Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-25
enumerated the deaths which have occurred

enumerated the deaths which have occurred
in the mansion.
The first death was that Of william Henry
ing Of April 4. 1871. just one month
after his Inauguration. The President
on that occasion went through the
ceremonies bareheaded in the midst OF a driy-
ing storm. On the first Of April be was com
PEELED to take to his bed and send for a
al treatment, and at 1880
o'clock Of the morning Of April the President
breathed his last. Funeral services were held in
the east room on the It'll, being conducted BY the
Rev. Mr.. Hawley, rector Of St. Johns Church. No
sermon was preached, but Mr.. Haw-
ley pointed TO q Bible and a prayer
book on q table near the bier, which, he
said, had been the daily companions Of the
deceased since he entered the White House. and
had 1t not been for his illness. said Mr. Hawlev,
he would have united with the church the pre-
vious Sabbath. Escorted by procession, civil
and military, two miles in length. his remains
were temporarily laid away in Congressional
cemetery.
Mrs Lettia Tyler, first wife of President
Tyler. who was elected Vice President on
succeeded him as chief executive,
died in the White House on the
10th Of September, 1912. During her brief
stay in the Executive Mansion Mrs Tyler was
unable to discharge the duties Of hos
tess. her place being taken first by
Mrs. Robert Tyler. her sons wife,
and later by Mrs. Semple, her daughter Her
funeral sermon was also preached by DR.. Haw-
ley and her body laid to rest in the family
burial ground, New Kent county, Va.
The third death was that Of President Zach
airy Taylor who entered the White House March
!, is49. He lived only until July 9, 1850. His
death was the result of exposure on the 4th Of
July Just previous, when he took pert in
the dedication of Washington's monument.
The gesther vas exceedingly hot. and the
President drank freely Of ice water
and parsNok Of large quantity of
fruit. Immediately upon his return to the
White HousShe was seized with an iudisposi-
ton from whAEh he never recovered, but which
was not bellevkd to be OF a fatal or even serious
nature until thu morning of his death.
Willie Lincoln. second son Of President Lin
coin, died in the White House in February 1852
ut the time when Tad the favorite son Of
the martyr President, lay seriously ILL., Mr.
Lincoln said that the blow was the ssddest ex-
perience OF his life and the hardest to bear
Willie was twelve years old at the time of his
death.
Frederick F. Dent. father Of Mrs. Q. S. Grant,
who was member of the presidential family
from the time Gen. Grant entered the White
House, died there December Is. 1878. Funeral
services were held in the east room, the sermon
being preached by the Rev. o. H. Tiffany. D. d.
The last previous death within the portals of
the Executive Mansion the most dramatic
OF all. 1t occurred at the New Year reception
held by President Arthur January 1. 1888,
and threw pail over the festivities Of the &C.
casion, which were at once brought to q close by
the unbidden and unexpected entrance
OF the grim messenger. The minister to
the United States from Hawaii and dean of the
diplomatic corps was at the head Of his associ-
ates making his way to the President to
present the members Of the le-
heart disease. Falling to the floor. he was hur-
riedly borne into one Of the parlors, but never
recovered consciousness and expired before
medical aid could reach him.
SCENES OF SORROW.
Besides these deaths the White House has
been the theater of other scenes of sorrow
and suffering When President Garfield fell with
the assassins bullet in his back he was con-
veyed to the room in which Mrs. Harrison's
body now lies and remained there until carried
forth to die at Elberon
Col. Ellsworth, the hero of the early war days.
lay in state in the blue room on the morning of
May rs, 1861, and funeral services were held
there In the presence OF one of the most
distinguished gatherings ever assembled in that
apartment. The services were conducted by
Drs. Butler and Morsell and Chaplain Paine of
the famous Zouaves, and at their close the body
York.
Anotner and more notable funeral held in
the blue room was that Of the victims of the
explosion Of the big gun on the Princeton, Com
Stockton's ship, near Alexandria, February %.
1874. These included Secretary Upshur and
Gilmer and the Hon. David Gardner OF New
York. President Tyler, then a widower.
escaped the fate of his secreta-
ries by an interesting incident Of
a romantic character. He was devotedly at
tached at that time to the daughter of Mr..
Gardner and was with a party in the cabin of
the ship listening to the singing of
Miss Gardner. He turned TO 60 on deck with
the others, but she began another song and he
remained In the companion way to listen.
While he was there the explosion occurred and
his associates were blown into eternity On
the 26th Of June following Miss Gardner became
mistress of the White House.
Extremely sorrowful were the ceremonies
which took place in the east room on the
occasion Of the funeral Of Mrs. and
Mise Tracy, wife and daughter of
the present Secretary Of the Navy
These ladies, it will be remembered lost
their lives in the fire which DESTROYED the Secre-
tary's beautiful home on street.
The official family OF the White House has
also known its griefs. Private Secretary Hal
ford lost his wife in April. 1891. and Executive
Clerk Pruden. one Of the oldest employees lost his
in the following summer. Only few DAYS ago
Mr.. Cox, who has been telegraph operator for
several years, was borne to his long home. a
victim Of the same disease that this morning
claimed Mrs. Harrison.