Your guess: "angels" or "ages?"

[wsanto]

In Appleton's cyclopædia of American biography, Volume 8 it states;

"...From the moment that Lincoln was laid on his deathbed, until he breathed his last, O'Beirne, as provost marshal of the district of Columbia, was in constant attendance under the direct orders of Secretary of War Stanton. By the latter he was sent to summon Vice President Johnson from the Kirkwood House, and it was he who escorted Vice President Johnson through the dense crowds in the streets to the bedside of the dying President.

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Keep reading...

As part of his invistigation, he apparently went to Port Tobacco where he happened upon Booth's crutch-print in the ground and tracked it "mile after mile" across the river and then the next day Booth was captured and killed.

I doubt that is true but makes for a pretty good tale.

A lot of these people embeliished their roles for the sake of legacy. I doubt he was at the bedside but truly believe that he wanted everyone to think that he was.