Designers
160 Years Ago Today, A Play Was Ruined
Wendy Brandes
You know those exercises where you write a letter to your future self? I should be doing that right now, seeing as I'm typing these words in 2021. Let's see:
Dear 2025 Wendy,
I have no expectation that you'll remember to share this Associated Press report about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln on the actual 160th anniversary of the shooting, so I'm setting it up in advance. By the way, are you still writing the blog?! If so, congrats!
Best,
2021 Wendy
P.S. I hope the fascists haven't taken over.
I came across the AP's link to its own April 14, 1865, story about a little incident at Ford's Theatre too late to write a timely 2021 post, so I decided to save it for the next big round-number occasion, just because the first paragraph of the story by Lawrence Gobright is such a spectacular example of burying the lede:
WASHINGTON, APRIL 14 — President Lincoln and wife visited Ford’s Theatre this evening for the purpose of witnessing the performance of ‘The American Cousin.’ It was announced in the papers that Gen. Grant would also be present, but that gentleman took the late train of cars for New Jersey.
In the second paragraph, a kerfuffle takes place ...
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 suggested nothing serious until a man rushed to the front of the President’s box, waving a long dagger in his right hand, exclaiming, ‘Sic semper tyrannis,’ and immediately leaped from the box, which was in the second tier, to the stage beneath, and ran across to the opposite side, made his escape amid the bewilderment of the audience from the rear of the theatre, and mounted a horse and fled.
... and in the third paragraph, we learn that President Lincoln was shot.
The groans of Mrs. Lincoln first disclosed the fact that the President had been shot, when all present rose to their feet rushing towards the stage, many exclaiming, ‘Hang him, hang him!’ The excitement was of the wildest possible description...
