Lincoln’s assassination in a Washington, D.C., newspaper…

October 26, 2009 by  
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Daily-Morning-Chronicle-LinOne of the (positive) frustrations we have always dealt with as a rare newspaper dealer is not being able to share some of the best material which comes our way. Not surprisingly very rare and very historic items have a waiting list of customers waiting for it to come into inventory and such newspapers are typically sold before they have the opportunity to be listed in a catalog. But here is where our blog is of value, allowing us an opportunity to share some nice material even though no longer available for purchase.

Holding true to the belief that newspapers from cities where historic events took place are the best to have, our recent sale of the “Daily Morning Chronicle” of April 15, 1865 from Washington, D.C. fits this description very well.  Although purchased by a member with a *“want list” for such material, the issue is too fascinating not to share with others, hence this link to the listing and photos.

Enjoy one of the best newspapers to have on Lincoln’s assassination.

* Note:  Although we manage a want list for key material, with thousands of such wants, the system is not perfect (i.e., we occasionally miss an item on someone’s want list and it ends up being purchased through a member or public offering).  We simply promise to do the best we can.  If you have key content of interest, feel free to be in touch.

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Comments

7 Responses to “Lincoln’s assassination in a Washington, D.C., newspaper…”

  1. Todd Andrlik on October 26th, 2009 7:52 pm

    Wow, that is a gem! Thanks for sharing!

  2. Charles Signer on October 27th, 2009 2:52 am

    To me, the Daily Morning Chronicle is the best Lincoln assassination paper because the paper was published very close to Ford’s Theatre in Washington, on the other side of the same block where Ford’s Theatre is located. This issue is what I call a true souvenir of the event.

    This is one of the key issues of the 19th century because the event was a turning point in American history with its results reverberating for decades to come to this very day.

    I read several years ago that there were about seven known in existence of the April 15 Daily Morning Chronicle. The paper closed down not long afterward. Presumably few of the assassination issue, if any, were preserved in volumes, as were the New York and Philadelphia papers. It is as rare as a 1913 Liberty Head nickel. It is so much more meaningful than any coin.

    I have the following day’s issue of the paper, which is called the Sunday Morning Chronicle. It illustrates how close the Morning Chronicle was to the event. It gives a more detailed report of the assassination. Where it recounts the death scene across the street from Ford’s Theatre, it mentions the name of someone who was reported to be there. Somebody crossed out the name which was apparently wrong and wrote in the correct name with a different spelling. Where it reported that Lincoln’s brains were oozing out of his head onto the dress of an actress, there was the handwritten comment that “this is not true!” Evidently someone who was at the event, perhaps the Morning Chronicle’s editor, made those corrections.
    .
    Thanks for sharing the description and photos of this great issue.

  3. Paul Sarna on October 30th, 2009 9:58 pm

    I thank Charles Signer for pointing out what I had suspected…that the Daily Morning Chronicle office was around the corner from Ford’s Theatre. I first suspected it from the Philadelphia Inquirer issue with the Booth illustration on the frontpage that had, beneath it, a diagram of the area around Ford’s Theatre with one building labeled “newspaper office”.
    A year or so ago I was able to thread my way to the rear area of Ford’s Theatre, just for the sake of being at the site where Booth jumped on his horse to escape. I feel kind of lucky that I just happen to live literally on Booth’s escape route, about 8 blocks before he made his right-hand turn to go onto the Navy Yard Bridge.

    Can Rare Newspapers confirm what Charles Signer said about there being 7 known issues of the April 15th of Daily Morning Chronicle? Such an idea makes me cringe!

  4. Tim Hughes on October 31st, 2009 5:08 am

    Paul – Thanks for your comments. I cannot confirm that there are just 7 known issues of this newspaper, but I would not be surprised if it were true. I can say that in my 33 years in this business I do not recall having had this one before. Of course one could speculate that there are still several more issues lurking in attics, basements and institutional holdings which will some day find their way into private hands, and it is that possibility that keeps us all in the hunt, and in the hobby.
    Tim

  5. Jennifer Cotton on August 9th, 2010 12:11 am

    I found your site while browsing for my folks. They have a Philadelphia Inquirer from their Grandparents which we are trying to find out how to preserve. It has been in an old dresser drawer for as long as we know and is in excellent shape. Do you have any suggestions as to how to go about preserving this precious piece of history?

  6. juan on May 30th, 2011 8:00 pm

    Hi

    does any one know if there is any newspaper account or listing of the people who were in attendance at Ford’s Theatre the night Lincoln was assassinated?

    thanks

    Juan
    Bristol, RI

  7. Sanford Potts on June 4th, 2011 5:26 pm

    Looking for Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper May 6, 1865…whole issue or specifically page with small engraving: “Hat and Spur Worn by the Murderer.” Doing research on spurs worn by Booth on night of assassination. Reproductions would be acceptable. Thanks.

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