Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-04-17
ONCE EXECUTIVE MANSION.
The oId ~octagon House" at wash ingean, D. C., and It's Interest
 ing History.

One of the most interesting houses in the city of Washington is that which stands on the corner of New York ave- nue and Eighteenth street, commonly known as the "octagon" house. It is interesting on account of the fact that it was once used as the executive man= sion.
 In 179S Col. John Tayloe, whose rep utation seems to have been based large ly on the fact of his being the richest mar in Virginia, decided to build home for himself and family in the city of Philadelphia, but owing to the per suasions of Gen. Washington changed his mind and built instead the octagon house, in what was considered in those days a very out-ofthe-way portion of the city. Gen. Washington assisted in making the plans and took the keenest interest in its erection.
 Col Tayloe entertained what was known as the unofficial set, which com prised some of the first families of Washington, but it was not until the burning of the white house in 1874 that 1t became political center. Then it was that he removed his family to one of his Virginia plantations and offered to rent the house to President Madison, which offer was accepted.
 Although unoccupied for years, it stands to-day almost the same as it stood in the days when men and women of fashion thronged it's rooms, On as- eending flight of stone steps and en- tering the broad doorway one finds himself in hall almost circular in shape; the marble tiling which once formed the floor is now superseded by pine boardf; two stoves of antique pat tern front each other from niches in op posite walls. Beyond is another hall, from which opens on the right the ball. room where Dolly Madison held some of her famous receptions. Aside from the height of the ceilings and the size of the room there is nothing left to re mind one of its ancient splcndor ex- cept a mantelpieee of reputed value, some one having at one time offered $500 for it's possession. It is beautifully wrought in iron and was probably im- ported. Directly opposite tine ballroom is the dining-room, where numberless guests have been entertained, while over the circular hall is q small room, also circular in shape, which was used by President Madison as an office. Here it was that the treaty of Ghent was signed.
 At the rear of the mansion is the gar den, surrounded by wall some ten CT twelve feet in height, parts of which are now in a tumble-down condition. 1t is recorded that in this garden may still be found traces of what were known as "nigger auction blocks" for Col. Tayloe was a large slave owner, having had 500 in his possession at one time.
 For years past the house has had an uncanny reputation on account of the numerous ghost stories which are in circulation concerning the strange sounds heard within it's walls. One of the stories afoat is that old Col. Tayloe sealed within his cellar creole wom- an and left her there 10 die. Her sllel- eton is said to bs still entombed and the supposed screams of the woman may yet be heard. Another story is that If any member of the Tayloe family should find certain vault in the house it will necessitate the selling of the property, but if it is found by anyone else all will be well. Efforts have been made to find the missing vault, yet its whereabouts remain mystery.
 The watchman, who has lived there for seven years, claims, however that he has never yet heard a sound which could be attributed to the supernatu- ral. Nevertheless there is one story which has the semblance of truth. While the Tayloes were occupying the house the doorbell rang one day, but .he maid on answering it could see no one. Again it rang, and this time the old colonel himself went, but there was no one there. Finally all the bells in the house started ringing and nothing could stop them. They continued ring ing until the Tavloe family took their departure. The local papers noted the phenomenon at the time of it's occur rence-N. Y. Times.