Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1879-01-08
WHlTE.HOUSE LUNATICS.
Some of the Mad Men Who Call Regu.
larly to See the President. hut Who
Never See Him.
Washington Star.

/ The daft people who find their way
into the presidents room generally look
sane enough; but some let their mental
weakness be known by their queer
| questions and strange actions. They
are maneuvred out rs soon as possible,
| but often cause considerable trouble.
When a person calls at the executive
mansion who is so insane as to be help
| less or dangerous he is turned over to
the insane asylum or his home. From
clews furnished by themselves the
place from which they hail is often dis
covered, and they are given transporta-
| ton thereto at government expense.
| There are such Il number that have to
be sent to tn insane asylum that it has
| been suggested that a special appro-
priation be made for taking them home,
| as ID costs more to maintain them at
| the government expense III the asylum.
Some harmless lunatics have method
in their madness. AT stated periods
they pay the white house n visit. Their
faces have become familiar. Among
these is an old gentleman who
! lives short distance in the country,
near Bladensburg. He wears large,
soft hat, salt-and-pepper pants, and n
short black coat. His eyes are blue
and mild, with nothing wild about them,
and his hair is gray. He calls regularly
once in every two months. He comes
in the door solemnly. Being asked
what he wants, he replies: Il have
come to take my seat" He then tells
how he has been regularly elected presi-
I Il
on his duties sooner, but work on MS
farm prevented his leaving home. The
ushers talk to him seriously about the
matter, and as a general thing he soon
leaves perfectly satisfied. The last
time he called he was somewhat per-
sistent in demanding "the presidential
chair" in order ''to take his lawful
seat. Being eXpostulated with he ex-
planned to the usherS that they need
have no fear; he did not intend to make
any changes and would keep them all
in office. He didn't know, come to
| think of it, that he would make any
removals at all. He might, however,
put Secretary Schurz outof the cabinet.
He was asked if he had wife. He re-
piled, NO" He was then told that no
man unmarried could be president. He
left Immediately, with the expressed
determination to marry as soon as he
got home, and then come back and
take his seat"
A man comes down from Penhsylva-
MIA about five times year. He is about
50 years old and dresses neatly and
comfortably. He demands to see the
president. The treasury and the White
House have been decided to him and he
wants possession Of both The last
time he called he worea pair of badly
used up shoes and gol slightly noisy
When put outside the door he said:
II will submit this time, as J do not
wish to make Hayes holseless but the
next time | come wartno foolishness.
| want him to move out promptly. |
hate to be SO harsh, bit my shoes are
wearing out and | musthave my rights.
Just tell HIM how this case stands.
A woman from Mailp walked IN one
day in dress like thatof Quakeress
She stalked into the east room, aud
spreading n large Bible.-which she car
ried under her arm--oI one of the win
dow seats, announced Ter text and be-
gan in loud voice to hold forth on the
necessity of being born again. Sergt
Dinsmore told her she must not make q
noise. She calmly toll him that her
mission was 20 convertPresident Hayes
and she had come to ulhll it. An eff
fort being made to estort her to the
door, sue again became loud and quot
ed verse after verse f-om the Bible
/ hat nt,,
ance, she was gotten ont on the porch
and the door was closel. She left an
nouncing her determination to convert
Mr.. Hayes, and repeating Scriptulal
texts all the way down the concrete
walk to the gate.
A man from Ohio calld few days
ago. He had a theory tat the world
was coming to an end ina few days if
he was not made superintendent Of the
naval observatory; in view that he
might, by his knowledge of astronomy,
avert the impending collision Of the
earth with all the planets. He was
promised the position AID left satisfied.
Ohio, by the by, furnished quite a
number of subjects. 4 woman from
that state, about 40 years old, with a
gray hat, a light woole, cloak, hand
some brown eyes and regular features,
came quietly last week She said that
there was 81 900 up that she had been
elected governor of Pennsylvania on
the greenback ticket. She had only
the week before gone to that state to
see about it, and not getting much sat
lsfaction, had come to tle president to
have the question final, settled. She
exhibited what she called her "creden-
tlals." This important document was
the ticket issued by the greenbackers in