On this day 152 year ago , John Wilkes Booth recruit Abraham Lincoln ’s boxful at Ford ’s Theatre , raised hisDerringer , and shot the president in the back of the head .
It was actually Booth ’s third plot of ground against Lincoln . In August 1864 , Boothrecruited two longtime friends , Samuel Arnold and Michael O’Laughlen , to aid him kidnap the president . The abduction , he reason out , would ram the Union to free certain Confederate prisoners .
Their first program , according toLincolnauthor David Donald , was to attack Lincoln in his boxful at Ford ’s Theatre on January 18 , then tie him up and lower him down from the balcony to make a nimble pickup . They did n’t get a chance to test this vacuous plan because Lincoln changed his programme at the last minute , opt to stay on at home rather of going to the theatre on a tempestuous Nox .
By Lincoln ’s second inaugural in March , Booth was able to get more and more tight to his quarry . In fact , he and his would - be accomplices were able-bodied to attend the inauguration as personal guests of Senator John Parker Hale ’s daughter , Lucy — who also happened to be Booth ’s girlfriend . During the day ’s event , Booth got close enough to lunge at Lincoln and had to be restrain by constabulary . Though he explain that he had but stumble , Booth latermused , “ What an excellent probability I had , if I wished , to wipe out the President on Inauguration twenty-four hours ! ”
In mid - March , Booth encounter with six men to discuss the second kidnap endeavour , which was to occur while the chairperson would be attending a performance of the playStill Waters Run Deepat a hospital . Again , the men were thwarted when Lincolndecidedto remain in town . Though Booth had seemingly been considering assassination as an alternative to snatch for some time , Lincoln ’s April 11 speech pushed him over the bound . After the chair vocalise his intention to allow educated African Americans and all black old-timer to vote , Boothdeclaredthat it would be the last talking to Lincoln would ever give . Sadly , he was right . After two fail kidnapping attempts , the third time was a appeal for John Wilkes Booth .
