The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-24
MR.. CLEVELAND'S GUARDIAN
The Strange Role Played by Hon. Don
n. Dickinson at the Inauguration.
Leading Democrats and Intimate Friends Of
the President Angered by the Offensive
Officiousness Of the Michigan Man.
Detroit Letter in New York SUN.

talked of none of the happenings at w ASH
I'M ton so much as of the extraordinary
conduct of the Hon. Don NJ. Dickinson and
of his apparent power and prominence In
the new administration. From the talk of
these persons it would seem that
that part OF the United States which did
not go down To put in the new administra-
tion has been deceived in supposing thas
President Cleveland was the chief figure
of the ceremonies. The inten tion was that
he should be- and in the ordinary course OF
events he would have been. But the Hon.
Don NJ. Dickinson thwarted all plans. over.
rode all precedents. and made himself the
chief figure.
Vice President Stevenson and his wife
got to Washington in advance of the
Cleveland party. and for several days they
were the center of admiration and sdula-
ton. They aud every else supposed
that this would end when MI. and Mrs
Cleveland came. 1t was thought that their
levees ID Wizards Hotel would be de-
serted, and the crowds would pour into the
Arlington to pay their respects. after the
custom OK former years, to the incoming
Presidenr. But all had reckoned without
MIR. Dickinson.
When the Cleveland party came down
from Lakewood Mr.. Dickinson took them
In charge. He established himself and Mr..
and Mrs. Cleveland, Mr.. and Mrs. Lamont
and Mr. and Mrs. Richard Watson Glider
In one wing OF. the Arlington. all the rooms
being along o hall that branohed from the
main hall and extended to the end OF the
wing. After ho had herded his charges
into their rooms. Mr.. Dickinson es-
tablished at the upper end of this hall
two of his heelers as a sort of uniformed
guard. These persons were instructed to
guard that entrance without regard To the
customs of gOod society. with a shortness
and relentless absence of good manners
such ms would not be tolerated at the court
of the Car OF all the Russiss. 1t
| the future President and his party
to receive at least the most eminent men
| of the party and personal friends who may
wish to present their respects and con.
CALCULATIONS. it's. of course. the etiQuitte
| of civilized society, that whenever gem
| tleman or lady presents u card to serv-
ant, that servant shall Toxic it to the per-
| son for whom it Is intended. aud leave il to
that particular person to Judge whether or
not the sender of the cara shall be received.
| Not so with Mr.. Dickinson and his heelers.
however.
EMINENT MEN INsULTED.
Men eminent in the Democratic party.
other men who are intimate friends of the
| Clevelands and the Lannon'S. came up to
| these heelers. and requested that their
| cards be sent in to whichever of the pres-
Dental party they had come to see. To
| each of these the hselers would invariably
| answer: No cards are TO be taken in" If
| the person thus addressed insisted, being
under the impression that it was the rude
/ ness OF the heeiers that caused such a
| breach of etiquette, the heelers would say:
| ME- Dickinson says no cards shall DE sent
| in"
| One man who called to see Mr.. Lamont,
whom be has known intimately for twenty
1 lnal hra fam mar Of In M.
care for Mir. Di0kinsOnW said he. who 10
| Mr. Dickinson. that he should say whom
| Mr. Lamont will or will not sesf Take in
my card" The bceler was q bit alarmed by
the manner OF this gentleman and took the
card. Mr.. Lamont received him lmmedi-
ately, and looked astOnished. but said moth
| ing, when the gentleman explained what
| had happened.
This gentleman. talking of the matter
| afterward, said: While was waiting for
| Colonel Lamont, and while We were talk
ing together, Mr. Dickinson wac fitting
about the hall with ceaseless energy and
| ultra-femnine curiosity. He was Garry ing
his head high. and wore the expression Of
| Importance which we might expect to see
upon the face of an English butler who had
| taken service Ia family he regarded rs be-
| meath him. heard him insult one man
stood there. / know from talking
| with others that his conduct WAS
| SO arrog ant. so rude and SO insoiepr that he
offended SCORES of the fret men of the par
| ty, to say nothing of Mr.. Clevelands per-
| sonai friends. knowing Mr.. Cleveland as
| do, feel sure that this upstart was not
carrying out orders, but simply airing
his own Importance with less manners than
| We would expect TO lind even In cheap
| Michigan lawyer"
1be Clevolands arrived OIL Thursday. Be-
| tween that time and Saturday afternoon,
| with the exception of the tw o dinners with
| President harrison, NO man. woman or
child saw them. Mr.. Dickinson. AS self
| appointed keeper. guarded them ferOcioue.
| ly, and by lmpertlnent inquiries into the
business of every one drove all callers
| away In furious temper. On Saturday he
was separated from MIR. Cleveland dur
| ing tho little interval of the ride with
| President Harrison to the White House.
! Some one who saw the carriage 60 by
| looked second time to make sure. and
then said: Hello! Mr.. Cleveland is out
| without his keeper" But this man spoke
too soon. Close behind that carriage an
other came. keeping 30 near that the noses
| of It's horses pressed pom the back curtain.
And when the carriage with Mr.. Glove
| land and Mr. Harrison in IL reached the
| White House. out of the second carriage
| darted Mr.. Dickinson to take his place Ut
Mr.. Cleveland's elbow and ferceIy glover
| upon tho crowd that pressed about. A spe-
cial guard TO the Car of Russia. with ru-
| mOrs OF Nihillst plots ahoat, would not
have been so ostentatiously Jealous.
A TEMPORARY ESCAPE.
At the Capitol Mr.. Cleveland escaped
| from this surveillance. thanks to the off,
Gals there. who knew the etiquette of the
occasion, if Mr.. Dickinson did not. Mr..
Dickinson was thrust aside. and was COM
PEELED to lie in wait for his charge. Mr..
| Cleveland and Mr.. Harrison went
into the Vice Presidents room and re-
ceived the people who were waiting there.
| Every one was W atcbing To see " hat the as
siduous Dickinson would do. There was q
| good deal of covert amusement 1t the
spectacle Of bin sitting dejectedly In q
corner with his ginger-ale whiskers droop-
ing from his chops, and his small eyes fixed
upon Mr.. Cleveland with q yearning.
baffied ex preston III them.
While Mr.. Cleveland and Mr.. Harrison
were sitting together IN the Senate chamber
the bafed Dickinson looked in q doorway
"a If he feared MIR. Cleveland would nttem DC
To escape. Then came the scene upon the
platform on the east front or The Capitol
Mr.. Cleveland ana the Justices of tho Su-
preme Court stood in q sort OF box out
from the platform. Mr.. Dickinson pushed
forward, and had he not been jOstied back.
| be might also have tried to take some sort
of an oath of Office. But the rigid etiquette
disappointed the Michigander.
When Mt Cleveland and Mr.. Herrison
reviewed the procession from the stand In
front of the White House, the self ap poin ted
keeper was again at Mr.. Cleveiand's elbow
He had followed tho two Presidents In q
carriage the full length of PenDsylyania
avenue, sitting back In his seat and revel-
ing IN the applause of the multitude as If
Il l..u sarA yhsa ~ o