LOS ANGELES, Feb. 12--[To the Editor of The Times:] In your paper of today there is an article from your New York correspondent about Mrs. Struthers--"Jennie Gourley"--which claims that she is the only surviving woman member of the company that played at Ford's Theater on the night that Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.
    Permit me to state that the writer is still alive and was a regular member of the company at Ford's Theater, and played that night the part of Georgina. I had just left the stage to go to my dressing-room to change my dress for my next scene when I heard a shot, and knowing there was no shooting in the play, I hastened back to the first entrance and heard the screaming and other sounds of voices, and saw President Lincoln fall over from his chair. I had noticed Booth previously, as he had bowed to me as I went on for my scene, from where he was standing back of the President's box, and wondered what he was doing there; but dismissed the thought as Booth had the run of the theater, front and back, and was acquainted with all the company.
    Miss Laura Keene, the star that week was the first one to reach the box from back of the stage, and knelt down and raised up the President's head.
    Harry Hawk, one of the company, claimed for a few years before he died to be the only surviving one, and then W. H. Ferguson (Biely) who was the prompter that night, was "the only one," and now Mrs. Struthers is "the only one."
    I don't want to be killed off so young, as I am still able to come up smiling, and don't want to be "the only one" although there are not many left, either. But I have not cared for the notoriety of it, as I had always wished it had never occurred as it was a terrible tragedy to go through.
    I have lived in Los Angeles for the past fourteen years, and wrote to Jennie Gourley a year ago, when I read the article you had in The Times magazine about her being alive, and residing in Milford, Pa. but have had no reply. Jennie Gourley left the company at that time to be married to Mr. William Withers, the leader of the orchestra. The remainder of the company played at the National Theater, as we were not allowed to leave Washington, being subject to the supervision of the War Department, under Gen. Burnett, until after the trial of the assassin.
    Yours respectfully,
                                           HELEN TRUMAN,
                                          (at that time)
    No. 1182 West Thirty-first street.

Source:

Truman, Helen, "An Exceedingly Interesting Incident," The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, Wednesday, 16 February 1916, p. II5.