LINCOLN, Abraham, ASSASSINATION]. STRUTHERS, Jeannie Gourlay (1845-1928), American actress. Autograph manuscript signed ("Jeannie Gourlay Struthers"), n. p., n.d. 1 full page, large 8vo.
LINCOLN, Abraham, ASSASSINATION]. STRUTHERS, Jeannie Gourlay (1845-1928), American actress. Autograph manuscript signed ("Jeannie Gourlay Struthers"), n. p., n.d. 1 full page, large 8vo. "OUR AMERICAN COUSIN": STRUTHERS RECALLS THE NIGHT OF LINCOLN'S ASSASSINATION Jeannie Gourlay Struthers, while a young actress, appeared in the role of Mary Meredith in the fatal performance of Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre on 10th Street in Washington on the night of 14 April 1865. After finishing a scene with Harry Hawk (in the title role), she and the orchestra leader, William Withers, were talking backstage. A loud pistol report rang out through the theatre. The elderly actress herself narrates the events: "I have always thought John Wilkes Booth selected a certain part of the Play Our American Cousin in which I took part, to assassinate Abraham Lincoln. It was near 10 at night. His [Lincoln's] body guard [ sic ] had left the Private Box and was sitting in the Parquette [the Dress Circle]. The scene I speak of was entirely between Asa Trenchard [played by the actor Harry Hawk] and myself who played Mary Meredith. When I came on the stage, I saw standing in the Lobby John Wilkes Booth. He looked so strange I hardly knew him. We went on with the scene. I looked again and he was gone. Asa Trenchard burn[ed] a Will leaving his fortune to Mary. The audience are intent listening to this part of the play. I went up the stage and the scene was closed in. One of the scene shifters was Ned Spangler who was [later] supposed to have been in the Private Box [Lincoln's] fixing a bar of wood to place across the door to prevent anyone from getting in after he was there. The leader of the orchestra [William Withers] and I were standing behind the scenes talking when I heard a shot, not knowing what it was, and a loud murmer not knowing what it was and saw coming from the 1st entrance Booth with a long knife in his hand. He slashed Mr. Withers with the knife, pushed me out of his way and went out the back door into the Alley and rode away. Jeannie Gourlay Struthers." Withers, the band leader, dodged Booth's knife thrust, but his ornate band leaders' coat was cut on the collar. Spangler, whom Gourlay here accuses of helping Booth arrange to wedge the door of the Presidential box, was not implicated in that act, but as an accomplice was sentenced to a term at hard labor.
LINCOLN, Abraham, ASSASSINATION]. STRUTHERS, Jeannie Gourlay (1845-1928), American actress. Autograph manuscript signed ("Jeannie Gourlay Struthers"), n. p., n.d. 1 full page, large 8vo.
LINCOLN, Abraham, ASSASSINATION]. STRUTHERS, Jeannie Gourlay (1845-1928), American actress. Autograph manuscript signed ("Jeannie Gourlay Struthers"), n. p., n.d. 1 full page, large 8vo. "OUR AMERICAN COUSIN": STRUTHERS RECALLS THE NIGHT OF LINCOLN'S ASSASSINATION Jeannie Gourlay Struthers, while a young actress, appeared in the role of Mary Meredith in the fatal performance of Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre on 10th Street in Washington on the night of 14 April 1865. After finishing a scene with Harry Hawk (in the title role), she and the orchestra leader, William Withers, were talking backstage. A loud pistol report rang out through the theatre. The elderly actress herself narrates the events: "I have always thought John Wilkes Booth selected a certain part of the Play Our American Cousin in which I took part, to assassinate Abraham Lincoln. It was near 10 at night. His [Lincoln's] body guard [ sic ] had left the Private Box and was sitting in the Parquette [the Dress Circle]. The scene I speak of was entirely between Asa Trenchard [played by the actor Harry Hawk] and myself who played Mary Meredith. When I came on the stage, I saw standing in the Lobby John Wilkes Booth. He looked so strange I hardly knew him. We went on with the scene. I looked again and he was gone. Asa Trenchard burn[ed] a Will leaving his fortune to Mary. The audience are intent listening to this part of the play. I went up the stage and the scene was closed in. One of the scene shifters was Ned Spangler who was [later] supposed to have been in the Private Box [Lincoln's] fixing a bar of wood to place across the door to prevent anyone from getting in after he was there. The leader of the orchestra [William Withers] and I were standing behind the scenes talking when I heard a shot, not knowing what it was, and a loud murmer not knowing what it was and saw coming from the 1st entrance Booth with a long knife in his hand. He slashed Mr. Withers with the knife, pushed me out of his way and went out the back door into the Alley and rode away. Jeannie Gourlay Struthers." Withers, the band leader, dodged Booth's knife thrust, but his ornate band leaders' coat was cut on the collar. Spangler, whom Gourlay here accuses of helping Booth arrange to wedge the door of the Presidential box, was not implicated in that act, but as an accomplice was sentenced to a term at hard labor.
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