Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-05-09
LINCOLN'S GUARD.
The Man He Chose in a Time
of Peril.
WARD HILL LAMoN PASSES AWAY.

Another of Those Who Lived in Times
Which Tried Mems Souls Falls Before
the Reaper Death-The Story of a HIS
toric Trip TO Washing ton with Assassin
alton Threatened = How the Plotters
Were Outgener aled.
WASHINGTON, May 9.-News has been
received here of the death at Martinsburg.
w. Va, of Colonel Ward A. Lamon a few
minutes before midnight Sunday. Colonel
Lamon enjoyed the most confidential rela-
tions with the martyred president. He
was man of brilliant attachments and
his prominence in politics in the stirring
days of the civil war gave him a national
reputation.
He confined to live in Washington long
after Mr.. Lincoln's death and here he
wrote the greater portion of His life of
Lincoln. Colonel Lamon, who was of her
culean frame, removed to Martinsburg
some years since and had long been in fail
ing health.
Never Held But One Office.
Ward Hill Lamon was a lawyer in
Bloomington, Ills, at the time Lincoln
was elected president of the United States.
He was a member of the group in central
Illinois of which David Davis and Leonard
SWEET were the more conspicuous members.
President Lincoln appointed him marshal
of the District of Columbia. This was the
only public position held by him. A few
years after Mr.. Lincoln's death he bought
from W. II. Herndon, for the sum of s, 600,
the materials from which the book known
as Lannon'S Life of Lincoln" was COM
piled.
The Stirring Times of 1861.
Colonel Lamon bore a prominent and
active part in Lincoln's journey from
Springfield to Washington after the lat
ters election to the presidency. The anger
and enmity felt toward the successful Re-
publican were very bitter throughout the
south and threats were frequently made
that Lincoln would never live to be inaug-
urated. The presidential party arrived at
Philadelphia on Feb. %, 1861. Here news
was received that the president would be
assassinated if he attempted to pass
through Baltimore, and shrewd detec-
tives confirmed the news.
Chose Lamon for His Guard.
At Harrisburg a conference was held,
and to get away quietly-the building be-
ing surrounded by thousands waiting to
cheer as soon as Lincoln appeared-it was
determined that only one man should ac-
company him. At this conference every
body except Lincoln advised a change of
route. When il came to choosing the man
to accompany him Lincoln chose Lamon.
1t was then decided that Governor Curtin,
Lincoln and Lamon should at once pro-
coed to the front steps of the hotel, where
the vast throng was waiting to receive
them and that Curtin should call dis
tinctly, so that the crowd could hear, for a
carriage and direct the coachman to drive
to the executive mansion.
Getting Away to the Train.
As the three-Lincoln, Curtin and La
mon-were about to step out of the build
ing Curtin asked Lamon if he was well
armed. Lamon atonce uncovered a small ar
senal of deadly weapons, showing that he
was literally armed to the teeth. The three
entered the carriage and drove toward the
executive mansion. But when near there
the driver was ordered to take circuitous
route and to reach the station within half
an hour. An engine with a single car at
tached was ordered to be brought to the
eastern entrance of the station.