Our American Cousin was a pleasant comedy about an English couple eager to advance their cause with American relatives. Lincoln was nodding; the first lady was engrossed. All seemed well. And then, at about 9:45, people in the audience were surprised to hear the explosion of a gun: that it was a pistol could not immediately be determined. Believing that this was part of the play, they continued to watch till they noticed that the actors were also in a state of shock. There was a shout, then a scream, then the sound of a thud as a man leapt from the president’s box all the way to the stage. Standing there for one brief moment, he shouted, Sic semper tyrannis! (“Thus always to tyrants”). Then he was gone.