Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-02-15

SECRETARY BLAINE'S ILL-FATEI
HOUSE. Editor HERALD: Sr,-1
am in receipt of several letters from
Berkeley and jefferson Counties, w.
Va, from parties who wish to know
something concerning the history OF
the house now occupied by Secretary
Blaine. There are enough of legends
and ghost stories connected with the
house 20 fill volume, but will only
send q few facts that are well anthem
tieated.
The sudden death of Secretary
daughter, Mrs. Col. Coppinger also
Mrs. Blaine's sister, Mrs. Stanwood,
and the death of one of the Secretary's
brothers, since they have occupied No.
IL Madison Place, have revived the
memory of terrible misfortunes which
are said to follow all in official life,
who spend any time in the death
haun ted house. Many of Secretary
Blai mes friends who were acquainted
with its tragic history, shook their
heads omInonsly when they saw by
the papers that he had purchased the
old house with the view of having it
fitted up for himself and his family.
The house is one of the Oldest in
Washington City, and its history is a
history of tragedies. 1t was built
with prize money by Commodore
Rogers, and it is said nearly all the
officers and men lost their lives cap
turing the prize. John G. Spencer,
when Secretary of War, lived there
when his son was hung for mutiny to
the yard-arm Of the vessel on which
he was cruising. Secretary Upsher.
a member Of Tyler Cabinet, who was
killed by the bursting of gun on
board the Princeton" converting a
pleasure party into a funeral for the
statesmen" had lived in that house.
1t was then taken by fashionable
club, and while used for a "Club
House Gen. Daniel Sickles shot and
killed Philip Barton Key immediate
ly after he left its threshold. Mr..
Seward, President Lincoln's Secretary
of State, occupied the Inflated house,
Mrs. Seward became an invalid: Miss
Seward, his young daughter, died
therein and the Secretary and his son,
Frederick, had a miraculous escape
from death by assassination by Lewis
Payne. 1t was taken for boarding
house, and when General Belknap
was appointed Secretary of War in
General Grants Cabinet he took
rooms in 1t and boarded there, and |
his young bride died there /; also his |
son by a former wife, promising |
young officer in the army, who died |
far away from home and friends. A
singular coincidence connected with |
Mrs. Belknap's death was the death |
of Miss Beck, of Kentucky, who visit
ed Mrs. Belknap in that unfortunate |
house and who married Mr.. Cochrane,
nephew of w. w. Cochrane, the great |
m illionaire. Mrs. Carrie Belknap
and Miss Beck were of the receiving |
party at her last reception before an
other reception was held at the
" White House," the Powered caskets |
of both Mrs. Belknap and Mrs. Coch-
rane containing their remains rested |
side by side in Oak Hill Chapel, the |
latter a bride of few weeks, the |
two having died within few days of
each other. The record of the sojourn |
in Washington City of Gen. Belknap |
adds other associations of tragic |
character to its gloomy history. OF
all the misfortunes that have fallen so |
heavily upon officials that have lived |
in the doomed house none have been |
so sudden and fatal as these which |
President Harrison's Secretary of |
State, Sec. Blaine, now mourns. Only |
a few days ago Mr.. Walker Blaine |
was returning home from a reception |
when he was seized with La Grippe,
which was succeeded by congestion of
the lungs of which he died IN a few
hours afterwards. The earth had
scarcely closed over him when the
" dread messenger " again visited the
house of i'll omen, and Mrs. Alice
Blaine Copinger, Sec. Blaine's Oldest
was suddenly Frustrated
with La Grippe succeeded by conges-
ton of the brain, and her spirit was
lifted into world where there are no
shadows. Possibly it will always be
known as the "Seward House." or
g Club House," these titles connect
ing it with two of the tragedies with
which it is associated. 1t has been
visited by thousands of sight-seers.
A beautiful shade tree once stood be-
fore the door and behind which Philip
Barton Key tried to shield himself
from the bullets from the pistol of
Gen. Sickles, bat the bark was all
Clipped from its trunk by relic hunt
ers, and it too succumbed to the hand
of death and was cut down and re-
moved I; not vestige of it remains.
REBECCA S. GRAFT.