Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-09-02
LINCoLN'S KINDNESS.
Ise Kelley Relates an Interesting Anecdote
of the President.

are Kelley Relates an Interesting Anecdote
of the President.
uAhraham Lincoln" said Judge Kelley,
PENNSYLVANIA, who is the father of the
nnse of representatives, was the most
otient man in the details of life | ever
w. He was the only president we have
rer had, and probably ever will have,
no knew nothing of the common auto
racy of public life. He was the only
an we ever had at the white house who
Ronld 90 back of the wishes of persons
nd examine their real wants. | remem-
or an incident in connection with the
,ar which illustrates what am trying to
av. II is not proper for me to use names,
mt the story goes: 1t was at that early
ber1od ir the rebellion when suspects and
<onspirators were being arrested and i'm
[,ri.oned by the wholesale. A letter writ
en- upon printed sheet of paper, giving
ne business of prominent firm of mer-
Atlantis in New York, and containing in
kendlary language toward the union,
&ound its way into the hands of govern
nent official in the south. The declara-
ions wero penned by travelling man
vsho represented the firm mentioned in
vbe letter head. The result was the arrest
III the principal members of the firm on
Nae charge of conspiracy against the gov
krnment The letter was signed in such
way as to not make it perfectly clear
,,ho the author was, and, of course, sue
bcion bore heavily upon the firm men
Iioned. He Is man well known in New
York to-day. Men were held in prison at
he time on the slightest suspicion-sus-
bcion. in fact, more slight than this one
IIhe wife of tse merchant came to friend
bf nine in New York Immediately after
he arrest of her husband, and requested
i'm to communicate with President Lin
holm the fact that her husband had been
arrested for something for which he was
n no way responsible. My friend ad-
Pressed note to the president, telling
him that the man under arrest was not
tuilty of the misdemeanor even in col
lateral or the most remote way. The
Wife came here; it was II O'Clock at night
when she arrived. At tho depot she told
he cabman to drive her to the White
house. The driver eXpOstulated with her
and told her that it was of no uso to call
kt the White house at such late hour of
he night She said il made no difference,
Enc Wdultu W Htt NIL IJlACOius ttlu lildt
be must drive her Immediately to the ex-
cutye mansion. When she presented
lerself at the entrance to the White house
was midnight Everything was quiet.
The Gordon of police, very stormy at the
Mime, turned out in full force. They
would not listen at first to her entreaties
10 be admitted to the White house. Finally,
he prevailed upon one of the officers to
axe the letter of introduction she had to
President Lincoln, who was then asleep.
A minute after the president had been
awakened his voice was heard in the cor
|ridor on the upper floor. He held the let
Ter in his hand, and tbs tremor upon it
Indicated his feeling.
"Mrs.-, this case demands immedi-
ate action said Mr.. Lincoln. IF you
Twill take my arm we will go Immediately
Ito Secretary Stanton Across the lots
at rapid pace went the president and
the lady. Stanton was aroused from his
SAUNDERS, shown the letter by the presi-
dent, and requested to release the prisoner.
He wrote dispatch and handed it to Mr..
Lincoln, and said he would attend to the
matter further in the morning.
Like lackey, the president, with the
lady, started toward the down town hotels.
II was l o'clock in the morning. Wash
ington was filled with reyolutionists and
would-be assassins, yet Mr.. Lincoln never
faltered, and seemed not to comprehend
his danger. When he arrived at the hotel,
with the lady on his arm, he told her to
go to her room, sleep soundly, return TO
New York in the morning, and that her
husband would meet her on the dock. The
lady could not believe it, but Mr.. Lincoln
assured her that such would be the case.
The president then went to the telegraph
Office, filed the message, which demanded
the unconditional release of the prisoner,
and returned to the White house alone.
Sure enough, when thelady alighted from
the ferry at New York the next day her
husband was there to embrace her. | am
inclined to believe the millennium will
come before We shall have another presi-
dent who would do such an act as this"