St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-03-15
HOUSE OF CALAMITIES
The Tragic History OF the
House Where the Blaines
Live.
q Residence Made Memorable
By Many Startling Incl
dents.
The Story Of the Killing or
Key, the Dashing District
Attorney.
William H. Seward Attacked
In This House April IA,
1865.
WASHINGTON Special.

Washington Special.
The recent death Of Walker Blaine,
tragic almost in its SuddenneSs, but not
Mt all remarkable to those who happened
to know him personally, i'll the gener-
Gus expressions of regard that it pro-
voked for his amiability and degree of
mreserve that was unusual in man
brought up in a department in which
everybody cultivates constant and
distressing air OF secrecy, recalls good
deal of interesting and somewhat mel
ancholy history about the house in
which he died.
1t would require a good deal of re-
search through local histories to aScer-
tain the beginning of the present Blaine
mansion. 1t became famous about
thirty years ago in connection with a
tragedy that stirred the country pro-
foundry, and little later it was again
made prominent as the scene of the at
tempted assassination of President Lin
coins secretary OF state.
Lafayette square is surrounded by
houses with histories. 1t is central to a
section of the city that was early picked
out as the part preferred for the resi-
dences of those connected with the
government. bv wealthy active and
retired officers of the army, and
by men who were or expected to become
Opulent by business ventures in the
capital city. The White house faces the
square on the southern side. On the
west was the old Woodbury. house, look
ing across the park toward the east.
Opposite the northwest corner is the
palatial residence of the late w. w.
Corcoran. surrounded with spacious
gardens. Further eaSt,on the north side,
isOld St Johns. not far from the house
that Senator Sumner once occupied, and
that for many years has been a part of
the Arlington hotel.
At the northeast corner, on the east
side of the square, is the old house that
was once the home of "DOlly" Madison,
famous as we'll for the hriliancy of the
wife of the secretary Of state, who was
afterwards president, as for the elabO
ratenesS and elegantness of the enter
tainmentS that marked the career of
the gifted Madison. South of the Madi-
son house, and just beyond short row
of rather commonplace and compare
lively modern buildings, is the old Ogle
Taylor mansion, large, gabled
house with a balcony, the entrance
on a level with the sidewalk,
the brick walls unrelieVed by orna-
mentatiOn, the structure unimpreSSive
except by it's unusual size, and with
nothing now more popular about it than
a general suggestion of neatnesS and
comfort, and the knowledge that it is
the residence of Senator Don Cameron,
OF Pennsylvania, to make il the subject
Of interest to the casual visitor.
Next to the Cameron house, and sep
arated from it only by the space of an
ordinary city lot, is another building of
like proportions and architectural de-
sign. Flush with the building line. it
rises three stories to a cOrnice, the roof
SlOping up TO give space under the
gable to additional room in the central
part of the structure. For many years,
until last summer, this ample building
was OF yellow color, the sidewalk in
front and the doorstep at the entrance
betraying neglect by the occupant or
the lessee, the windows shaded in the
summer season with awnings, and the
doorway decorated with the sign. Com
missary of Subsistence" 1t was the
headquarters of that officer of the
United States army, whose duty it was
TO see that the army was supplied at the
right time and in sufficient quantities
with the food and clothing required for
its maintenance.
Long before the sign of the army had
been put OH this cOmmOdiOus house it
had taken memorable place in the an
mails of the city and the country. Dur
ing the administration of President
Buchanan there came to Washington
and to the house of representatives
from New York young man who had
won his way 10 the front, and VINO was
hal asa1 Enl s1Nl.w, r.
beauty and grace. Representative Sick
les took for his home the Woodbury.
house at the west side of the square,
He set up an establishment that was
notable for its completeness. 1t was
frequently honOred by the presence Of
the president, who was a great admirer
of Mrs. Sickles.
Right across the square from the
Sickles home was the Washington club.
in the house now occupied by Secretary
Blaine. 1t was the popular resort of
the men-abOut-town of that day. The
club gossipS had been busy for some
time with rumOrs concerning the rela-
lions existing between the beautiful
wife OF the promising representative
and Philip Barton Key, the picturesque,
romantic, invalid and reckless district
attorney of the District of Columbia.
Va q bllSub hlOlllluS Ill FEBRUARY Il
handkerchief was fluttered from a
window in the Sickles house. 1t was
not long before there was an answering
tiutter from handkerchief In the hands
of Key at the opposite side of the
square.
A few minutes later, as Key saun-
tered from the club house toward Penn
sylvania avenue. and when he had ONLY
gone few steps from the front of the
building, there was quick step behind
him and, as he turned to see who made
1t. he was confronted by Sickles with a
pistol. A moment later he lay on the
brick walk, at the foot of a sapling in
the center of the way. unconscious and
dying from a well-directed shot. He
was carried into the club house and
in few moments he was dead,
His slayer gave himself up to the
police, and afterward stood trial for
his life. receiving from the Jury a very
prompt acquittal. Visitors to Washing
ton still stop in front OF the former club
house to hear the guides story of the
murder, and it was only few years ago
that the tree against which Key fell was
removed and the interesting story
robbed of an illustration.
April IA, 1865, the house in which Key
had died was the residence of Secretary
of State William II. Seward and his
family. Mr.. Seward was ill and
in bed, having recently been
thrown from a carriage, fracturing his
jaw and arm. The secretary. according
TO the best accounts accessible, was oc.
cupying room on the third floor. Al
IL o'clock at night tall, dark, broad.
shouldered man rang the bell, and, tc
the servant who answered his call, lac
said that he had brought from ply.
stefan package of medicine that he was
to deliver to the secretary of state in
person. The servant opposed him, but
the man persisted, even when he was
9bstructed by Frederick w. Seward.
Having pretended to give up the at
tempt to gain access to the secretary
the man turned as if to go. and then
suddenly turned back again. He felled
Frederick Seward with the butt of re.
VOlver, and sprang past the guard at the
secretary's door, stabbing the guard in
the forehead with a knife as he passed
him. Secretary Seward was sitting ur
In bed. The assassin, for the mission
of the visitor was assassination fell