American War. In 1865, the government issued official announcements to the AP, which transmitted them to newspapers across the country.
How News Was Different:
When major news stories broke, newspapers would often issue several "extra" editions over the course of a day to report the latest updates. But newspaper stories were set in metal type and locked in place on a page, and it was difficult to revise them quickly. Editors added new stories to old ones on the front page, and often pushed new developments to the back page when the front page was full. Another important difference was fact-checking. In 1865, newspapers sometimes printed conflicting accounts on the same page and often reported rumors as fact. Some reports carried the caveat "important if true."
Teacher Alert! Find free educational resources about Abraham Lincoln, Civil War journalism and the speed of news at newseumdigitalclassroom.org .
NEWDEA_150214_360.JPG: Newspaper Row on 14th Street was home to the Washington bureaus of may out-of-town newspapers, including The New York Herald, at center.
NEWDEA_151205_013.JPG: War Department Telegraph Office:
Secretary of War Edwin Stanton's telegrams were transmitted from this telegraph office.
The White House:
Lincoln's body lay in state in the East Room of the White House.
William Seward's House:
Secretary of State William Seward and two of his sons were attacked here by an accomplice of John Wilkes Booth.
The New York Herald Office:
The New York Herald's Washington bureau was on 14th Street's Newspaper Row.
Petersen House:
Lincoln died in William Petersen's boardinghouse, across the street from Ford's Theatre.
Ford's Theatre:
John Wilkes Booth leaped from the president's box onto the stage after shooting Lincoln.
Kirkwood House Hotel:
Vice President Andrew Johnson was sworn in as president in his room at this hotel, where he lived.
Associated Press Office:
Associated Press reporter Lawrence Gobright was working late when he heard that Lincoln had been shot.
National Hotel:
John Wilkes Booth stayed here the night before he killed Lincoln. Today, the Newseum occupies the site.
NEWDEA_151205_020.JPG: Reporting the News in 1865:
The New York Herald:
In 1865, The New York Herald was the nation's most widely read newspaper. Brimming with gossip, scandal, crime, sports, weather and stock reports, the Herald boasted more than 100,000 daily readers -- twice as many as its influential competitor, the New York Tribune. Publisher James Gordon Bennett, a fiery Scottish immigrant, spared no expense to report the news. The latest high-speed presses and an unrivaled team of reporters ensured that the Herald was rarely scooped. A fleet of hired boats netted the freshest overseas news from incoming ships, and special trains sped Herald reporters to the front lines of the Civil War.
A newsboy hawks The New YOrk Herald on the streets of New York in this illustration from Harper's Bazaar.
The New York Herald's high-speed presses could print 16,000 sheets an hour.
New York Herald publisher James Gordon Bennett was one of Lincoln's harshest critics, with a reputation as a sensationalist and a racist. he also was one of the most influential publishers of his era, pioneering such aspects of modern journalism as interviews with newsmakers and the use of foreign correspondents.
A News-Breaking Invention:
The invention of the telegraph revolutionized the news business. Before the 1840s, news traveled by horse, ship or locomotive, often taking days or weeks to reach readers. By 1846, New York and Washington were linked by telegraph. The completion of the transcontinental telegraph in 1861 meant news could travel from coast to coast in minutes. During the Civil War, reporters used the telegraph to relay breaking news from the battlefield.
Telegraph Key:
Long before email and text messages, telegraph keys like this one were used to send messages over long distances. A telegraph operator tapped out a message using Morse Code, which transforms letters and numbers into a series of dots and dashes. The code was transmitted along telegraph lines as a series of electric pulses. At the other end, a device called a "sounder" transformed the pulses into click sounds, which were decoded into words by a telegraph operator.
Test Your Telegraph Skills:
"The President was shot in a theatre tonight, and is perhaps mortally wounded."
The Associated Press sent this 13-word message by telegraph to break the news of Lincoln's assassination. Use this telegraph key and the Morse code chart at left to test your skills. To make a dot, tap and release the telegraph key quickly. To make a dash, hold the key down longer before releasing it.
Washington reporters race to file their stories via telegraph in this engraving from Harper's Weekly.
Newspaper Row on 14th Street was home to the Washington bureaus of may out-of-town newspapers, including The New York Herald, at center.
