The Lincoln Assassination — Original Newspapers

Actor Harry Hawk played the role of Asa Trenchard in Our American Cousin at Ford’s Theatre on April 14, 1865. At about 10:15 pm he was alone on stage delivering the play’s funniest line to Mrs. Mountchessington who had just exited. The line was “Don’t know the manners of good society, eh? Well, I guess I know enough to turn you inside out, old gal — you sockdologizing old man-trap.” As the audience broke out in laughter, John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln. On April 16, 1865 Harry Hawk wrote a letter to his parents about the tragic events at Ford’s Theatre. That letter, shown on this page, was published in the April 23, 1865 issue of the New York Herald. The image below is © Ben Edwards. Any reproduction without written permission is prohibited.