The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1893-02-02


lily. On the night OF April H. 1866. while Mr..
Seward lay sick in bed In one OF the upper
rooms, a big, oak complexioned broad
shouldered man rang the door bell and
told the servant who admitted him that
he bad n package of medicine which the Sec
retary's physician had ordered to be deliy-
cred TO him personally. The servant re-
fused TO allow him to go upstairs and the
Secretary's son, Frederick ". Seward also
opposed him: bus the stranger, making
feint of departure, suddenly sprang at
Frederick and felled him to the floor with
the butt OF a revolver, almost on the same
instant slashing the servant with a knife.
He then darted forward and reached the
sick chamber where Secretary Seward was
sitting up in bed. The knife cleaned again
and >,dS. Seward, weak aud helpless. was
stabbed in the face and neck, but ths band-
ages that swathed his neck saved him
from a mortal wound. As the murderous
intruder retreated he was IA gain Intercepted
this time by Major Augustus H.. Seward
and an attendant but he shook them of,
and running down stairs, leaped on his
horse and rode of. He was captured a
few days later. and being fully identified
as Lewis Payne, one of the men
implicated IN President Liucoln's
death. was tried. condemned and ex-
ecuted with his fellow-conspirators
Secretary of War Belknap was the next
tenant Oh Toe mouse OF misfortune, ana Tor q
time the sooer old editice became CAV with
the life of the Grant regime. Before twelve
month its evil genius had again asserted it.
self and Mrs. Belknap lay dead under its
roof after brief illness. Then after the
Belknaps vacated, IL again did duty, rs in
the earlier days as "a boarding house but
Washington hal somehow got tho impress
sion that the place was uncanny and that its
tenants were dogged by an evil fate For
n time the Commissary Generals staff
held possession, then when they had
moved to the War Departments new build
ing IL was again tenautles:. IL was about
this time that Mr.. Blaine, shortly after his
appointment as Secretary OF State by Pres-
dent Harrison, astonished his friends by
renting the ill-omened house for ten years
at $1,000 year. He decorated and reno
vatei II throughout, tearing down the walls
OF the room in which the attempt on Mr..
Stewards life TOOK place, and by generous
expenditures transform I'd the dingy old
wide.roomed house into magnificent mod
ern residence. Yet all the changes failed 10
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
billions, and experienced the keenest sorrows
OF his life.
Mr.. BLAINE's HOUSEHOLD.
or Mr.. Blaines six children. three--two
sons ana q daughtsr-were suddenly stricken
down by death after reaching maturity. His
eldest son, Walker, young man OF
fine parts who had given evidence
OF rare abilities and was apparently
destined to brilliant future, died two years
ago. Emmons his second sou, bright
business man, In manner and character
closely resembling his father, also died sud-
denly IN the heyday OF youth aud prosperity.
A tnird and crushing bereav ement was
the death of the eldest daughter, Alice,
VINO was married 10 Lieutenant Colonel
Jchn j. Coppinger. IL followed closely
on the death of her brother. Walker
Blaine, whose funeral she was at
tending when seizsi by the fatal ILL
ness. or the three surviving children,
the son, james G.. made an unfortunate
marriage, the results OF which EN-
Uttered the latter years of his fathers
life. One OF the daughters. Miss Margaret,
is married TO Mr.. Walter Damrosch, the IA
nous New York musical director, and the
other, Miss Harriet il unmarried, Mrs.