The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-04-17

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Boynton, the correspondent of the Gin
cinnati Commercial Gazette, had obtained a
very correct abstract of the message with
the permission to send il out the Sunday
night before congress was to meet.
General Bovuton had more intimate
relations with President Hayes than any
of the newspaper correspondents. He
was from Ohio, . veteran soldier.
who had served in the army with the
president, and therefore had relations of
such character as to make me believe
from the first that he had the story of the
message. As what he had was then sent
out also to the Chicago Tribune through
combination between the general and Mr..
Wight, the CORES pendent of the latter pa
per, knew at once that my journalistic
life upon the Chicago Times was st stake.
If Editor Story was to arise upon this fate
full morning in question and find IN the
Chicago Tribune good outline of the mes
Bage and nothing in his newspaper the re-
suit would be very easy to foresee. Moth
ing but my journalistic scalp would be
sufficient to appease his rage.
Upon the Saturday that l heard of the
probable success of my rival l dropped
everything else and started out on mad
hunt for some trail of the message. Money
and energy were employed to their fullest
capacity until late Sunday afternoon. The
result was an utter failure. As last des-
perate resort | resolved TO see the presi-
dent himself and to tell him the exact
facts of the situation. But the first thing
was TO get at the president. He never re-
ceived any one Sunday, except people
that he knew very well, or public men
with whom he was intimate.
/ knew very well that if | went TO the
White House as a newspaper correspond
ent would be turned over again to the
hands of the good Colonel w. X. Rogers,
the presidents secretary. Colonel Rogers
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superintendent type. l had visited him
on the evening previous and during the
wait in the drawing room of the house of
Colonel Dom Piatt, where Colonel Rogers
was living, had most interesting con-
versation with young lad whom the
colonel always addressed as son" This
boy-about Ii years OF age, with round
bullet head. intensely beady black eyes.
an enormous mouth and fiery red hair
came IN to drink the fill of his curiosity.
He evidently regarded me, the moment
my card went up, in the same light as
rome exhibit in a museum or a side show.
heard him first on the stairs say: "Oh,
father, there is q reporter in the house and
he il after the message, | know"
"Hushl" was the reply, and moment
after this hopeful appeared.
Colonel Rogers himself was most pions
man. There was q religious atmosphere
in his house, in spite of the fact that it was
Dom Piatt. Scripture emblems adorned
the walls in every direction. There were
enough religious works in the drawing
room to start a theological seminary.
This red-haired son at once began to talk.
81 know what you are after" he said.
You are after the presidents message,
and wish TO the Lord God you could get
st."
was so startled by this fervent style of
Orstory from my temporary host that
made no reply.
They do say" said he, "that some of
the newspapers would give as high as a
thousand dollars TO get hold of that old
message. Is it sol"
assured him that it was so.
Perhaps you would give a thousand
dollars" said he.
very willingly" was my reply. i sud-
denly thought that perhaps this bad boy
had been helping himself to message in
his fathers library and was ready to start
out as Spectator. But before this
thought had more than time to take shape
the boy disabused me of any illusion of
that sort. He began to swear in a way
that would have shamed Western mule
driver. and if his father could have heard
him 1t would have assuredly broken the
the good mans heart.
Said the youthful Rogers: 81 don't see
why any blanked newspaper should be
such double BANKED fool as to want any
BANKED old message Of old Daddy Hayes"
He then continued, with many profane
CALCULATIONS, to express the deep and
poignant regret that pervaded his heart
because he had not been able to pick up
one of these messages to sell on bull
market He said, however: "If I do lay
may hands on one / will fetch it down to
you and you may give me what you like
Tor it"
Naturally after this experience in the
Rogers house and the fact that the colonel
had assured me, in his most bland and
benevolent manner, that he could do moth
ing for me, was unwilling to try that for
lorn hope again.
1t finally occurred to me that Governor
Charles Foster, OF Ohio. who was then in
Congress, might help me. Governor Fos-
ter was warm friend and was always
ready to do anything he could when
called upon. l went to his house late in
the afternoon, but was obliged to wait for
him. He at first said that he could do
nothing, but as i asked him only to get
me in to see the president he finally con-
scented. We were admitted to the White
House through Governor Fosters in
timacy there, and within q few moments
after our arrival the president came in.
Governor Foster said that had q tale of
woe to relate, ana he begged the president
upon his account to give me few mo-
ments Of his time. The president gave me
his full attention. / told him frankly my
situation and its possible results. | made
short appeal TO him to grant his private
secretary permission to do something for
me. He said he could not. Seeing my in
tense look of disappointment, he relented.
Then he said, with great deliberation: II
cannot give you any authority TO go to any
one. Ii there is anything to be done for
you must do il myself Sit down at this
table and | will so through swiftly the
points of my message, but the condition is
absolute that you shall take no notes In
that case you might have the exact
phraseoiogy and too correct an outline. |
Will give you enough 10 properly fore
shadow its true character"
was only too eager To accept this, with
out dreaming OF oUjecung TO the condI-
tions. The president then began, and
with great rapIdity gave briefly the heads
and points of the various subjects of mis-
message. | made no effort TO specially
charge my memory. l simply listened
carefully to every word he said At the
end OF twenty minutes the president hn-
ished the interview, kindly saving that he
hoped would have = good dispatch for
che morning | went 10 the Office after
leaving the White House and dictated
column and three-quartcrs. as the presi-
dent had talked more freely than he mad
at first intended. The president afterward
said 70 me that had rs good All abstract
OF his message as ii it had been made with
the document before me. The topics were
given in their exact order without an
omission. For this bit of kindness and
courtesy have always had a very warm
corner IN my heart Tor Mr.. Hayes.
AFTER GARFIELD WAS SHOT.
Scenes in the White Hons. when the
Wounded President Was Brought in
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