Omaha daily bee., 1889-02-17
Mr.. LlNCOLN'S MEMORY FOR
FRIENDS.
A Hitherto Unpublishe 1 AnccdOte of
tho Martyred Presidents Kindness.

itS 4'l"he :" -
Stories are always in order about
Abraham Lincoln, more especially at
this season of the year when his birth
day anniversary is near, say a Shelby
Vile ILL., correspondent of the Chicago
Tribune. The one which follows has
never before appeared in print:
In the early %tifties, when the mar
velous future of Mr.. Lincoln was per-
haps as little dreamed of by himself as
anticipated by his friends, he practiced
law in the courts here. The late Cen
eral William +. Thornton was perhaps
the most widely known and influential
man in central Illinois. He was n Ken
tuckian of the o~ld-fashioned, hospital
sort. and from time to time all the
celebrities of that day were enter
tanned at the Thornton mansion, among
them Mr.. Lincoln and his great opDo-
Thornton, a nephew of the general,
often met Mr.. Lincoln there, and,
though politically opposed to him, was
a great admirer of him personally and
became intimate with him.
One of General Thornton's daughters
married a Texas planter name Mar
shall Bayse, and when the war between
the north and south occurred two OF the
latter's sOns-Netf and Newton Bayse---
espoused the cause OF their section and
went into the confederate army. In the
latter part of 1868 both of the boys were
captured by the federals and sen north
as prisoners of war. Out of money and
scant of clothing the two felt the rigors
of "a northern climate. and commune
Gated with their grandfather asking
him for assistance, which ne was anXl-
ious to render. But it happened that
about this time Secretary Stanton owing
to like measures on the part of the rebel
authorities, had issued stringent or
ders in regard to granting special favors
to the men in gray. Judge Thornton
had long been acquainted with Mr..
Usher, Mr.. LincOln's secretary OF the
interior, but he had little faith in being
more successful thar others who had
character. He wrote to Secretary
Usher and asked that one of the gen-
erals two sons--Tom or Will--mlght
be permitted to visit their cousins and
give them such help as was deemed
necessary and right.
The letter was received by tho secre-
tary Just as he was on the point OF
attending a meeting of the cabinet. At
the close of the conference Secretary
Usher took the letter from his pocket
and made known its contents to Secre-
tary Stanton, naming the Thorntons,
President Lincoln, who still sat at the
table, overheard the conversation
between the two and quietly asked for n
repetition of the names.
"Will or Tom Thornton of Illinois,"
replied the secretary.
Addressing himself to the stern sec
rotary of war Mr.. Lincoln said:
'Mr. Stanton, you need give yourself
no trouble in regard to this matter; |
will settle it," and, turning to Usher,
he continued: IL knew those boys
when they were not more than knee
high" Then turning to the table
he picked up a blank lard and wrote
something like this:
TO the Commandant OF any Military
Prison to whom this may be presented:
Permit the bearer, Tom or Will Thorn
ton, to visit any military prison In the
United States and do for his friends
whatever his good Judgment may
dictate. A. LINCOLN.
Handing this to the secretary he
said: ''Send this to Judge Thornton
with my compliments"
A few days later the Bayse boys were
visited and their wants supplied so far
as money would do it, and from that
day until his death Gen. Thornton
would brook no criticisms in his pres
ence of Mr.. Lincoln or his policy.
Fine potatoes, 4Oc per bu., at Munro's,