The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-12-15

~@-SSr ~, S
the historic houses of the capital. The first
house to which the association gave atten-
tion was this one about which clings SO
many tragic memories Shortly the society
made arrangements with Mr.. Oldroyd of
Springfield, Ills, for transfer to this house
from the Lincoln homestead at the Illinois
capital of the collection of Lincoln souve-
Mrs which Mr.. Oldroyd had been years in
gathering. At first the members of the So
ciety were somewhat dubious about the
propriety of converting the old home into
a museum, but when they saw the marvel
Gus collection and noted the reverent hand
with which the work had been done they
were enthusiastic over their good fortune
and confident, as well they might have
been. that they had added to the national
capital one of its strongest attractions to
those citizens who love their country and
its great men of the past.
A Worthy Memorial.
In 1850 Mr.. Oldroyd was a news agent at
Mount Vernon, o. Though only lad, he
became an enthusiastic admirer of Old a be.
He was captain of company of wide
awakes and now shows in his great collec-
tion the little faded badge which he wore
on that occasion and which formed the nu-
cleus around which all this array of Lincoln
souvenirs has been gathered. For many
years he continued his work of collecting
relics of Lincoln, and the treasure grew
with amazing rapidly in hands so enthusi-
astic and skillful. Ten years ago Mr. Old
royd made arrangements for occupying the
Lincoln homestead at Springfield and in
stalled there his collection, adding to it
many valuable relics owned by the state of
Illinois. His aim was to convert the home
stead into a mecca such as the Mount Yer
non mansion is at the former home Of
Washington.
Robert Lincoln co-operated by presenting
the house to the state of Illinois, but polit-
ical or other consideration interviewed TO
prevent the Illinois legislature making a
suitable arrangement with Mr.. Oldroyd for
preservation of his relics, and that gentle
man decided to come here with his priceless
collection, New congress is to be asked to
purchase the collection and the house in
which Lincoln died, and TO preserve both
as a memorial of that great national char
acter The sum of money required is
small one, and Chief Justice Fuller, Ii
brarian Spofford and others who are inter
ested believe the appropriation will be made
by the present congress.
A prominent man who spent several
hours in this old house a few days ago
made the remark that future generations
of Americans would know more of the
character and career of Lincoln than the
present and that this collection, with such
additions as it might receive from time 10
time, would be among the most valuable
educators as to the life of that great man.
There is so much here of interest that one
scarcely knows where first to look, and
after hours have been passed in an !nspec-
tion of this souvenir or that ii is'only with
great reluctance that one tears himself
away.
The Death Scene.
Most interesting of all perhaps is the
room in which Mr.. Lincoln died. The fur
niture OF the room at that time, the bed
upon which Mr.. Lincoln died and other APP
pointments are not here. belonging TO an
other collection, but N the spot which the
bed occupied now stands the chair In which
Mr. Lincoln was sitting when he was shot
The red darnask upholstering bears 10 this
day the stains of his blood. a piece was
cut from the upholstering years sgo AMI
submitted TO chemical tests for learning
whether OF not the stains were those os hu-
man blood, and there Is a certificate of the
chemist CT the Smithsonian institution 10
that effect This chair was In the private
box Of Fori's theater. across the street. and
was used by Mr. Lincoln On ite night Of
the assassination.
In this room, which is long low, dingy
apartment. with ouiy one window and a
slautIng ceiling. hang q E-rest coliecti0n Of
pictures 0l the deathIxsl scene. This col.
lection i Interesting Ecs Gag a. a c.sEot.sS.e
of EVENTS, bat as lnstaaciug the fact tkza1
even 81 Teers aga artists acre gwen 20 TAX
icg broad lscxnse a. fnsy are at The present
day OF sii the rfcturrs of the death Sre-se
or alleged pictures, only ola, Is i sad vas
made after sketches taken oa the spot. Tats
one, made by the special arfiss q New
YORK illustrated yourfai gas drawn from
sketches made ia 3he rpeza ty1s os.e 2AT
after the removal = Nr. LsncoIa regnAsIs
and while yhe f4rE..ture a-d psc-szrge ~
naine8 iasact. II hangs upoa TIE wall
where the head oi the beli ssaA The o.6ers I
zrr wholly q partly fsneifus Est fs~ Of
she-a show . rsoan az al -s.sxG. hing The
poor apartment la wnich the ssasuclp@tor
Frest1ea lis ssSs, saa ZIG raos- q them
rrp-essn- Eunptaozs gss<trz<ns. w<h
rieh furs5s1rs ard hanxsngs. Toe axsaslz
having evider-sy assumed ts4az il was srz-
grobabse q pvssssser.: should hass died srzald
any cEhsr sors of slr-onn65nzs-
AT Thfrfy Tears Aga.
oae II these pictures - alas cys-nscsi
In i ;6@ s-z4s; nzs pr<seE1sess sfss &c =
working up \ pAcsaZTay,a * the scsfe
There - tks bed. wssA Nr Lsneola yyiax
gqoa Is IN h.s dat . fzrnes. Ard sszr-oazt
sssS ain are ts< ~ ysscisrs axssl skss naeeaars
of Ms s&-ssisy. Remembering hsx fraudulent
Sssssssse % Tbs aAe az = GAMERS. fsss eys~s Z
e-4wx -. --z l-g --eS viii s..e.. .zszs t-<ze5 !.