Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-09-21
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
IN Attempt Upon His life In iSGi-rn
kihnnnimt. lnns nlrncN.

81 am reading with great deal OF inter.
81 Nicolay and Hay life OF Lincoln"
aid Mr. John W. Nichols cX-Pre,ident Of
he Omaha Fire Department 10 "a Wheel
ng (N Va correspondent. The chap
.ers that will most interest me will be
hose relating to his career irony 1SC2 10
1868, and particularly The history Of the
assassination IL is not generally known
that more than one attempt upon Lincoln's
life was made in Washington but such is
he fact
Mr. Nichols statement interested me
somewhat, and | asked him to explain.
lie then went on and told me substantially
the following story. In August, 1862.
Company X, one Hundred and Fifth
Pennsylvania Volunteers, of which MIR.
| Nichols was a member, was detailed as
body guard Of President Lincoln. Up 10
1864, owing 10 the vigilance of the guards,
MI. Lincoln escaped all attempts at viO-
lcncc The back of the Coniedcracy was
broken, a good feeling pcryaded all Wash
ngton, and vigilance was considerably re
aXed Ii was then conSpiracies were
hatChed and ConicdCratcS ran the city I'M
molested The President and his family
spent the summer months at the Soldiers
Home, about three miles north of the city,
whittier the body guard accompanied
them 1t was the custom of the President
to remain late at the War Department, and
after his work was concluded he would
ride on horseback 10 the Home. That
summer he had pcrsistcntly refused an
escort, imagining himself perfectly Sc
cure.
one night about the middle Of August
Mr.. Nichols was doing sentinel duty at the
large gate TO the grounds of the home.
About II o'clock lac heard a rifle shot, and
shortly aftcrward Mr. Lincoln dashed up
10 the gate on horseback The President
was burchcaded, and rs he dismOunted he
said referring TO the horse: He came
pretty near getting away with me, didn't
he2 He got the bit in his teeth before !
could draw the rein" Mr.. Nichols asked
him where his hat was, and he replied that
somebody hau tired "A gun oil at the foot
OF the h}4l, and that his horse had becCme
scared and jcrkcd his hat OIL.
Thinking The affair rather strange, said
Mr.. Nichols, "a corporal and myself went
down the hill to make an Investigation.
~ the intersection of the driveway and
main road We found the Presidents hat
plain silk one-and upon examining il
we discovered a bullet hole through the
crown. The shot had been fred upward
and il WAS evident that the person who had
the roadside The next day | gave Mr..
Lincoln his hat and called his attention to
the bullct-hole He remarked rather I'M
concerncdly that it was pat there by some
foolish gunner aud was not intended for
him. He said however that he wanted
the matter kept quiet and admonishcd us
TO say nothing about il. We felt confident
that it was an attempt 20 Kill him, and a
wellnigh successful one, too. The affair
was of course, kept quiet in compliance
with the Presidents request. After that
the President never rode alone
Mr.. Nichols then went ON 10 relate the
circumstances of kidnapping conspiracy
which was attempted TO be carried out next
fall. This plan vas u4huowingly frus-
trated by the body S2sra, :, I.S-e quarters
were Immediately in front OF the south
porch of the Executive Mansion, oqui-dis-
tant between that building and the Treas
ury, State, War and Navy Departments.
Just TO the east of the quarters was the
guard tent, where "A portion of the guard
remained on duty Fo. reasons then un-
known to the guard the tent was moved tc
the west end OF the gravel walk, in the
rear of the War 'parJmcut. Shortly
aftcrward il was lear Il by the guard that
the very night the tent was moved plau
had been hid % capture the President as
he should pass along the walk and carry
aim 10 the house of ue Green, "a notorious
Rebel, on the bank of the Potomac. back
OF the W hltc House grounds, and thence,
when the opportunity offered, he was to
be carried 10 Richmond and held %, "a hos
tagc. 1t was always believed that the
guard tent 10 the west end of the walk
frightened the ConspiratOrs and thwaTted
their design.
At another time, not long before this in
cideut BouIkC, the veteran caachman,
who had served through two administra-
tons at the White House was taken sick
A stranger from Baltimore applied for the
place and succeeded i'm securing il in tho
absence of Bourke He did not hold the
place very long, however as he bccame
SO domineering and important that he
was intolcrable Bourke was rcinstated
One night, not long after hc had been dis
mi sed the discharged coachman was dis
covered sncaking about the stable, which
was soon observed 10 be on fire The
whole guard WA, called out. and by great
exertions saved tho Presidential coach and
team, but Tad Lincoln, pony and Col.
Hays carriage team pcri,hei. 1t was be-
lievcd that plan hat been formed for
this man 10 fire the stables, and during
the excitement Con-pirtor- were To rush
into the White House and murder the
President Mr. Lincoln, however, rushed
out with the the rest To- the of the
fire, and thus frustrated any 1pt at
assassination. "Nht made ta spear
more evident said Nh NicLa was
the fact that after the inccpdbry was
arrested hc produced several witnesses who
were employed at Ford theater, and who
testified that lac Uhc discharged coachman)
was down in the city during the whole
evening on which the fire occurred. These
were the person, who, i'm my opinion, laid
the final conspiracy that brought Abraham
Lincoln 10 his grave.
Tired 81 the Telephone
"Why don't YOU telephone to him, my
dear2' asked the husband
III never touch that telephone again.
why
"Neyer you mind Iou send and have
it taken right out, pulled out by the