Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-10-28

Major A. G. Richards who was superintendent
Of police for q long series of years, and who oc-
cupied that position at the time Andrew john
son was President, In speaking Of the recent
publications by Mr.. Depew and Col. Burr in
reference to johnson and Gen. Grant, said yes
terday to STAR reporter that the discussion
had brought some circumstances to his MIND
which he had never mentioned before. "When
Johnson was President" said the major, sand
it was generally known that there were differ
ences between the Secretary Of War and the
President, one morning l received a message
from Secretary Stanton that he desired TO see
me, and Immediately went to the War De
spending his entire time In the War Depart
ment building, taking his meals ana lodglng
there In fact, the department. was tnen ms
at once admitted to his room, and he then In
formed me In q general way that trouble was
ahead and he had reason 70 peexe sh G an AT, az.
garrison on Sth street east, TO seize the depart
ment building and forcibly. disposses him of it.
police, nor that the force should take part in
any contest which might take place, but he
simply asked to be informed II the marines
should march out of the garrison, aud intimated
that he would be prepared tor any such attack.
The Secretary was not very communicative,
somewhere e.. Which wonid have come to his as
sistanee speedily had there been OCCASION.
ARRANGEMENTS MADE BY THE POLICE.
"What arrangements did you make. major3'
asked the reporter.
81 arranged" answered the major, with the
lieutenant Of the eighth precinct-I think it
should be signaled at once. The officers, with
out knowing the import of the signal which
was to have been passed from one to another to
other. We had the GamewelI dial machines
then to transmit messages between the stations
and headquarters, but was not certain that
no rVons ouoa no ant
quired, as the machines sometimes got out OF
order and arranged for signaling from man
to man should there be necessity. do not
suppose that any one at the department knew
my business there outside of Mr.. Stanton, and
am certain that none OF my force knew what
was going on, although some may have guessed
"You have not stated how long this arrange
ment was continued" the reporter remarked.
my recollection now is, said the major,
''thaL it was for two or three days and nights.
was expected to do nothing more than send
ton said he wished to be apprised of the first in
dication that there was to be a forcible attempt
on the department,and was prepared to so ap-
prise him. What would have been my course
had the attempt been made cannot say now,
but would have, to the best of my ability, used
the force in attempting to preserve the peace at
least"
MR.. srANToN's MYSTERIOUS FORCE.
"You are quite certain" asked the reporter,
shat Mr.. Stanton was prepared with force?"
"Yes" answered the major; che gave me to
understand that by being apprised OF any move.
ment against the department he would be pre-
pared to meet it, but he did not disclose what
the force was or give me any Information rela-
tive thereto. I understood, however, that 1t
was considerable force perhaps q few thou
| sand, but the Secretarys conversation with me
was mostly as to watching the barracks and
giving him Information as to any movement
from that quarter"
distinguished general of the volunteer service
being at the head OF the veterans"
ayes" said the major. but cannot conjec-
however, that Mr.. Stanton, tor some reason un--
known to me, directed me to telegraph to a
number Of parties, mostly in peansyivan n.
have have been one 81 the parties telegraphed to,
the command, but it has been so long ago
nearly twenty years-that cannot remember
with any certainty as to the names. The gen.
eral tenor OF the dispatches was requesting In
vestigations to be made as to what was going
on, and to learn the temper of the people.
The question then, was as TO VINO wa, was
with perhaps one or two others of the cabinet,
being on one side, and the President and the
rest Of the administration on the other. Ihe
marines were at the garrison and navy yard, as
we'll as some sailors, and the army had here
but handful of men-One or two companies of
ordnance men at the arsenal. Knowing this, 1
was aware that Mr.. Stanton must be expecting
aid outside OF the regular army, and had the
impression that the force he alluded TO was
however, that if force was used against him he
would meet it with force, but he gave no fur
ther information as to the force He was very
reticent in his conversation with me about this
time, and gave me no more information than
was necessary"
what do you know" asked the reporter, cot
troops arming in Maryland about that timer
II cannot recall now that learned any
thing" said the major, "On that subject, but
some of the dispatches I sent for Mr.. stanton
may have been to parties to ascertain what was
occurring in that state. l cannot recall now
what learned from that state, If / did any
thing"
STANTON AND wELLES.
Last evening a gentleman who,i in the days re-
ferred to- was a close, intimate friend of Mr..
Stanton said, referring to Col. Burr's story and
Major Richards statement: alt is more than
likely all true, especially that as to the marines
Mr. Stanton and very ffiendIy with Mr.. John.
son. In fact, he wanted Mr.. johnson almost
before the rupture became known to GUST Mr..
Stanton. Yes, it would not have taken much
to have induced Mr.. Welles to have called out
the marines and put Mr.. Stanton and his effects
in the street. Ask any OF the older employees OF
the War and Navy departments, and they will
tell you that there was no love between the
War and Navy Secretaries about that time"
>0>-
Conformation Among Omce Seekers.
THE PRESIDENTS ORDER sTIRs THEM Up
WHAT COL. LAMONT sAYs-wHAT A CONGRESS
MAN SAYS.
The Presidents manifesto cutting of the office
hoe