How did news of the president's and Seward's alleged assassination travel?

• A. By mouth, then by messenger, and then it spread faster than a man could run.
• B. By telegraph only.
• C. By newspaper reports.
• D. By official public broadcast.

Answer: (A)

The question asks how information about the president’s and Seward’s alleged assassination spread in that moment. The fastest and most immediate route was through people talking to each other—word of mouth—followed by messengers carrying news to nearby towns and officials. This sequence captures how rumors and early reports traveled quickly across networks before formal publications could catch up, which is why describing the spread as “by mouth, then by messenger, and then it spread faster than a man could run” fits best.

Telegraph updates and newspaper reports did contribute, but they’re not the initial or sole channels, and there wasn’t any official public broadcast at the time.