Washington's Newspaper Row:
The Civil War transformed Washington from a quiet town with only a handful of full-time journalists into a hub or war news, buzzing with scores of reporters. The center of activity was 14th Street's Newspaper Row, where The New York Herald and other out-of-town newspapers were conveniently located near a telegraph office and the saloons of E Street's Rum Row. Washington had several influential newspapers, including the Daily Chronicle, National Intelligencer and Evening Star, but none could compete with the power and reach of The New York Herald. In the tense hours after Lincoln's assassination, Washington's newspapers kept anxious readers informed with special editions reporting the latest news.
Did You Know?
Dates and times were printed at the top of breaking news stories to alert readers to the most recent news. Historians refer to the seven editions of the April 15, 1865, New York Herald by the latest times in each edition.
The Associated Press Breaks the News:
A news bulletin from Associated Press Washington bureau chief Lawrence Gobright alerted The New York Herald and the world that Abraham Lincoln had been shot. The AP was a news cooperative founded in 1846 by five New York newspapers, including the Herald, to share the costs of reporting the Mexican-American War. In 1865, the government issued official announcements to the AP, which transmitted them to newspapers across the country.
How News Was Different:
When major news stories broke, newspapers would often issue several "extra" editions over the course of a day to report the latest updates. But newspaper stories were set in metal type and locked in place on a page, and it was difficult to revise them quickly. Editors added new stories to old ones on the front page, and often pushed new developments to the back page when the front page was full. Another important difference was fact-checking. In 1865, newspapers sometimes printed conflicting accounts on the same page and often reported rumors as fact. Some reports carried the caveat "important if true."
Teacher Alert! Find free educational resources about Abraham Lincoln, Civil War journalism and the speed of news at newseumdigitalclassroom.org .
NEWDEA_151205_085.JPG: Reporting the Assassination
The President is Shot
April 15, 1865 2am edition
The President is Shot:
On April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln and his wife, Mary, were enjoying a play at Washington's Ford's Theatre when actor John Wilkes Booth crept into the president's box and shot him. The news reached The New York Herald by telegraph in time for its 2am edition. The Herald was one of the first newspapers to report the shooting.
John Wilkes Booth shot the president at Ford's Theatre as the Lincolns were watching a comedy with their friends, Major Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris. Lincoln's bodyguard had gone to a nearby saloon to drink, and the president's valet let the famous actor enter the theater box.
The First Report:
Associated Press Washington bureau chief Lawrence Gobright, right, broke the news of the shooting in this report, which appeared in The New York Herald's first edition. Gobright was working late at his office, blocks from Ford's Theatre, when a theatregoer burst in with the news that Lincoln had been shot. Gobright fired off this 13-word bulletin at a nearby telegraph office before racing to the theater to gather details of the crime.
The Official Report:
This dispatch from Secretary of War Edwin Stanton was the first official report of the shooting. Earlier that evening, Stanton, right, ignored warnings about his own safety to get to the Petersen House, where Lincoln lay dying. As doctors surrounded the president, Stanton took control of the crisis, interviewing witnesses to the attack. At 1:30am, he sent his report to the War Department's telegraph office, which released it to the Associated Press. Stanton's concise report, describing the attacks on Lincoln and Secretary of State William Seward, became the model for breaking news stories.
NEWDEA_151205_088.JPG: A Suspect is Named:
April 15, 1865 3am edition
Shortly after 3am, The New York Herald issued this special edition with updates on Abraham Lincoln's condition and the ongoing investigation. For the first time, actor John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer, was officially identified as the chief suspect in the shooting.
After shooting Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth leaped onto the stage at Ford's Theatre and cried out "Sic semper tyrannis" -- "Thus always to tyrants" -- before escaping on horseback.
John Wilkes Booth is Identified:
Secretary of War Edwin Stanton named John Wilkes Booth the chief suspect in the attack on the president in a 3am telegram, confirming earlier reports. Stanton said the assassin's horse had been found near Washington. In fact, the horse belonged to one of Booth's co-conspirators.
"Investigation strongly indicates J. Wilkes Booth as the assassin of the President."
-- Secretary of War Edwin Stanton in The New York Herald
"His Condition is Utterly Hopeless":
A report issued at 2:12am revealed details of the attack on Lincoln as he clung to life, a bullet lodged in his brain.
A Suspect in Custody?
