The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-06

"Reminiscences of the Shooting of Key, and
the Assassination of Lincoln.

Sho Observation-Disclosures OL LIHCOlus
washfn gton Let6er.
One of the veterans of Washington got to COS
siping about Wormley, the lat hoterkeeper. II
knew him" he said, "when he was steward Of
the Washington Club, which occupied the house
facing Lafayette Square, which is now used as
the headquarters of the Commissary- general of
the army. You remember the famous quarrel
between General Sickles and Key. Well, Key
was shot right IN front of the clubhouse. and
Wornley was the man who rushed out and
brought him inside. Key was a member Of the
club, and Wornley did the best he could to pre-
vent publicity of the affair. Secretary Seward
afterward occupied the club house as his
residence. It was In this building that
Atzeroth, the assassin, attempted the
Seeretary's life. In the war times it
was customary for each Cabinet officer to have a
military guard around his house. The assassin
passed the guard, saying that he was the bearer
Of some medicine for Seward, who was then quite
III. He gained ad1nittance without difficulty,
and yuuld have killed Seward had it not been
for the fact that the sick man had had an opera
t1on performed on his throat a few days before
and the surgeons had placed an iron bandage
around 1t to keep his head in the proper position.
Before Atzeroth could accomplish his purpose he
was beaten off by Robinson, the colored valet,
who afterward received a medal from Congress,
and Margaret Broadhead, the housekeeper, who
is now employed in the Treasury Department.
Wormley was called in after the attack, and
nursed Seward until he recovered. To return
to the Sickles-Ksy affair. I have heard it stated
as a fact that all through the war the band of
Siekles's brigade never played THE Star Span
gled Banner, out of Difference to the Generals
feelings One of Mrs. LincoInis brothers was a
Capt Todd, of the confederate army. During
the entire war g correspondence was kept up be-
tween the brother and sister, all of the letters
passing through Wormleyis hands. When Tad
Lincoln was sick the President sent for Worm
ley, and he nursed the boy at the White House.
Werlnley was perhaps the most famous nurse of
this century. Among the great men he attended
1000 IN--.11 IIA--ww fn.- -
Douglas, Henry Wilson, Charles Sumner, and
others of equal prominence in the history of the
country. When Lincoln was shot Sumner and
Zach Chandler sent at once for Wormley. He
went to the Peterson House and remained with
the President until he died. In tins connection
it will be remembered that subsequently Lit
tlefeld, the artist, painted a picture, 1.-THE
Deauhbed of lincoln At first, some of those
present objected to having Wornley in the pic
ture, although he was one of the most conspicu-
Gus figures, and was holding Lincolu's head in
his hands when he breathed his last. Sumner
and Zach. Chandler heard about it, and threat
eHed TO expose the whole matter, and, as a con-
sequence, the objection WAS Withdrawn. The
trouble over that picture did not end there. It
appears that as soon as Booth fired the
fatal shot there was a cry: us there a
physician in the theaterR" DR.. Charles S.
Taft, OF the army, happened to be present,
and he went at once to the side Of the dying
President 1t was through his orders that
Lincoln vas removed to the Petersen House.
Taft remained with Lincoln until he died. OF
course he expected to be represented In the pic
ture, and was, but later Surgeon-general Crane
had Taft scratched out and his own portrait in
serted in its place. The picture was photo
graphed when first painted, and clearly showed
Taft where Crane now is. In the famous Grant.
Greeley campaign, you remember that Charles
Sumner addressed a letter advising all colored
men to vote for Greeley. That letter was writ
ten to Wormley. although the fact has never
been made public before. When Garfield was
shot, DrS Bliss and Barnes sent for Wormley,
and he supplied all the beef tea and other meat.
extracts used at the White House during that
terrible summer. A statement has been widely
published that Wormley's daughter married one
of the French legation. This is not true. His
niece, thedaughter of his brother Ralph, mar
ried Paul Girard, the first secretary of the
French legation, some years ago, and afterward
died in France. Among the colored population
here Wormley was held in the highest esteem.
He had more influence than Fred Douglass, for
the reason that Douglass has always been sus-
pected of trading his power with them for his
personal advantage. Wormley, on the contrary,
studiously avoided the whirlpool of politics, and
devoted himself almost exclusively to his hotel
business, in which he amassed a considerable
fortune. He entertained no colored guests at
his house, and they never gave him any trouble
by making application for accommodations"