Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-12-28
Insane Visitors at the White
House.
Washington star.l

Insane Visitors at the white
House.
Washington Start
Every now and then an item is pub
lished giving an account of the antics
of some crazy person who finds his or
her way to the White House. Not
half the calls of this class at the exec
utive mansion are recorded. The Wis
its are almost the daily rule rather
than the exception.
Among these is an old gentleman
who lives a short distance out in the
country, near Bladensburg. He wears
a large, soft hat, salt and pepper pants,
and a short, black coat. His eyes are
blue and mild, with nothing wild in
them, and his hair is gray. He calls
regularly ono in every two months.
He comes in the door solemnly. Be-
ing asked what he wants, he replies,
Il have come to take my seat" He
then tells how he had been regularly
electd President and would have come
to enter on his duties sooner, but work
on his farm prevented his leaving
home. The ushers talk to him seri-
ously about the matter, and as a gen
eral thing he soon leaves perfectly
satisfied.
A man comes down here from Penn
sylvania about five times a year. He
is about thirty-fve years of age, and
dresses neatly and comfortably. He
demands to see the President. The
treasury and the White House have
been denied to him, and he wants the
possession of both. The last time he
called he wore a pair of badly used up
shoes, and got slightly noisy. When
put outside the door he said! 81
will submit this time, as | do not
wish TO make Hayes houseless; but
the next time | come | want no fool
ishness. | want him to move out
promptly. | hate to be SO harsh, but
my shoes are wearing out, and | must
have my rights. Just tell him how
the case stands"
A woman from Maine walked in
one day, in a dress like that of a
Quaker. She stalked into the east
room and spreading a large bible
which she carried under her arm-on
one of the window seats, announced
her text and began in a loud voice to
hold forth on the necessity Of being
born again.
A man from Ohio called a few weeks
ago. He had a theory that the world
was coming to an end in a few days, if
he was not made superintendent of
the Naval Observatory, in view that
he might, by his knowledge of astron-
omy, avert the impending collision of
the earth with all the planets, He
was promised the position, and left
satisfied.
A raw-bOned fellow from Maine is
seen no more at the White House.
He used to be a regular visitor. He
would march in every morning, walk
up to one of the ushers, and hand him
a letter. The letters were addressed
to "R. B. Hayes, from Ohio, President
of the United States, United States of
America, Western Continent, White
8 House, District of Columbia. These
letters were always opened, but were
such scrawls that no one could read
: them. This probably suited the man
exactly, as all he seemed to want was
to deliver the letters promptly at nine
, every morning.
The goddess of liberty just stepped
down from the dome of the capitol u
has already been introduced to the
/, readers of the Star. She came back
the other week and being refused ad.
mittance to the Presidents room
, threatened to bring down her re
serves" These consisted, she said
= of all the statues in the old hall o.
representatives and hat of Columbus
in the east front OF the capitol and O.
. the group of the backwoodsman and
Indian fighting.
a h~ard-looking male customer-hC
was about forty years old-came in
= one morning. Il am the man. he
: said in a roar, who closed the rebel
: lion. 1t is a matter Of necessity that
. | should see the President" He wa,
J, told that the President did not re.
:, ceive visitors at the White House
/ He saw every one who called at No
! 4l4 Tenth street. This is the number
of the police station on that street
The man went promptly to No. Al
!, Tenth street and took a scat. AfteI
y sitting there a while the keeper asked
what he wanted. "Ohl he said, !
c have just called to see the President
+ The keeper took in the situation at
n glance, and, saying, Step this way,
g conducted the visitor into one of The
cells. AS he turned the key in tn,
lock the man inside said eff tn,
!, President comes just show him right
< in, will your" Certainly" said tn,
q keener and want hack to his desk