The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-08
A STORY OF LINCOLN.
How He Interested Himself to Secure the
Liberty of an InDocent Man.

How He Interested himself to Secure the
Liberty of an Innocent Man.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 7-"Abraham Lincoln
said Judge Kelley, of Pennsylvania, who is the
father Of the House of Representatives. twas
the most patient man in the details of life ever
saw. He was the only President we have ever
bad and probably ever will have who knew moth
Ing of the common autocracy of public life He
was the only man we ever had at the White
House who would go back of the wishes of per-
sons and examine their real wants. remember
an incident in connection with the war which
illustrates what am trying to say 1t is not
proper for me to use names, but the story goes:
1T was at that early period in the rebellion
when suspects and conspirators were being ar
rested and imprisoned by wholesale A letter,
written upon printed sheet of paper giving the
business of q prominent firm of merchants in
New York. and containing incendiary language
towards the Union, found its way into the hands
Of government official in the South. The dec
larations were penned by travelling man who
represented the firm mentioned on the letter
head. The result was the arrest of the principal
member OF that firm on the charge of conspiracy
against the government The letter was signed
In such a. way as to not make it perfectly clear
who the author was and, of course, suspicion
bore heavily upon the firm mentioned. he is
man we'll known in New York to-day. Men
were held in prison at that time
on the slightest uspicion-suspicion, in fact
moro slight than this one. The wife of the
merchant came to friend of mine in New York
immediately after the arrest of the husband and
requested him to communicate with President
Lincola the fact that her husband had been ar
rested for something for which he was in no way
responsible. My friend addressed q note to the
President, telling him that the man under arrest
was not guilty of the misdemeanor, even in
Ill Aa~lA A1.A 30 30 NH~ fa
came here. 1t was IL o'clock at Eight when she
arrived. At the depot she told the cabman TO
drive to the White House. The driver expostu-
lated with her, and told her that it was of no
use to call at the White House at such late
hour of the night She said it made no differ
ence, she wanted to Mr.. Lincoln,
and that he must drive her i'm
mediately to the executive mansion
When she presented herself at the entrance to
the White House it was midnight. Every thing
was quiet. The Gordon of police was very strong
at that time, and turned out in full force. They
would not listen at first to her entreaties TO be
admitted to the White House. Finally she pre-
vailed upon one of the officers to take the letter
of introduction she had to President Lincoln,
who was then asleep. A minute after the Pres
ident had been awakened his voice was heard in
the corridor on the upper floor. He appeared in
his robe and slippers. He held the letter in his
hand and the trenor upon 1t indicated his feel
ing; mr.. .,;, s.u.o... ;-,,..a;o..
ton said Mr.. Lincoln; If you will take my arm
we will go Immediately to Secretary Stanton.
Across the lots at rapid pace went the Presi-
dent and the lady Stanton was aroused from
his slumbers, shown the letter by the President,
and requested to release the prisoner. He wrote
b dispatch and handed it to Mr.. Lincoln, and said
that he would attend to the matter further in
the morning.
Like a lackey-boy, the President and the
lady started toward the downtown hotels. 1t
was o'clock in the morning Washington was
filed with revoutionists and would be assassins,
yet Mr.. Lincoln never faltered and seemed not
90 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 the dock. The lady could
not believe 1t. but Mr.. Lincoln assured her that
such would be the The President then
went 10 the telegraph Office, filed the message,
which demanded the unconditional release of the
prisoner. and returned to the White House alone.
Sure enough, when the lady alighted from the
ferry at New York the next day her husband
was there to embrace her. / am inclined to be-
lieve the millennium will come before we shall
have another President who would do such an
act as this