The National tribune., 1892-01-14
THE STEWARDS STORY.
An Interview with William 7. Crrmp, Who W
six Years la the white House.


six Years In the white House.
Mr. William T. Crump, who was appointed
Steward % the Executive Mansion BY President
Hayes under whom he served in the 23i Ohio.
on the adycu, Of that official in 1874, is prePar-
ing aud has almost completed for publication,
book which give bis "reminiscences OF SIX
Years in the White House."
Comrade Crump is an intelligent man Of good
education who is one OF the best takers ! ever
knew. and IL he tells his tale Of three Presl-
dents "a well as he talked TO me recently, his
story will be one OF the most generally inter
esting additions TO modern books.
His story comprises almost the entire time OF
the Administration Of Gen. Hayes with whom
he served as Orderly during the war;, and to
its close the bTiet residence Of Gen. Garfield
in active administration Of affairs until that
July day OF 1851 Laid him low by the bullet OF
the assassin Guiteau and then in close attend
ance by his bedside during all Of that dreadful
suffering that made the Nation grieve for him
and that ended ia relief by death and. finally,
through a portion Of the residence Of Gen.
Arthur in succession 10 Gen. Garfield.
So much for an introduction 10 explain Of
what / shall write. and below propose to tell
Of some things ex Steward Crump told me in n
half hours talk one evening which he permits
me TO give in advance of his publication, and
all Of which / know will be included in his
book. In this shall follow his own language,
although | may be inexact in some minor de-
tails.
"YOn know" said ex-Steward Crump,
" that was private soldier throughout all the
war in the 23l Ohio which was raised in
my home neighbOrhOOd. and was personally
attached 20 the service Of Gen. Hayes from tire
time no commanded the regiment, and when
he WAS promoted TO Brigadier-G General became
his private orderly. and remained with him
until my regiment was mustered out
" Very soon after Gen. Hayes was inaugu-
rated President in March, 1877, no appointed
me Steward Of the White House, and for lit
tie over six years | purchased and paid for
everything that came into the Presidents resi-
dence, except the things that came under the
Superintendent Of Public Buildings and
Grounds, and have now in my possession the
receipted bills for every dollar paid out, and
the bills show what the expenditures were for
in every case
President Hayes was the most misunder-
stood man. think, who ever held the place.
People had an idea that no utilized his office to
hook ont good places for his old friends, and
especially his old comrades, but that was
great mistake.
e think that was almost the only one Of
the old timers who served under or with him,
who got anything from him but that was be-
cause he knew the place he gave me was just
what j was suited for best, and really believe
IudL MIS-. hayes nau more 10 90 Win LudL thAh
anyone else. for she was with him all the while
after each timo Gen. Hayes was so badly
wounded, and knew what | could do.
" For long time during Gen. Hayes Adj
ministratiOu there WAS a relative vino visited
them often. who had been a good soldier. and
was hot after certain place. He didn't get
il, and / happened TO know that his failure
was only because he was relative. The only
mau that got an appointment, who was in any
"A 2 all a relatIva Mai RFackIurilup-
who was promoted in the Army, and his rela-
tionship could hardly count. 10 was so awful
distant, and through his wife and Mrs. Hayes,
anyhow; he is now a Brigadier General,
though, through that appointment.
People all over the country got an idea
that Hayes was sort of elose-fsted man, and
went away from the White House with nearly
all OF his four years salary in his pocket.
There never was bigger mistake made in the
world, but the story WAS started by man who
was disappointed because Gen. Hayes would
sGt have Col Amos Webster turned out Of
Office as Chief Clerk OF the Treasury and give
the place 10 him, and he kept the story riihs
ming with tho aid Of one or two fellows that
called themselves Journalistic
- Let me tell you a story on this very matter.
You know that after Gen. Hayes left the White
House, the same gang kept the same thing up
by telling that the exPresidcnt was raising
fancy chickens out home in Fremont and ped
ding them out. Well. one Of the smartest Of
the crowd that wrote the funniest things on the
subject. landed himself in the Pennsylvania
penitentiary that is in or closs to Philadelphia.
for forgery, or some smart trick Of that charac-
ter.
"Ons time. Gen. Hayes was in Philadelphia
on some business about the Loyal Legion, and
a he IS some kind of an official Of that big So
cieiy that looks after helping prisoners, he took
a turn through this same penitentiary. The
fsllOw started back when be saw the visitor
and said, My God Isn't this President Hayes?
YES was President once he said. What
is your namey' The man told him, and then
bowed his face in his hands Gen Hayes
recollected the name we'll. but spoke kindly
aud encOuragingly 70 him, and told him he was
sorry 20 see a man Of the prisoners education
aud abilities in such place. The man fairly
cried at the kind words, and told the General
how bitterly he repented the gross insults he
had written.
"WelI, sir, the General told him not TO think
Of that, but to be sorry for what had brought
him there; and it's the solemn truth, that
Gen. Hayes went 70 work and got the GOyeFnO :
OF Penusy lvania 10 pardon that fellow out, and
then got him into good place IN Cincinnati,
whore he made a man Of himself Oh l know
Gen. Hayes, and that's just like him.
This is away of the things we were talking
about. but Pll tell you something about that
many people believe against Gen. and Mrs.
Hayes
- It's the biggest nonsense in the world and,
as / told you, l have my Teceipted bills to
prove il.
1t IS an actual fact that the entertaining
done by President and Mrs. Hayes. dinner for
dinner. state dinners and private dinners, and
in comparison of numbers, cost more than those
much talked of ones given by President Arthur,
which were supposed TO be the most elegant
there for many years.
Mind you, am counting in all the wines
and other liquors, too, in comparing with
President Arthur, for, as everybody knows
Mrs. Hayes would not allow wines or liquors to
be served in the White House.
:" Poor Mrs. Hayes God bless her, had good
reason to dread the introduction of wines into
her home, for she had sad experience in her
own home in giTlhOOd, and with relatives, and
dreaded even the nearness of wine TO her three
boys, who were rapidly growing up.
- know that it was a very short time in
deed, before President Hayes was inaugurated,
that it was fully decided by Mrs. Hayes that
she would come TO Washington, and then she
only consented reluctantly from "a sense Of duty
although she still dreaded the contact of her
growing sons with tho people who would pet
the members of the Chief Magistrates family.
That is why she set her foot down so firmly
against liquors IN the White House; but she
never believe saw fit to tell anyone why it
was So She was fortunate in her sons, how
ever, for don't think that one of those boys
knows to this day the taste Of any liquor even
malt.
THAT blessed woman was one of the most