The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-09-17
Lincoln,s Kindness,
"Abrahani Lincoln"

"Abrahali Lincoln" said Judge
Kelley, OF Pennsylvania, who is the
father of the House OF Representa-
tives, "was the most patient man in
the details OF life ever saw. He was
the only President we have ever had,
and probably ever will have, who
knew nothing OF the common autocra-
cy OF public life. Hewas the only man
we ever had at the White House who
would go back of the wishes ofpersons
and examine their real wants. re-
member an incident in connection
with the war which illustrates what
am trying to say. tits not proper for
me to use names, but the story goes: 1t
was at that early period in the rebel
lion when suspects and consplrators
were being arrested and imprisoned
by the wholesale. A letter written up
on printed sheet OF paper, giving the
business OF a prominent firm OF mer-
chants in New York and containing
incendiary language toward the Union,
found it's way into the hands OF agov-
ernment official in the South. The
declarations were penned by a travel
ing man, who represented the firm
mentioned in the letter head. The re-
suit 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 SIS
to not make it perfectly clear who the
author was, and OF course suspicion
bore heavily upon the firm mentioned.
He is man well known in New
York to-day. Men were held in prlsonat
that time on the slightest suspicion
suspicion, in TACT, more slight than
this one The wife OF the merchant
came to a friend OF mine in New York
Immediately after the arrest OF the
husband, and requested him to com
municate with President Lincoln the
fact that her husband had been ar.
rested for something for which he was
in no way responsible. My friend ad
dressed note to the president, telling
him that the man under arrest was
not guilty OF the misdemeanor even in
a collateral or the most remote way
The wife came here; it was eleven
O'Clock at night when she arrived. AT
the depot she told the cabman to
drive to the White House. The driv-
er expostulated with her and told her
that it was no use to call at the White
House at such late hour Of the night
She said it made no difference,
she wanted to see Mr.. Lincoln and
that he must drive her Immediately
| to the executive mansion. When she
presented herself at the entrance to
the White House it was midnight.
| Everything was quiet. The Gordon
| OF police, very stormy at that time,
turned out in full force. They would
not listen at first to her entreaties to
be admitted to the White House.
Finally she prevailed upon one OF the
officers to take the letter OF introduc.
ton she had to President Lincoln,
who was then asleep. A minute after
the President had been awakened his
voice was heard In the corridor on the
upper floor. He held the letter in his
hand and the tremorupon it indicated
his feeling.
"Mrs -, this case demands i'm
mediate action, said Mr.. Lincoln. II
you will take my arm we will go imme-
diately to Secretary Stanton Across
the lots at rapid pace went the PIesi.
dent and the lady. Stanton was
aroused from his slumbers, shown the
letter by the President and requested
to release the prisoner. He wrote
despatch and handed it to Mr.. Lin.
coin and said he would attend to the
matter further inf he morning.
"Like q lackey boy the President
with thelady started toward the edown.
town hotel. 1t was l o'clock i'll the
morning. Washington was filled
with revolutionists and would-be
assassins, yet Mr.. Lincoln never
faltered and seemed not to compre-
hend 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. Thelady 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 de.
manded the unconditional release oi
the prisoner, and returned to the
white house alone. Sure enough when
she alighted from the ferry the next
day her husband was there to embrace
her. am inclined to believe the mil
lennium will come before we eshall have
another president who would do such
an act as this"