Friday April 14 1865 page 10

Friday April 14 1865 page 10 by ric Gustafson


President Abraham Lincoln slumped forward in his rocking chair. Major Rathbone hears the derringer and is up on his feet.
John Wilkes Booth drops the derringer and switches the knife to his right hand. Rathbone tries to reach Booth with his left arm but is cut to the bone by the knife. Booth steps up to the front of the box.
" Freedom" he yells. He jumps over the railing. As he falls to the floor, he gets caught in a portrait of President Washington with one of his boot spurs. He tumbles to the floor. Booth tries to get up but feels the pain coming from his lower leg fibula. He could tell it was fractured. He hobbles to the middle of the stage where actor Harry Hawk is standing.
" Sic semper tyrannis" Booth screams to the audience. He begins to hobble off stage.
" Stop that man!" yelled Major Rathbone.
" What is the matter?" cried somebody from the audience.
" The President has been shot" yelled Clara Harris.
Booth reached the stage door at the same time as set carpenter Jake Ritterspaugh. Booth tries to cut him with the knife. He squeezes past the door and jumps into the saddle of his horse.
Peanut John was waiting for his money watching Booth's horse. Instead of money, he is kicked to the ground by Booth. Booth hears a procession going on Tenth Street. He decides to escape down F Street and avoid the trouble.
John Wilkes Booth disappears into the night.

The End


research help: ' Lincoln's Last Days' by Bill O'Reilly and Dwight Zimmerman


Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric