Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-02-16
mR. BLaISE's BARGAIN.
Tho Trsgteat Associations which
Cluster About the House Ne
Haa Leased.


A Washington special says: Mr.. James q.
Blsiue to-day put an cod to speculation
about bis place OF residence. lie signed a
lease for term OF years OF the old Seward
mansion And now everybody who knows
the present condition OF the structure and
The peculiar historical associations Of it, past
Is wondering what 10 the world prompted
Mr.. Blame to take the lease. Old wasnlng-
tonians usually refer n 1t as "tho eluo-
house." Commodore Rogers, of the navy,
built Il aud lived In It more than fifty years
ago. when one has said that the house is
three stories high and Of red brick the de-
scriptIOn il complete. An architect never
conceived ANYTHING palmer. The only prin.
cIpie OF architecture about II Is the laying OF
one brick plumb ou top OF another.
when the Commodore died bis big man
sion became clearinghouse. Later a cub
leased II, and Barton Key used 70 cit at an
upper window and watch for the signal o. a
huttering white handkerchief from toe vim
dow OF the Siekles house 0crO-s Lafayette
Square. When the handkerchief WIS waved
Kew knew that SIckles bad gone and that be
could leave the clubhouse and meet the
lailhle@ wife. The little square is now
so full OF trees and shrubberY that
ono cannot see through them. But
IN lCJt iub Improvements WIZ luuI-s
The equestrian statue Of jackson had
been put IN the centre OF the square only
SIX years before. Key hid no difficulty
IN seeing Mrs Sickles's handkerchief. one
day he sailed forth from tue clubhouse IN
response TO the signal. The wronged hus-
baud was waiting for hlm across tie street
and fired. Key, fatally wounded. wss car
RED back into the clubhouse and died
there.
Two years after this tragedy William IT.
Seward took the mansion, aud &c lived there
eight years while Secretary OF state uoder
Lincoln and Andy johnson. IL was the near
est residence to the White House, aud that
was the reason he took u. The Secretary
was lying in one OF the upper chambers,
slowly recovering from severe accident,
when PAYNE. the felow-cOnspiratOTo Of Wilkes
Booth, made MS way into the bOuse on A
pretext OF delivering an important message,
rushed upstairs and luto the presence OF 3lr.
Seward. The Would.be assassin SpTang on
the bed aud struck at the thrOst Of the Secre-
tarv, but the blade 81 his knife glanced upon
some OF the surgical appliances with which
Mr. Stewards lower Jaw was being held in
place while healing, and instead OF killing
only Wounded. Without waiting to make
sure work. Payne started for the door aud
had struggle there with Sir. Stewards son,
but escaped after using his knife again.
The Secretary and bis son lay for weeks IN
their rooms and finally recovered. But the
only daughter OF Mr.. Seward, VINO had Wit
messed Payne's assault and had given the
alarm by her cries, received such a nervous
shock that she gradually lost health and
died.
la the next Administration the mansion
again became a Cabinet house. General Bel
knap, Grants Secretary OF War after Raw
Inns died, took It, and for a season 1t was the
social headquarters OF the Grant regime.
But when another winter came Mrs. Belknap
had slCkenel aud died. General Beknap
gave up the mansion. and once more II be-
came 4 boarding house, but the story got
ont that il was haunted and Inflated.
Eligible as the location was, with
the park in front and the White
House In full view 10 the south. peO-
pe wouldn't take the rooms The boarding.
house keeper went into bankruptcy. The
agents OF the property sought In vain for a
tenant. There was talk OF tearing down the
mansion or Of reInodelling It with mansard
rooi and other modern Improvements. Then
the Government, which has been a godsend
a. tenant 10 more than one Washington
property holder with white elephant on his
bands, took Tue mansion ana Tor q uOZtn
years used III for the Offices OF the C0mmissary-
General while the new War DepIt-
ment building was going up. Seye-
raj months ago the Commissary.G
eral moved TO the new building, and
since then the agents have been won>
dering what they would do with the old
mansion. They gave Mr. Blaine a bargain.
lie will have the biggest house for the low
est rent In Washington. Some months and
some thousands OF dollars will be required
to make the mansion hsbnable. but for a
Cabinet house the location is beyond com
parison. MI. Blame will live in the resi-
dence, which is within the smallest rsdius
from the White House. II be and bis family
arc not superstitous what need they care for
the sad associations?