ON THIS DAY

1865:

John Wilkes Booth, assassin of US President Abraham Lincoln, is surrounded and killed by troops near Bowling Green, Virginia.

Banjo Paterson’s poem The Man from Snowy River is published in Sydney, as a supplement to The Bulletin magazine.

At least 1540 die in the world’s worst mining disaster in Benxi, China.

First international satellite is launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida; a US-British venture.

The world’s worst nuclear accident occurs at the Chernobyl plant in the Soviet Union.

Thieves break into a Sydney office of media magnate Kerry Packer and steal gold bullion.

1890: 1942: 1962: 1986: 1995: Birthdays:

Morris West, Australian novelist (1916-1999); Prue Acton, Australian fashion designer (1943-); Dick Johnson, Australian racing driver (1945-).