First Report of Lincoln Assassination

[Ed Steers]

(03-08-2013 05:06 PM)historybuff22 Wrote:  

(03-08-2013 03:54 PM)Hess1865 Wrote:  The New York Herald???
Plus wasn't only one telegraph line down in DC that night??

Wow! Right on! Yes, it was the New York Herald and this is the reason it has been reprinted so many times.

Also, while the public telegraph was down, the military telegraph remained working throughout the night. The reporter managed to talk someone at the military telegraph office to send his report.

As a side here, think about this: Booth shot Lincoln at approximately 10:10 PM. The reporter managed to interview a dozen eye witnesses, get in the President's box, go to the public telegraph office, then to the military telegraph office and send his report. He was literally writing his report as the telegraph operator was sending each page. Then typesetters at the New York Herald had to set the type for about 10,000 words. (Type had to be set letter by letter at that time - and the type was only about 8 points in size.) Then making plates, then print it, and lastly get it on the streets by 2 AM. That is less than 4 hours!

Rick Brown
HistoryBuff.com
A Nonprofit Organization

Rick,

The question is at what time did the press first report Lincoln's assassination? Of the several newspaper I have/had is a copy of the New York Daily Tribune that listed the first dispatch in its 2:30 AM edition. Does anyone have a paper actually listing the time of its release - first on the street? Anything earlier than 2:30 AM? The notice was so early it appears on page 4 of the paper. First three pages already set. Ed Steers

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(01-13-2014 02:41 PM)Ed Steers Wrote:  

(03-08-2013 05:06 PM)historybuff22 Wrote:  

(03-08-2013 03:54 PM)Hess1865 Wrote:  The New York Herald???
Plus wasn't only one telegraph line down in DC that night??

Wow! Right on! Yes, it was the New York Herald and this is the reason it has been reprinted so many times.

Also, while the public telegraph was down, the military telegraph remained working throughout the night. The reporter managed to talk someone at the military telegraph office to send his report.

As a side here, think about this: Booth shot Lincoln at approximately 10:10 PM. The reporter managed to interview a dozen eye witnesses, get in the President's box, go to the public telegraph office, then to the military telegraph office and send his report. He was literally writing his report as the telegraph operator was sending each page. Then typesetters at the New York Herald had to set the type for about 10,000 words. (Type had to be set letter by letter at that time - and the type was only about 8 points in size.) Then making plates, then print it, and lastly get it on the streets by 2 AM. That is less than 4 hours!

Rick Brown
HistoryBuff.com
A Nonprofit Organization

Rick,

The question is at what time did the press first report Lincoln's assassination? Of the several newspaper I have/had is a copy of the New York Daily Tribune that listed the first dispatch in its 2:30 AM edition. Does anyone have a paper actually listing the time of its release - first on the street? Anything earlier than 2:30 AM? The notice was so early it appears on page 4 of the paper. First three pages already set. Ed Steers

Rick,

Sorry, I did not see the time 2 AM in your post. I was reading another. Does your paper actually list the time? I assume your source states the reporter used Heiss's telegraph after it was reestablished sometime after midnight. Ed