''Abe'' Lincoln's Yarns and Stories - University of Macau Library

Yarns and Stories, by Alexander K. McClure 431the best and sweetest of the land, drips slowly down, and death's oozealready begins its little bubbles on the lips."Such, hurriedly sketched, were the accompaniments of the death ofPresident Lincoln. So suddenly, and in murder and horror unsurpassed, hewas taken from us. But his death was painless."The assassin's bullet did not produce instant death, but the President neveragain became conscious. He was carried to a house opposite the theatre,where he died the next morning. In the meantime the authorities hadbecome aware of the wide-reaching conspiracy, and the capital was in astate of terror.On the night of the President's assassination, Mr. Seward, Secretary ofState, was attacked while in bed with a broken arm, by Booth'sfellow-conspirators, and badly wounded.The conspirators had also planned to take the lives of Vice-PresidentJohnson and Secretary Stanton. Booth had called on Vice-PresidentJohnson the day before, and, not finding him in, left a card.Secretary Stanton acted with his usual promptness and courage. During theperiod of excitement he acted as President, and directed the plans for thecapture of Booth.Among other things, he issued the following reward:REWARD OFFERED BY SECRETARY STANTON. War Department,Washington, April 20, 1865. Major-General John A. Dix, New York:The murderer of our late beloved President, Abraham Lincoln, is still atlarge. Fifty thousand dollars reward will be paid by this Department for hisapprehension, in addition to any reward offered by municipal authorities orState Executives.