Lincoln Assassination

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Booth performed there twice – last time March18, 1865 – and was familiar with the layout.

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Slide 17

Lincoln’s Evening

President Lincoln and his wife arrived late at 8:30 with Maj. Henry Rathbone and his girlfriend Clara Harris.

The play stopped and Hail to the Chief was sung as Lincoln made his was to the state box.

Ward Hill Lamon, Lincoln’s regular bodyguard, was not available, so a new guard was assigned and was posted outside the door.

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Slide 18

Lincoln’s Protection….

John Parker, a Washington police officer who had been assigned as Lincoln's bodyguard for the evening, met the President just as he was entering the box.

Parker, who did not have a very good record as a policeman, took his seat outside the box.

However, he found that he could not see the stage, so he left his post to find better seating.

Unbelievably, Parker then left the theater at intermission with Lincoln's footman and coachman. The three went to a saloon next to the theater for a drink.

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Slide 19

Booth arrives….

Booth arrived at Ford's Theatre in the vicinity of 9:30.

Booth went to the tavern next to the theatre and requested a bottle of whiskey and some water.

Another customer said to Booth, "You'll never be the actor your father was."

Booth replied, "When I leave the stage, I will be the most famous man in America."

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Slide 20

The moment of truth….

Booth entered Ford's lobby at about 10:07 P.M.

Booth could see the white door he needed to enter to get to Lincoln's State Box.

Charles Forbes, the President's footman, was seated next to the door and Booth apparently handed him a card.

Quietly, Booth then opened the door and entered the dark area in back of the box.

He propped the door shut with the wooden leg of a music stand which he had placed there on one of his earlier visits during the day

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Slide 21

Lincoln Shot

Booth put his derringer behind Lincoln's head near the left ear and pulled the trigger.

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Slide 22

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Slide 23

Major Rathbone

Rathbone began wrestling with the assassin, and Booth pulled out his knife and stabbed Rathbone in the left arm.