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

ily. On the night OF April II, 1865 while Mr.
Seward lay sick in bed In one Of tho upper
rooms big, oak complexioned, broad
shoulderei man rang the door bell aud
told the servant who admitted him that
he ha6lsa apucSage Of medicine which the Sec-
retaryss physician had ordered 70 sbs deiiv..
fGsaeu fGGssaeu ia to Rafw fn so go UPSTAIRS ami tho
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 lutt Of q revolver, almost on the same
instant slashiug the servant with knife.
He then darted forward and reached the
sick chamber where Secretary Seward was
sitting up in bed. The knife cleaned again
and Mr.. Seward, weak and helpless. was
stabbed in the face and neck, but thu bani-
ages that swathed his neck save1 him
from mortal wound. AS the murderous
intruder retreated he was again interceptei.
this time by Maio: Augustus H. Seward
and an attendant, but he shook them off,
and running down stairs, leaped on his
horse and rode off. He was captured a
few days later. and being fully identified
drath. was tried. condemned and s1-
ecMted with his fellow -conspirators.
Secretary of War Belknap was the next
tenant of the house Of misfortune and for a
time the sober old edifice became gay with
the live Of the Grant regime. Before twelve
self and Mrs Belknap lay dead under its
roof after n brief illness. Then, after the
Belknaps vacated. it again did duty, as in
the earlier days, as a boarding g-house, but
Washington had somehow got the impress
sion that the place was uncluuy and that its
tenants were dog god by an evil fate. For
time the Commissary Generals staff
held possession, then when they had
moved to the War Departments new build
ing it vas again tenautless 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 iii-omened house for ten years
at $4,000 year. He decorated and reno.
waited it throughout. tearing down the walls
OF tho room in which the attempt on Mr..
Stewards life took place. and by generous
expenditures transformed the dingy old
wide.roomed house into a magnificent mod
ern residence. Yet all the changes failed ia
eradicate the characteristic attributed to the
mansion by the superstitious Wsshington-
ians. Becoming its tenant, Mr.. Blaine has
encountered the greatest reverses to his am'
btions, and experienced the keenest sorrows
of his life.
MR. BLAINE's HOUSEHOLD.
OF Rlai9es I cn,ia.S sndSsnIx ssroSsD
down by death after reaching maturity. HI:
asneS' fine parts, r1s' who had given evidence
of rare abilities an1 was apparently
destined to a brilliant future, died t~o year
aso. Ealnons his second son. q brigh
business man, in manner and character
closely resembling his father, also died sud
denly in the heyday OF youth and prosperity
~ third and crushing bereav ement wa
the death of the eldest daugh ter, Alice
who was married to Lieutenant Colone
| John j. Coppinger. 1t followed closely
on the death Of her brother, Wake
| Blaine, whose funeral she was at
| tending when seizei by the fatal Ill
| ness. OF the three surviving children
the son, James G., made an unfortunat
marriage, the results Of which em
bittered the latter years OF his father
| life. One Of the daughters. Miss Margaret
is married to Mr.. Walter Damr oscb. the ia
nous New York musical director. ana IN
other. Miss Harriet, is unmarried. Mr.: