Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-14
All Sorts and Conditions.

Another woman, who likewise imagines
that she owns the United States. demanded
deed DOR the entire estate from President
Harrison. He told her she could have it If
she would pay the taxes on IL, and she
agreed to do so on condition that he would
turn over to her the revenues OF the govern
ment. Only two weeks ago crank called
at the White House to make known his
claim tS enough money to purchase all the
land in several states.
Anybody who gets out of an asylum any,
Wnere, II would seem, Is particularly apt to
start right of for Washington, where pres
ENTITY he is sure to land at the Executive
manson. A man dropped in the other day
and asserted that he had a MORTGAGE for
S5o.Ooo.oU on the Northern Pacific railroad.
He wanted the President to get the money
LOT MIN. Another person called to announce
nlmself as an advance agent of the Messiah
and to ask Mr. Cleveland for money TO put
up an altar. The chief ma gistrat e is con-
tinually appealed to by beggars Of all sorts.
They want him to lend them money, to in
dorse checks. to buy railway tickets for
them, to procure employment for them TO
give them cash enough to buy a modest
home" and even to contribute his "cast-off
trousers" One man asks the President to
compel a dishonest employer to pay wages
due; another wants protection against an
unjust action Of law, and a third desires 10
have a doubtful title to land made sure
They think he is sort of supreme cadi or
police Justice, who has the power to right
all wrongs.
Cranks with patents want TO show them
to Mr.. Cleveland, sometimes insisting on
setting up their models in the vestibule. One
man, during the last administration,
brought six small alligators in wooden
box, and desired to liberate them In the
east room. Frantic souvenir hunters de-
mand bits of broken dishes and scraps Of
old carpet. to remember the White House
by. Others ask for whole cups and saucers.
Now and then visitor insists on seeing
the Presidents private bed rooms. declaring
% h. ~
establishment" and has a right to look 1t
over.
Many OF the letters addressed to the Presi-
Dent are utterly absurd. One man writes
70 MI Cleveland nearly every day, using a
lead pencil and very cheap paper. Each
communication usually covers about TWEEN
| ~ pages. the subject matter being advice to
the chief executive about the management
Of national affairs. This correspondent has
been sending in the same sort of stuff
through several administrations. He heads
his missives Court Of ST. John" and rep
resents himself as a monarch. One, re-
cefved day or two ago. read:
MI Cleveland, President and prime min
lister: Your Excellency win ask our private
secretary whether she was looking at any
circular form or ring-shaped sign TO any
part OF the gas or fixture at the foot of the
stars yesterday noon, as II came clearly to
me IN my room In the soapsud form. Your
godhead, Charles"
All such communications as these are torn
up and thrown into the waste ba sket Let
tiers from cranks do not reach the Presi-
dents eye. Some Of them bear strange ad-
dresses. One man writes on his envelope:
president OF the United States. Pennsyl-
vania Avenue. Washington. d. c. In care
OF the Postmaster. I do not know the
number" Here are few more specimens:
"FTis Lordship. the President OF the United
States"
''saIutation Sir. or the President Grover
Cleveland"
ITO the Chief OF the Nation"
'To the Auticrat OF the United States
otherwise known as His Excellency Grover
cleveland"
pleas to send this to President cievein Of
the White house"
Washington is fairly swarrnine with
crsnks. One finds them at the Capitol and
wandering about the departments. The
monument is another favorfte resort o'
theirs. Some Of them mistake the great
shaft for a light house. and are disappointed
to find no lamp at the top. Others express
a fear that n fs going TO tumble over. OF
that II win finally be crushed by its ovr
weight. Yet others want to fump from ths
top with flying machines. Not long ago Q
woman visitor declared that the mighty
obelisk was built entirely OF dead people
and that each shining heck In the marble
was a human soul sacrificed In the worl
Of construction.