Samuel J. Seymour: The Last Witness to Lincoln’s Assassination
Witness to History
Samuel J. Seymour was just five years old when he witnessed the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865. Seymour’s father, a Washington, D.C., police officer, took him to Ford’s Theatre that fateful night. Seymour sat in the balcony and watched as John Wilkes Booth entered the presidential box and shot Lincoln.
A Secret Revealed
Decades later, Seymour appeared on the game show “I’ve Got a Secret” in 1956. He was 95 years old at the time and had kept his secret for over 90 years. When asked to reveal his secret, Seymour stunned the panelists by saying, “I saw John Wilkes Booth shoot Abraham Lincoln.”
Panelists’ Reactions
The panelists on “I’ve Got a Secret” were Bill Cullen, Jayne Meadows, and Garry Moore. They were all surprised to hear Seymour’s story. Cullen asked Seymour if it was a pleasant thing to have witnessed, to which Seymour replied, “Not very pleasant I don’t think. I was scared to death.”
Verification of Seymour’s Story
After the show, Seymour’s story was verified by a newspaper article in The Milwaukee Sentinel. The article, published on February 7, 1954, recounted Seymour’s experience of seeing Lincoln’s assassination.
Seymour’s Impact
Seymour’s eyewitness account of Lincoln’s assassination is a valuable historical record. It provides firsthand testimony to one of the most significant events in American history. Seymour’s story also sheds light on the impact that Lincoln’s assassination had on the nation.
The Legacy of Lincoln’s Assassination
Lincoln’s assassination was a traumatic event for the United States. It led to a period of national mourning and a search for meaning in the wake of such a senseless tragedy. Lincoln’s assassination also had a profound impact on the course of American history. It accelerated the end of the Civil War and the abolition of slavery.
Remembering Samuel J. Seymour
Samuel J. Seymour died in 1956, just a few months after appearing on “I’ve Got a Secret.” He left behind a legacy as the last surviving witness to Lincoln’s assassination. Seymour’s story is a reminder of the importance of preserving historical accounts and the power of individual experiences.
