The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-12-09
A CHAT ABOUT LINCOLN.
Recollections of Twcnty-three Years of
Life in the White House.

make great men. tie was Thomas +.
Pendel, Lincoln's body-guard. and now
serving his twenty-third year in the
white house.
so you want to hear about Lincoln, ,"
he said 10 his interviewer. rs he rubbed
his eyes TO aid a memory of two de-
cades ago. Il might as well lead up to
that great mans end by saying that on
Nov. ), 1864, Sergt Cronan, Andrew
Smith. Alfonso Dunn, and myself were
assigned to duty at the white house /
am the only survivor. We were taken
to MIR. Lincoln's room, given instruc-
tions, and went on duty. The real in
wardness of the matter was that the
president had received many threaten
ing letters. and at the time precaution
was necessary. Everybody had 10 be
watched, even women. tell you. sir"
with his eyes lighting up. chose fiery
southern women were dangerous. | had
been at the white house but a short
time when the president chose me As
his guard. walked with him every
where. As coincidence, one dav,
when we were on the street | said: .Mr
President, Senator Harlan is a good
man. "A very good man. he replied.
The senator afterward became mem-
ber of the presidents cabinet and also
father-in-law of the presidents son,
Robert Lincoln. One dav he said to
me, as we were coming out of Secretary
Stanton's house: We'll, Pnndleton,'-
he and Mrs. Lincoln always called me
that.-I have received Il good many
threatening letters, but I'm not afraid
But, Mr.. President said |, many
brave man has lost his life because he
did not fear That's so, he replied,
that's so.'
Again. to show you how frank he
was. L asked him how tall he was He
laughed and said: Il am Just six foot
three IN my stocking feet The devo-
ton between Mr.. Lincoln and his little
son Tad, who always called him Papa
day, was something for Il study. When
ever the president returned to the white
house, no matter how brief had been
his absence, he would pick that boy up
in his arms, hug him, and carry him
upstairs TO his room with him. | never
shall forget how Tad interested himself
in my behalf.
The president was at his desk when
Tad opened the door and said: Good
morning, Papa-day, will YOU do me a
favor?' My son. you know l WILL" he
answered. We'll, then, sir. Just SIGN
that The president read the document,
looked at the boy proudly, half amused,
and, picking up his pen. inscribed his
name. This is the document, said the
old man, huskily, as he held out bit of
faded paper that shook because his hand
trembled:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, Dec 81, IS6L-
These presents witness that Thomas +,
Pendel is duly appointed an usher in the
place OF Edward McManus, now dismissed.
A. LINCOLN.
This boy was only Is years DID,"
continued Mr.. Pendel. He was very
fond of me- He would meet me on the
stairway aud say: Tom Pen, YOU 90
upstairs and ask mamma may l 90 to
the theater and tell her you'll take care
of me- would 60 and say, Mrs. Lin
cold, Ted wants TO go to the theater;
may hep No, l don't think he had
BETTER she would say. I'll 90 with
him and take good care of him. Will
YOU be sure to do it. Pendleton? We'll,
then, guess he may GO
ut was my duty to stand in front of
the presidents desk when he was re-
ceiVing business visitors. OF all the re-
quests!-and he would listen to anybody.
One day two southern women came and
said: Mr.. President. won't you give
us a pass to Richmond?' No, / WON'T
was the plain answer. They sat down
sullcnly, and after awhile the president
called them up, and said: Yes, | will
give you Il pass to Richmond writing
one on his knee at the time. i would
rather have you there, because if YOU
stay here you'll just inform the confed-
eracy of what we are doing A young
officer who wanted to be transferred to
Hancock's corps submitted the neces-
sary papers to him. When ut length he
called for the presidents decision he in
quired very biuntly: Well, nave you
looked at the papers?' Yes said the
president Well, is there anything
more you want?' Hancock says you
are gallant officer, SIR said MIR. Lin
cold sternly. looking him in the eye.
but you are not a sober officer That
settled it..
MIR. Pendel was nearing the blacklist
spot in his memOry-the night of the
assassination.
''On one dark rainy day the president
and myself walked over to Secretary
Stanton's office in the war department
He and Mr.. Lincoln held conference,
and then we started back again On
the stairway of the department we met
a stranger who looked at the president
and he looked at him. | watched them
both intently. The man passed on his
way upstairs. and the president kept
going down, but Mr.. Lincoln kept his
eyes on him. When the stranger reach
ed the head of the stairs he turned and
peered over the balustrade, and when
we reached the pavement the president
spoke for the first time. 'Pendleton,'
he said, Il received n letter from New
York yesterday telling me that a man
answering his description and dressed
Just like him was on his way to Wash
ington to kill me-.
"Then came that terrible night. Mr..
Ashmer, of New York, Mr.. ColfaX,
speaker of the house, and Mr.. and Mrs.
Lincoln were chatting in tine parlor be-
fore starting for the theater. Richmond
had fallen and the house was illumina-
ted. Do you know the reason the pres-
dent went to the theater that night? 1t
had been advertised that Grant would
be there, but he couldn't, and Mr.. Lin
coin went so that the people would not
be disappointed. / saw the party of,
anu scnl SudLu " iOOh stlb'l lhChi"
About o'clock the bell rang and when
| answered it man said: Do You know
they have tried to cut Secretary Stewards
thrOat?' l SAID: No; it can't be- A
few moments later he returned, breath
less and exclaimed: Yes, it's so. The
cavalry are up and down the avenue.
Then grew uneasy about tine president,
and sent out messengers. A few min
utes afterward | saw Senator Sumner
coming up the hill, followed by n crowd
of men and boys, and he gasped, How
about the PRESIDENT He had hardly
finished talking when Commissioner
Newlm arrived and said: The president
has been shot through the back of the
head l went TO Capt. Lincoln's room.
He had Just returned from the front,
and | said: Captain. something has
happened to the president told the
military secretary plainly what it was.
He turned white as death, and said:
Don't let anyone come in the house
l was going downstairs when little Tad.
who had been to the National theatcr.
rushed into my arms and sobbed: oh,
Tom Pen, somebody has killed papa
day 1t was an awful night. | rushed
through crowds on the streets to Peter
I,.. III