Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-07-27
A CONGREsSMAN,s FIX.
Aad How Ne ives Relieved when
Told Lincoln WAS Killed.
I nks..oo

A CONGRESSMAN'S FIX.
Aad How He ives Relieved when
Told Lincoln was Killed.
Washington Letter to Chicago Times.l
There was an incident that oc-
cured on the night of the assassi-
nation that has never been pub
Used. 1t illustrates how a man can
be situated that the news of the
assassination of a martyred Presi-
dent may be relatively news Of very
little Importance. 1t is also an
illustration of the active workings
Of a guilty conscience. There was
a Northern congressman in the city
at the time who had long been lay
ing siege to a fellow.member's wife.
This member belonged to the nu-
merous class of men who think the
business Of seducing women one Of
the main objects of life. The lady
whose affections he sought to alien
ate was in the undefended position
Of a neglected wife. Her husband
was a rake, and, like most men of
this character, neglected a talented
and charming wife for the pursuit
of less handsome women, whose
great attraction was that they did
not properly belong to him. The
first named member succeeded in
his attempts only after he had
proved to the wife that her hus-
band was notoriously untrue to her.
Upon the night of the assassination
the member, with the victim of his
wiles, had an assignation at one of
the then principal hotels of the
city, not far from Ford's Theater.
They entered the hotel at an early
hour, secured a room and retired.
After an hour or so the guilty cou-
pie were very much alarmed by the
sounds Of walking to and fro in the
| hotel. Voices were continually
heard in the passages, and so great
was the unusual sounds of mysteri.
ous excitement the pair thought
that they had been discovered, anC
that they were upon the verge o.
an esclandre. A pair Of folding
doors were upon one side of thei
room. Every moment they ex
pected these doors to be opened ant
they confronted by an outrage,
proprietor. The lady was nearl
, dead with terror. She held a promi
:, nent position in society, and deaf
: would have been preferable to e2
/ posure. They hastily dressed. Th
: bed was made up and the apart
+ ment Strengthened out of indecol
9 GUS disorder. Then they resolve
upon bold course, and that wa
: to leave the hotel at once. The
9 passed out undisturbed, but just q
they came out of the door at th
/ ladies' entrance a Capitol police
\ man came up to them. The men
ber recognized him as a man he ha
:. recently had appointed. At thi
! the lady nearly screamed and clun
Y tremblingly to her companion
while her heavy veil was draw
tighter. "This is bad business,
o said the Capitol policeman, solemn
. ly, with a shake OF his head. A
this the hearts of the guilty pal
d pounded up against their throa
until they nearly suffocated. The
n were discovered Great drops {
/, perspiration stood upon the men
ber's brow as he said mechanical
% "What is a bad business?" "0t
haven't you heard the news?" sal
. the policeman. "President Lincol
r has been assassinated." A moul
" tain Of oppressive weight was LITE
: The member exclaimed, ooh h
d is that alp" greatly to the astoi
q ishment of the policeman, wi
% could not understand how a R
Is publican member could regard sue
an event as bagatelle. But
of seems some good came of it. TT
/. lady in the question was frightcnt
.e into becoming virtuous, and aft
4 this scare she refused to have an
q thing more to do with the temple
of and at latest accounts was an orn
a ment of the circle that she is SUI
q. posed to adorn, while her husban
II since reformed, is thoroughly d
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