The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-11-18
An Incident OF the War.

On a raw, gloomy afternoon in the
winter of 1864, Col. Senter and the
writer had an appointment with Presi.
dent Lincoln on business connected
with the protection of the commerce
of the lakes. As we were about
to be ushered into the private
room OF the President Mr., j,
well-known lawyer of Ohio, seized both
of us somewhat roughly by the should
ers, and begged us in earnest tones for
the love of God and humanity to ask
Mr.. Lincoln to see him and his client,
if only for one moment. "Al day." he
said, I'VE have tramped YEARLY by the
door, hoping in vain the p resident
would relent and give us a hearing.
Look, for mercy's sake" he continued,
lat that noble white head and tottering
figure, with the hands tightly clasped
nervously before him. That old man
is father; his only son, lad of 19, is
to be shot this afternoon at o'clock,
unless the President interferes. Stanton
has approved the sentence, Lincoln has
declined to interfere he will not see
me, and, unless we can get the ear OF
the President, the boy will be shot, and
this old man and his wife will be
maniacs."
The father of the boy at this moment
came forward, venerable old gentle
man, with long white hair falling upon
his shoulders. His face was one of the
saddest sights / ever saw. The grief
and anxiety so plainly written upon 1T
plainly showed the torture he was suf-
fering. We took the old gentleman
kindly by the hand, told him we would
beg the President to see him, and bade
him hope for the best. Mr.. Lincoln
was in the gayest of humors, some
thing specially funny having taken
| place in an interview just closed with a
large committee from Baltimore, and
he recited the whole matter in the mer.
riest manner, accompanied with shouts
of laughter. For an hour Mr.. Lincoln
gave himself up to relaxation and rest,
telling the usher to bring him no cards
till he rang his bell.
At the end Of this time Mr.. John G..
Nicolay, then private secretary, now
Marshal of the Supreme Court, came
quietly into the room, leaned over the
Presidents chair and whispered some
words of private conversation in his
ear. In an instant the President ceased
speaking, his face became cold and sol
emn in composure, and he appeared to
reflect gravely for moment before re,
plying. Quietly looking back over his
chair, he said slowly and distinctly
"Tell Mr.. will not see him.
can not. Don't ask me again. Tell him
] have read the papers in the case; al
of them fully, word for word. The boy
deserted three times, the last time
when on guard at Washington, and ht
can not be pardoned. I will not inter
fere. He must be shot" Mr.. Nicola.
at once left the room, and MIR. Lincoll
again renewed the conversation at th'
point he had broken of. He made M
allusion to the interruption, and evi
IDENTIFY did not wish either of us tt
speak of the subject in any manner. I
was plain that his mind was made up
and his decision irrevocable.
The lawyer, on getting the message
from Mr.. Nicolay, admitted furthel
effort was useless, and at once started
with his client to cross the bridge int
Virginia, and drive where the boy wa
confined prisoner. They reached tn
camp in time to find the young mai
ready for execution. The parting be
tween father and son was so affecting
that no one could look upon it. Th
officer in command had the broken
hearted old man carried tenderly to
tent, and at 6 o'clock promptly th
young soldier was shot dead as q de
serter, in the presence of his regimen
-Cleveland Herald.