The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-14
CLEpELAN PossUM At LARGE
FInsiIy Ciubbedt TO Denth IN the white Hou.s
Grounds by watchrnen.


Shooting sp"arrow-cnting owls on Pennsylvania
avenue may have its delights for the members
of the Metropolitan force who patrol that thor
oughfarc, but IL seems very tame indeed COM
pared TO the excitement Of hunting postum In
the White House Frounds-a privilege enjoyed
only by tho picked men Of the forcs on guard
outside the Executive Mansion.
Officers Cissel, Kclliher, and Galway we're on
duty at the White House before o O'Clock yes
terday morning. Tho policemen are la the habit
of making The rounds OF tho grounds every az.
teen minutes and pulling" the small watch
boxes In various parts Of the grounds.
Officer Cissel was on his way 10 the boz near
the south portico Of the house when he noticed .
movement in the shrubbery near the foot Of the
steps. lie called. but received no answer, and
drawing his gun crcpt forward quietly. Tho In
truder spycd him. however, and the o1icer saw
n form dart out Of the shadows and start across
the south lawn. He did not fro for fear of
arousing. tho inmates Of the White House. but
sounded his distress call and dashed on In pur-
Galway from The front Of the house. They
Joined In the chase. but the fugitive was fleet OF
dnot and had almost reached &c the lower gate
The prisoner fought viciOusly and would have
In all probability overpowered the ofleer had
not subdued. however, It'll GALWAY struck him
a powerful blow on the head with his club.
sound.
You've done i'm" said Kelllher.
~ guess | have" was the unconcerned reply
of the other officer, and picking up the bod. be-
tween them, the victim was carried tothe White
a Luncheon OFF him day after to-morrow. He 10
the biggest possurn that has been killed In the
As has been said. the identity Of the postum
has n not ,n, been dh%e deter but ~ a. as ,S = lsrss sspeet
RSne sa az w WSs pe,ne escaped sstssne q Few s% days ago. and
possums are not in the habit Of wandering
this NAV ha tho gnmN nne- If was nfObahlY n
civil service reform possum. who was coming in
to, get under the wing OF the Chief ExeeutiYs.
IL may not DC very generally known, but Pres
never eaten any till his first term in the White
from Georgia sent him up a brace q possums,
II they may be SO termed. but made the mistake
The then chef OF tn; Willie House was not an
expert on possums, and declined, positively to
them. The President, who did not want to have
a split with the then solid south, cast about for
sums. He requested an opinion Of Attorney
General Garland. and. though this was not gem
MIR. Garland proved equal to the emergency.
and turned the two possums over TO his wife.
was thorousRiy conysrssnt with "possu% and
'%taters," and personally superintended the prep
Of the Two deceased Georgians In her
Garland might have one of the possums II she
would have them cooked. so the other was sent
out of doors over Il frosty night. was served
for luncheon TO the President and the Attorney
one day after Cabinet meeting.
The President experimental extensively on
possum, and finally. drawing q long
breath, echoed the sentiment that Tom Corwin
expressed about tho turkey, that 10
:, was u very inconvenient sized bird; too much
was thenceforth q convert to postum
and told Gen. Garland: THE only mistake I
made about this. General. was in letting Mrs,
keep the other one"
Since then Gen. Garland and the President
eaten a number OF postum dinners to-
zether, and during ~pcrsimmon season there 10
nearly always a possum, sometimes two Of
them. in confinement at the Presidents country
home, being " fed up" for the table.