In the race to report the news, The New York Herald published rumors as well as facts. This report said "it is rumored" that assassin John Wilkes Booth was in custody. In fact, he had escaped Washington and was on the run in southern Maryland.
Did You Know?
In 1865, the word "assassination" meant a surprise attack or attempt to kill. Lincoln was the first American president to be assassinated. Since his death, the word has come to mean the murder of a politician or other prominent person.
NEWDEA_151205_106.JPG: Death of the President
April 15, 1865 8:45am edition
Death of the President:
Less than 90 minutes after Abraham Lincoln died, The New York Herald issued this "extra" edition, one of the first to report the president's death.
This illustration of the president's deathbed was published in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper two weeks after Lincoln's death. Artist Albert Berghaus used a photograph of the room to reconstruct the details of the scene.
NEWDEA_151205_119.JPG: Uncovering the Plot
April 15, 1865 10am edition
Uncovering the Plot:
Details of the plot to assassinate the president emerged in The New York Herald's 10am edition. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton reported the discovery of a letter in John Wilkes Booth's room at the National Hotel -- today the site of the Newseum -- containing details of the conspiracy and implicating accomplices.
To Co-Conspirators:
David Herold, George Atzerodt, Lewis Powell and Mary Surratt (top row) were hanged for their roles in the conspiracy. Surratt was the first woman to be executed by the US government. Michael O'Laughlin, Samuel Arnold, Samuel Mudd and Edman Spangler (bottom row) were imprisoned for their roles in the crime.
Evidence linking John Wilkes Booth to the crime was discovered in his room at Washington's National Hotel, on the site now occupied by the Newseum. The building also housed a commercial telegraph office and the War Department's official news censor.
This letter, sent to John Wilkes Booth by co-conspirator Samuel Arnold, was discovered in Booth's trunk at the National Hotel. It was later used to convict Arnold of complicity in the assassination.
A Letter Details the Conspiracy:
A letter found in John Wilkes Booth's hotel room, referred to in this report by Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, showed that the conspirators had been plotting against Lincoln for months. The letter's author, Samuel Arnold, was sentenced to life in prison but was later pardoned.
Sign of Mourning:
In the 1860s, newspapers used heavy black borders to denote tragic news.
Did You Know?
Angered by Abraham Lincoln's war on the South, John Wilkes Booth and his accomplices initially planned to kidnap the president for ransom. Later, the plot turned to murder. Eight co-conspirators were convicted; four of them were hanged.
NEWDEA_151205_132.JPG: Wanted: John Wilkes Booth
April 15, 1865 10am "Reward Edition"
Wanted: John Wilkes Booth:
Thick black borders, a symbol of mourning, framed the front page of The New York Herald's 10am "reward edition." Headlines announced a $10,00 reward for the capture of assassin John Wilkes Booth and his accomplices.
This image of Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth, appeared on the reward posted at far left.
$10,000 Reward:
The $10,000 reward for the president's assassin was later raised to $100,000.
Washington Mourns:
In Washington, church bells tolls and government offices and business remained closed. The night before, thousands kept an all-night vigil in the streets awaiting news of the president's condition.
"The most profound sensation prevails here, and the deepest realization of the irreparable loss which the nation has sustained pervades the minds of the people."
-- Special Washington Dispatch, The New York Herald
NEWDEA_151205_148.JPG: A New President Takes Office
April 15, 1865 2pm edition
A New President Takes Office:
By the 2pm edition, news of Abraham Lincoln's assassination filled The New York Herald's front page. With Page One locked in type, editors pushed the latest news to this back page, where headlines reported the swearing-in of Vice President Andrew Johnson hours after Lincoln's death.
Vice President Andrew Jackson took the presidential oath of office in his room at Washington's Kirkwood House hotel.
Wrong Date:
In the rush to report the news, The New York Herald printed the wrong date at the top of the back page of its 2pm edition, listing Friday, April 14, instead of Saturday, April 15.
Mounting Evidence:
The New York Herald reprinted news from Washington's Daily Chronicle about evidence found at the crime scenes. John Wilkes Booth's hat and spur were found at Ford's Theatre, and a hat and a rusty revolver belonging to co-conspirator Lewis Powell, also known as Lewis Payne, were found at Secretary of State William Seward's house. Seward survived Powell's attack.
