The Evening critic., 1881-09-20


Not until the edition of THE CRrrIc
appeorcd. however, was the official and
correct statement of the death given. How
ouickly the dark streets filed up with
peoplcl Men, women and children appeared
upon the thoroughfarcs, though IL was
some time before the public was willing to
accept the sad truth.
Drnping the city In weeds of Woe.
There was no stronger corroboration of
the news needed than the sudden appear.
ance of men with ladders the sbarp. steady
{ Strokes of hammers and the almost stimuli.
(taneous lighting IN of stores as the duty of
draping the city in mourning began. This
work kept up the remainder of the day and
is still in progress. Public and private|
buildings, stores and places of business gen.
- orally, churches and places of amusement
all alike wear the sombro drapcry, indi. :.
cative of the nations grief. Dry goods
stores were thrown open Immediately after
the sad news was received, and tens of
thousands of yards of mourning goods wcrcI
Idisposed of Several Of the larger dry goods
stores, anticipating the worst, had extra
supplies of black goods in stock, having|
purchased it conditonally, and great deal
of which they had sold conditionally, also|
to be delivered. In consequence very
Shortly after the news arrived, these stores
were in n state of commotion. Clerks,
portcrs and others were busy, and wagons
loaded with black Grape and cambric were
very soon on the way delivering orders.
The News Carried TO the White House.
The reception of the news at the White
House was. under peculiar circumstances
When the telegraph boy with the sad mes
sage from Privatc secretary Brown arrived
there he iound only TWO persons about the
place. One was policeman, the other a
messenger. Both were asleep. The house
was dark and as silent rs the grave. None
ofthe clerks or other employees were around.
Shaking the policeman, who sat in the door
nodding, the telegraph boy announced his
presence. What have you therc?" asked
the officer "a death message the boy
answered, and then,
bursting Into Tears. Added,
The President Is dead" In an instant
the officer and his companion sprang to their
feet, and the messenger was dispatched for
Assistant Pruden. In few
minutes quite u crowd gathered on the
portico, expecting that some details of the
death would be received, but none came.
The house remained dark and silent No
lights shone to indicate what great sorrow
had fallen upon the place. IL
WAS expected that Mr.. Pruden would
repair at once to the mansion,
but he did not 90 there. He received the
sad news at his residence, and sent word to
the White House that he did not think ii
necessary for him to 90 there until this
morning.
Assistant Secretary Of state Hit,
who had lust returned to the city was called
upon at l o'clock this morning and asked
what steps would be taken to-day with ref
erence to the great calamity. He declined
to sneak ON the subject. Col. Corbin was
seen noxt. He could saw nothing officially.
At the JaiI,
As stated in tho extra edition of THE
cprrIc last night the iail was strongly
guaraea. The reserve force of police was
held In readiness to proceed TO th.
iaiI at moment,s notice and tbe
local militia was held under arms
These precautions were taken in
the event of anv attemnt to GET ot Guiteou
a. ,.,a..,., ..,s, - % !,
thot Como srol otton,nt ,ro,,Ia to m,odo hut
,,,o,o ,,,,. 5o,,,a,,rt.o.,s 49,
horr or;o+ orr;ors o,.o,,a s,rron,aoS
tho ;ou howovor About o,o,ool, ,h;s
y morn;ng n norty or about t,;rt,, rorahs mr.
4 r;vod horo FROM, po,,;roro toIooro,,
Iron, that c;ty ornornood thot tho;r r,;s
lion ,yos
To Ivncn Guitenu
i When thew arrived here. however. tbev
found none to co.operatc with them. and
tbo,, rrocoodod to tho poIt;roro ., poton,oo
49, ,,,,o.o .,,o,, ,;,,,...a -,
hort o.ao o,oIoo1, t,,;s ,,onr;, han1.
oonta;n;nn o;oht ,,,or duamot ..o ;s,,
rhou s,.toa tbat thn,. I,ad od,a;,a p cs, 'n' a.
,,,;ss.s tn. - a..;..' 80,
T,',s Mor',,nm p'"'
Tho morning broke over tho ou;ct
afflicted citv and found tho evidences n,
grief distributed evervwbere tbroughop,
its length and breadth and exnrcsscd in III,
I various wavs Inv festoons and coIpmns n,
crano aags at bo,c.most c,osod br,;nos.
|bonses and the onxious revoront ouio,