The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1893-02-03

lily. On the night OF April II, 1865. while NJ
Seward lay sick in bed In one OF the upDer
rooms, big, oak complexioned, broad
shoulnered man rang the door bell aud
he hadSapaekage OF medicine which the Sec.
retary's hysician had ordersd 70 sbs deiiv..
fS6saau ffS6ssaau a kii5w f "a so nrstSir. ..I ~.
Secretary's son, Frederick W. Seward. also
opposed him; but the stranger, making a
feint OF departure, suddenly sprang at
Frederick and felled him to the floor with
tho hutt of a revolver, almost on the same
instant slashing the servant with knife.
He then darted forwarl and reached the
sick chamber where Secretary Ssward was
sitting up in bed. The knife cleaned again
and Mr.: Seward, weak and helpless. was
nges that swathed his neck savsi him
from mortal wound. AS the murderous
intruder retreated he was again intercepted.
this time by Maioc Augustus H. Seward
and an attendant, but he shook them off,
and and running down stairs, leaped on his
few days later. and being fully Identified
MS Lewis Payne, one Of the man
inplicate1 in President Lincoin's
dwtb. was tried, condemned and ex-
ecMted with his 4fellow-conspirators.
Secretary of War Belknap was the next
tenant of the house of misfortune, and for a
time the sober old edifcs became gay with
the lite Of the Grant regime. Before twelve
month it's evil genius had again asserted It.
self and Mrs. Belknap lay dead under its
Bclknaps vacated. it again did duty, as in
the earlier days, as boarding -house, but
Washington had somehow got tbs impress
sion that the place was uuc1nuy and that its
tenants were dog yed by an evil fate. For
u time the Commissary Generals staff
held possession, then when they had
moved to the War Departments new build
ing it was again tenantless. 1t was about
this time that Mr.. Blaine, shortly after his
appointment as Secretary OF State by Presi.
dent Harrison, astonished his friends by
renting the ill-omened house for ten years
at $4,000 year. He decorated and reno
vate1 it throughout, tearing down the walls
OF the room in which the attempt on Mr.
Sewsfd's life took place, and by generous
expenditures Transformed the dingy old
ern residence. Yet all the changes failed to
eradicate the characteristic attributed to the
mansion by the superstitious Washington
ians. Becoming its tenant, Mr.. Blaine has
encountered the greatest reverses to his am-
btions, and experienced the keenest sorrcws
of his life.
Mr.. BLAINE's HOUSEHOLD.
q uSa %f IaIass suddenly ssriossD
down by death after reaching maturity. His
eldest son. Walker, q youns man OF
fine parts, who had given evidence
or rare abilttie3 an1 was apparently
destined to a brilliant future, died tive. year,
ago. Emmons his second son, bright
business man, in manner and character
closely resembling his father, also died sud
| denly in the heyday OF youth and prosperity
a third and crushing bereav ement wa,
| the death of the eldest daugh ter, Alice
who was married to Lieutenant Colone
| John J.. Coppinger. It followed closely
on the death OF her brother, Walkel
| Blaine, whose funeral she was at
tending when seizei by the fatal III
ness. or the three surviving children
the son, James g., made an unfortunate
marriage, the results of which em
bittered the latter years Of his father
lie. One Of tho daughters. Miss Margaret
is married to Mr. Walter Damrosch the ia
nous New York musical director, and tn
other, Miss Harriet. is unmarried. Mrs