The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-01-06
A Sad Interruption to Gen. Arthur's
New Years Reception.

The New Years reception at the White
House was brought to sudden and sad ter
mination. Judge Elisha Allen, the Dean OF
the Diplomatic Corps, paid his respects to the
President, retired to the cloak room, and fell
diving to the floor as he was putting on his
overcoat. He died soon afterward, while the
band was playing few feet away, and the
throng of brilliantly dressed army officers and
diplomats were chatting with the President or
with each other in the parlor. The President
did not learn of Mr. Aliens death until some
minutes after it occurred, nor, in fact, did any
of the gay throng, except those who were IN
the cloak room when he was stricken down.
When the President did learn of it he was SO
stunned as almost to lose self-cOntrol, and he
gave immediate orders to shut the doors. 1t
had been the intention to make this a notable
New Year s reception. The White House had
been delivered to the President only day be
fore by Mr.. Lewis G. Tiffany, who has spent
many weeks in decorating the musty interior.
The Marine Band in their gorgeous red
uniforms, began lively tune in the corridor
at precisely II o'clock, and just at that mo-
ment the President came down stairs. Gen.
Arthur seemed to be in robust health, and III
the best of spirits When he entered the red
room he found his Cabinet waiting, and after
exchanging congratulations, the reception be-
|
huvsen, Miss Folger, Mrs. Lincoln, Mrs. Tel
Ter, Mrs. Chandler, and Mrs. Logan. In one
of the outer rooms a small man, decorated
with broad red sash, upon which was royal
Insignia had been greeting the members OF
the diplomatic corps as they arrived. lhls
was Mr.. Allen, the Hawaiian Minister. In
spite of his advanced years he was alert and
vivacious, unusually so it was observed Mar
shall MacMichael indicated that the President
was ready to receive the diplomat, and Mr.
| Allen entered the red room, followed by the
other representatives of foreign governments
Mr.. Allen chatted a moment with the Presl-
dent, and then passed on to exchange greet
ings with the Cabinet. 1t was thought that he
was in remarkable spirits. Shortly the rooms
began to be thronged, the Justices of the
Supreme Court, Senators, Representatives,
and the army and navy officers having been
admitted. Mr.. Allen with his son, went to
the cloak room, intending to depart for the
reception at Secretary FreliHghuysen's that
was to begin at u He was putting on his
overcoat, he staggered, the coat fell from his
powerless hands, and he dropped to the floor.
The throng was passing through the room at
the time, laying aside their wraps, and 1t was
not generally known who the unconscious
man was The doors were closed and physi-
cians who happened to be in the house, were
summoned Restoratives were, however, ap-
piled, and such measures adopted as were
possible in that announcement place.
Meanwhile the music ofthe band, which hap
pened at that moment to be playing the Mis-,
erere from "Trovatore," filled the room, and
the buzz of the brilliant company that was in
the other room or passing by the President
was not shut out by the closing Of the doors
Judge Allen died in about fifteen minutes af-
ter he was smitten, the cause of death being
angina pectoris