Abraham Lincoln Shot at Ford’s Theatre! - April 15, 1865 New York Times
The New York Times
April 15, 1865
This is it. Arguably one of the most sought after newspapers of any time, any topic and any collector. The day after Lincoln was shot at Ford’s Theatre. The headlines read “AWFUL EVENT - PRESIDENT LINCOLN SHOT BY AN ASSASSIN” and “The Deed Done at Ford’s Theatre Last Night” - “The Act of a Desparate Rebel” - “Attempted Assassination of Secretary Seward” - “Rumored Attempt on the Life of Mr. Stanton” - “Details of the Dreadful Tragedy.”
This and the New York Herald are the two most highly sought after Lincoln assassination issues. Unlike the New York Herald April 15 issue, which is often scrutinized for authenticity, the New York Times is not known for having reproductions. As such, this is an undoubtedly authentic April 15, 1865 Lincoln assassination newspaper, in its entirety, with extensive front page coverage of the awful event. Mourning borders. Other great Civil War coverage. Very nice condition with slight fold creases, amazingly sharp edges. Easily the best condition April 15 issue of any New York paper I’ve ever seen. Here is some of the copy from the front page:
The President was shot in a theatre tonight and is perhaps mortally wounded. Secretary Seward was also assassinated.
President Lincoln and wife, with other friends, this evening visited Ford’s Theatre for the purpose of witnessing the performance of the “American Cousin.”
The theatre was densely crowded, and everybody seemed delighted with the scene before them. During the third act, and while there was a temporary pause for one of the actors to enter, a sharp report of a pistol was heard, which merely attracted attention, but suggesting nothing serious, until a man rushed to the front of the President’s box, waving a long dagger in his right hand, and exclaiming “Sic simper tyrannis,” and immediately leaped from the box, which was in the second tier, to the stage beneath, and ran across to the opposite side, making his escape amid the bewilderment of the audience from the rear of the theatre, and mounting a horse, fled.
The screams of Mrs. Lincoln first disclosed the fact to the audience that the President had been shot, when all present rose to their feet, rushing toward the stage, many exclaiming “Hang him! Hang him!”
There was a rush toward the President’s box, when cries were heard: “Stand back and give him air.” “Has any one stimulants.” On a hasty examination, it was found that the President had been shot through the head, above the back of the temporal bone, and that some of the brain was oozing out.
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Hallo!
What a great website!
I found it just today.
I live in Sweden and I am a History buff,
especially on US History, and I love to read
old newspapers. It is like going back in History
with a Time Machine.