The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1880-02-28
A NEGRO IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
Arthur simmons for Fifteen Years JaBitor
at the Executive Mansion.

Washington Correspondent Chicago Times.
Regular visitors at the White House may
have noticed AT the door of Secretary Rogers
room a fat, dark-skinned curly-headed
good-natured looking negro, who answers
Mr.. Rogers bell and carries in the cards OF
those who call This is Arthur Simmons
For 10 years he has been in continual service
at the executive mansion. He Is never sick
and never absent. Let the weather and every
thing else be what they may, it makes no
difference to him. He is at his door ali the
same. There is probably not man in the
United States of any degree of prominence
or note that Arthur does not know. He has
seen them all pass in and out of the presden-
tial mansion. He has been witness to all
the changes that have taken place there, and
all the ups and downs of political vicissitudes
since Lincolns time He has been convers-
ant with all the public questions and prom.
nent events of the capital during his term
of service, and in the most of these happen
ings he has borne an humble part. He knows
all the public men who have been in Congress
and politics for many day. and they
all know him, and greet him with pleasant
word. Senator Cockrell, of Missouri, says
he Is one of his constituents, and. as Arthur
says, That's the way it goes; it makes no
difference whether they are Democrats or
Republicans, they all know me- Arthur
was
BORN a SLAVE
down in North Carolina, and after being
kicked and cuffed about in that capacity
during his boyhood was afterward made
body servant to Colonel Richie, and was with
him during portion of the war. He still
has vivid recollections of his early life in
North Carolina He remembers how "A
"nigger' was treated then, and how badly
Oft some of them are now.
He lived at New Berne, and for long
time was employed by Mr.. Atmore, by
whom he was very kindly treated He was
allowed more privileges than the
majority of slaves, and was consequently
looked upon by them with something of
envy. While in the house of Mr.. Atmore
he paid considerable attention to books, and
by his patience aud industry, aided by the
kindness Of the children in the house, he
learned to read. He has since greatly i'm
proved himself in that respect, and is row
better educated than many white people who
have had AL the advantages of free schools.
Being
GIvEN HIS LIBERTY
BY Mr.. AtmOre, he was made body servant to-
Colonel Richie, who was then stationed at
New Berne He followed him to the war. and
was with him at the battle of Port Hudson
and all through Louisiana. Arthur thus came
with Colonel Richie when he was ordered to
Washington, and remained with him for six
months at General Augur's headquarters
and then enlisted IN the regular service He
was now United States soldier, but did
very little fighting, for soon after his enlist
mont he was detailed for duty at the White
House. He says lie is not very sorry that
he was not in the war, Cause. you know, |
might have been killed, and L didn't want to
die" Arthur made his appearance
AT Tue WHITE HOUSE.
during the second administration of President
Lincoln. He has pleasant remembrance of
"Old Abe" and his simple, kindly manners
Some of his recollections of Mrs. Lincoln
are not quite so pleasant. Mrs. Lincoln, he
says, had temper not always calm and Sc
rene. She was very much of an inva id, and
that fact detracted somewhat from the amia-
bility of her disposition. When in these
crusty moods she was in the habit of stirring
up the boys around the house, and threaten.
ing them with discharge if they didn't hurry
matters up and get around lively 81 re-
collect said Arthur, ''the last time that Mr.
Lincoln visited Old Point Comfort. We were
loading the baggage and other traps into the
wagon, when Mrs. Lincoln came out on the
porch, and IN loud voice called out: "If you
boys don't hurry up and get those things down
to the wharf, III have every one of you dis
charged was little green round the White
house then, says Arthur, land she kind O.
skeered me, and the way 1 jerked those
trunks down the stairs was caution, but
old Tom Dodson, who had been on duty for
several years. and knew Mrs. Lincoln better.
said: oh don't you mind her; that's her
way; she's always discharging some of us;
you'll get used to her after while;' but /
stepped around quick just the same"
Simmons describes President Lincoln as a
hard worker, plain and simple in his manners,
and good story-teller Zach Chandler was
constant visitor at the White House in
those days, and when he and Dick Yates,
Ben Wade, Lyman Trumbull and some more
of his friends got together there was gener-
ally happy time. There was not much
entertainment going on then, for it was dur
ing the
EXCITING TIMES
of the war. Everything was quiet, solemn,
and gloomy. The president went about with
n sad, careworn expression. Senators and
members were running in and out at all
hours, and very private consultations were
taking place. Zach Chandler called often
and stayed longer, but there was not so much
laughter rs his calls occasioned in former
days. The grounds of the White House
were filled with troops, kept there constantly
on guard. These troops remained about the
mansion until they were removed by Gen
eral Grant.
In the summer Lincoln lived ut the Soldiers
Home, and always went back and forth ac-
companied by an armed escort. Strange as
il may seem, this negro was probably the
only man in Washington who knew nothing
of the assassination of Mr. Lincoln until the
day after the occurrence. As he says him.
self; "lndeed, never heard word Of it that
night. always goes home when my work
is done, and that night was tired and went
to bed early. The next morning, of course
| went TO the White House, and soon knew
something had happened. Everybody, of
course was looking sad, and things were nil
upside down. Mrs. Lincoln was almost crazy.
but kept up pretty we'll"
ARTHUR SAYS
that President johnson was n very kind
hearted, supplemented man. who treated
people about the White House very we'll and
always spoke highly of Mr.. Lincoln. No
one ever could change him after his mind
was once made up. He knew when he was
right, and always meant what he said. John
son, like Lincoln, was hard worker He
rose early in the morning and did great
deal of routine business during the day. At
o'clock he always took lunch of corn
bread and buttermilk, and then went back to
work. He took very little interest in the
matter Of his impeachment; he said that he
was not afraid, and they could do rs they