A Grieving Nation:
As news of Lincoln's assassination spread across the country, flags flew at half-staff. Businesses and theaters remained closed. On Wall Street, a group of prominent businessmen issued a statement calling the news a "calamity not to this nation alone, but to the civilized world."
"All is the deepest gloom and sadness. Strong men weep in the streets."
-- The New York Herald
Lincoln's Final Hours Detailed:
Dr. Ezra Abbott was at the president's deathbed and took detailed notes on Lincoln's condition during his final hours, including his pulse and breathing rate. The New York Herald reprinted the doctor's notes from Washington's Evening Star.
"Six o'clock -- Pulse; respiration twenty-eight.
Half-past six -- Still failing and labored breathing.
Seven o'clock -- Symptoms of immediate dissolution.
Twenty-two minutes past seven -- Death."
-- The New York Herald
President Johnson's Speech:
Sword in as president in Washington's Kirkwood House hotel, where he lived, Andrew Johnson said, "The duties are mine. I will perform them, trusting in God."
NEWDEA_151205_164.JPG: The Hunt for the Assassin
April 15, 1865 3:30pm Edition
The Hunt for the Assassin:
Nearly 18 hours after Abraham Lincoln's assassination, The New York Herald printed its seventh and final edition of the day. With front-page news locked in place, the latest reports were added to the back page. Headlines falsely announced the arrest of the assassin John Wilkes Booth. In fact, the manhunt would drag on for another 11 days.
On April 26, assassin John Wilkes Booth and co-conspirator David Herold were cornered in a Virginia tobacco barn, which was set on fire by federal troops. Booth, left, was shot and killed. Herold, right, was captured and later hanged for his role in the crime.
False Report of an Arrest:
A report in The New York Herald claimed that John Wilkes Booth had been arrested near Baltimore and imprisoned on an ironclad warship in Washington's Navy Yard. But Booth and his accomplice David Herold eluded searchers, eventually crossing the Potomac River from southern Maryland into Virginia. On April 26, they were surrounded by federal troops in a tobacco barn near Port Royal, Va. Booth was shot and killed. Herold surrendered and was later hanged as a co-conspirator.
Funeral Preparations:
As the country mourned, The New York Herald covered preparations for a national funeral. More than 25,000 people paid their respects to the fallen president at the White House. A funeral train returned Lincoln's body to his hometown of Springfield, Ill., on a 12-day trip that witnessed the largest outpouring of grief the nation had ever seen.
Thousands flanked Washington's Pennsylvania Avenue on April 19 to watch Lincoln's funeral procession from the White House to the US Capitol.
An estimated 7 million people -- nearly one in four Americans -- saw Lincoln's funeral train on its 1,700-mile journey to the president's final resting place in Springfield, Ill.
The only known image of Lincoln in death was captured by photographer Jeremiah Gurney Jr. as the president lay in state at New York's City Hall on April 24. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton ordered the photo destroyed but one print survived.
Some Celebrate Lincoln's Death:
In the aftermath of the bitter Civil War, not everyone grieved Lincoln's death. The New York Herald reported people being arrested for celebrating the news in Washington and in Poughkeepsie, NY. An update from Louisiana in Texas's Galveston Daily News noted "All cheerful here" when reporting the assassination.
NEWDEA_151205_223.JPG: Three nights before the assassination, Lincoln addressed a crowd gathered outside the White House. In the audience, John Wilkes Booth heard Lincoln's remarks about giving black men the vote and vowed, "That is the last speech he will make."
NEWDEA_151205_232.JPG: The same night that Lincoln was shot at Ford's Theatre, Secretary of State William Seward was attacked at his home. This illustration appeared in the National Police Gazette a week later.
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2015 photos: Equipment this year: I mostly used my Fuji XS-1 camera but, depending on the event, I also used a Nikon D7000.
I retired from the US Census Bureau in god-forsaken Suitland, Maryland on my 58th birthday in May. Yee ha!
Trips this year:
a quick trip to Florida.
two Civil War Trust conferences (Raleigh, NC and Richmond, VA), and
my 10th consecutive San Diego Comic-Con trip (including Los Angeles).
Ego Strokes: Carolyn Cerbin used a Kevin Costner photo in her USA Today article. Miss DC pictures were used a few times in the Washington Post.
Number of photos taken this year: just over 550,000.
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