Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-22
BUCHANAN AND LINCOLN.
HecoAieceiOns Of IN Old Attendant q,
the White Home.

/ a CASE IN WHICH Mr. BUCHANAN COMMITTED pRArn
sESrEScE-A CRANK Who WANTED PROJECTIONS
PRESIDENT LlSoorSs NAUGURArIoN-BusY TIMES
AT THE BEGINNING OF TIE WAR
"The Inauguration day OF 1857 furnished q
| case Tor President Buchanan's clemency later
on, SAID the old attache Of the White House
whose reminiseences OF other administrations
nave been published in TIE STAR "a
young Marylander had been whipped and threat
ened 10 Kill one OF his assailants on sight Both
parties attended the Inauguration, and the as
sailed party going into O restaurant for refresh
ments saw the other, who. not wishing to get into
difficulty, was making for the door, but before he
reached IL he was shot and killed. In the course OF
few months the young man was sentenced to be
hanged. Some time AFTER" said the old attache
TO STAR reporter, "a lady and her daughter.
the mother and sister Of the young man, came to
the White House to secure a Communication Of sent
ence-to save his life. The attendants ascertained
mat they had no petition and tod them that it
was useless 10 see the President without having
some papers on which TO base action, and sug.
gestion they accepted. and I afterward
told the President what I had done.
want 10 see people coming to me and kneeIine
and crying. I do not like the trial It gives me
When they have their petition ready will give
the case attention. In little time they had a
petition prepared ana returned. I'll never forget
the impression the mother and sister made upon
me and made up my mind % do ali i could for
the President was told by me that it was a heart
rending case and that they were waiting to see
him. Let them In, said the President, and could
see that he nerved himself for meeting Them He
received them courteousy, took the papers and in
formed them that the case would be referred
oy the Attorney General to the district
attorney as TO the facts in the case, and to the
United states attorney at Baltimore as to the
ports were received they would be notineae The
THURSDAY before Black Friday arrived. Col. Sell
a G, the marshal had had the scaffold erecsed
secured the influence Of Hon. w. Pinkney Whyte
OF Baltimore, and they were at the President s
II he would see the mother and sister. was appar.
emily Inclined 70 deny heir request and I said
oh, Mr. President, II you could only see that
heart That is just what am afraid Of he re-
pied But tell them the case Is in the Attorney.
Tene War s hands and IN DO what can
the President the words ri Dc what can, meant
rom, where they would be out OF the way OF those
coming and going, and although they endeavored
TO conceal their feelings, any one could see that
came down I said: Madam, while there is life
there Is hope, and your boy viii not be hanged
at once, and when Col whyte CAME down he also
expressed his belief that the boy would not uie on
the scanJ Though the power was 10 the Presi-
those who, in matters OF lie and death, preferred
the advice OF his constitutional advisers On that
Jay cay Inc cabinet was called and considered the
for an evening session. The great DIM
Guilty In the case, so / have understood,
However, a conclusion was reached at the evening
session, and when Judge Black Game down about
O'Clock he SAID 10 some OF the attendants, i've
saved the boy l believe that he did as much as
any one else, and tnat 1t was he who argued a
majority OF his fellows 10 support OF the wishes
OF Tue President shortly alter messenger was
II. BucnlQAn q mo- raS-
CARS life Is saved directed that the carriage be In
waiting at O'Clock In the morning, and that the
marshal, Mr.. Selden, was a prompt man,
and tn. hours for the execution Of the sentence
had been liked at from TO IL O'Clock. You zee
that whatever red tape vas Necessary had 70 "a
speedily applied Al Celcek IN the morning the
Cartilage Ga was ready anu the papers were prepared
President and Secretary OF State. Then we drove
the JAIL at the corner OF and 4th streets, that
around IL, but It was an orderly one 1t was
with the greatest difficulty that the police could
make an Opening, and had the crowd known
the errand We were on we might not have reached
the office. Well, we reached the Jail, and the
private secretary handed the document TO Mr.
and Sister hsd ,bsr rW ana Ine mother
up all hope. The condemned man and his spiritual
advisers were ON their knees in the private Of
for the procession 70 the gaiIows and
each man had been assigned his part
As soon as Mr. Seiden received the document
from the White House there was much rejoicing
among the iriends OF the culprtt, but the crowd
outside was sadly disappointed. The young man
went 10 The penitentiary. then near the Arsenal
and during the war went inSo the service"
AN OLD TINE CRANK.
81 suppose" continued the veteran, "from the
prominence given nowadays to cranks found
about the White House that people think we had
no such characters In olden times We had them
TOO, but they were not so numerous as now. Did
yer 10
was here during Old Bucks term, snd he had the
idea that the Freemasons were after him. He
came 10 the White House and endeavored to get
the President TO order Out the Army to protect
him. We tried 10 explain TO HIM that the Prest-
dent could not order out the Army TO protect an
individual, and sent him TO the mayor. He went
10 the city Hail. but Iailed 10 get satisfaction and
came back the President gave him an audience
and explained 70 him his powers under the Con-
defend himself. He went directly 70 the corner of
10th and streets. and shooting into a crowd
sent TO st. Elizabeth, and he was there until few
years ago"
"Mr Buchanan was criticised for allowing the
preparations Tor war 10 be made by the southern
people" continued the veteran. chow could he
nelp Il? Did he not do all he could TO preserve
peacH There was no man in the country VINO so
dreaded what seemed inevitable-war. He now.
ever went so lar as TO have troops to protect
the capltal-three batteries OF artillery and a
while he was hoping that something would
result from the peace congress winch would
avert tne war. i remember that that congress
broke up 10 a row on the night OF the ID of March
Mr.. Lincoln had called at the White House 10 pay
his respects that day, and he was at once shown
upstairs to the ONCE. There had been threats
that Mr.. Lincoln should not be inaugurated. but
Mr.. Buchanan promised Mr.. Lincoln that be should
see that he was, and he did. When after
the return from the Capitol the PROCESSION
reached the avenue front the Carriage with Mr.
Lincoln and Mr.. Buchanan drove In and the Dates
were closed for a time. There was no fear In M.
Lincoln, and believe that he could not for a
moment think that there was any so base as 10
attempt TO harm him When the New York 7th reQi-
ment arrived In what we all looked on as the blue
days Mr. Lincoln felt pleased, bu. II was not he
cause OF any lear he had for his own safety
PRESIDENT LINCoLN's Busy HOURS
"There were much buster times about the White
House then than before. The house might be said
TO be open at all hours. Mr.. Lincoln tried TO see
all who called and would have had the doorn Oman
and have allowed himself too little ttme|Or hin,si
ness II left 10 himsf, but his friends and the ar
tendants made some sort OF rules There were de-
tectlves about the grounds and house and the
crowds were carefully scrutinized. Every nhase
OF life was TO be seen there In and about The
house. i have known him when he had left MA
ONCE for the night, return on an inttmat1on mar
some one had important business for hin
He acted more on his own responsibiiv
than some OF his predecessors but SUPPOSE n was
partly due 10 the fact that each Of his Advisers
mad about as much responsibility as one man was
young soldier who had for tn third time deserted
and was under the sentence OF death by shoOtin0
on each occasion the desertiOn was immediafeiv
after pay day, and when drunk. His mother came
here from New York with Q letter nom the hov
begging her 70 see the President and save his NE.