Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-24
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has talked affairs of state with visitors
while giving nourishment to the inner man.
1t Is most democratic proceeding on his
part but is performed in a refined and I'M
obtrustve manner. Important questions
have been considered by him under such
circumstances, and he does not hesitate to
lay aside his luncheon to affix his name to
Papers requiring his signature.
X X x X
"A recent article in The Star on old en-
ployes of the White House." said an Off
cial of that establishment failed to men
ton a few of those who should have been
| included in the list.
The four men mentioned were Col Will
| lam II. Crook. the disbursing officer; Capt.
Charles Loeffier, the Presidents doorkeep-
| er; Thomas F. Pendel. an usher. and Capt.
Benz F. Montgomery. Mr.. Pendel is the
oldest of these four in point of service.
having been appointed to duty at the
| White House November g. 1864. Next to
| him comes Col. Crook. then Capt. Loeffier.
! "a man who served at the White House
before either one of these men. and who Is
yet there, is w. l.. Lewis, doorkeeper to
Assistant Secretary Loeb. Mr.. Lewis was
| one of President Lincoln's bodyguard. He
was then an officer in the police department
of this city. and is yet on the rolls of that
department Mr.. Lewis is detailed at the
| White House, and has never been on the
rolls of that establishment Mr.. Lewis
would have been the oldest in point of
| service of any man there if he had not
| been detailed for service elsewhere for a
| period after the civil war. He served. away
| from the White House for several years
and was returned there on August II, 1873
and has served continuously since that
| date. One of the oldest men in continuous
! service at the White House is E. r. Beck
| ley, a colored messenger. He was appoint
| ed to his position April, 1869 and has been
| there ever since, in point of service rank
nd ant
| Montgomery. Another one of the old en-
ployes is Arthur Simmons. the doorkeeper
| of Secretary Cortelyou. Simmons went to
the White House in February, 1865, and
has been there ever since, with the excep-
tion of four years. when he was detailed
| to the Treasury Department. This was
during the administration of President
| Harrison Warren s. Young is also one CT
the oldest and most faithful of the en-
ployes at the White House. He has been
| on continuous duty there since 1881. Capt.
| William Dubois chief usher at the White
House up to several months ago. when he
was transferred elsewhere was appointed
| to the White House rolls April D. 1881,
and had served twenty-one continuous
years at the time of his transfer. William
T. Sinclair, who was the steward of the
White House under both of the Cleveland
| administrations and under that of Presi-
dent Mckinley, was appointed the
| White House rolls in 1885, and remained
| there until President Roosevelt came in,
when he was transferred to the pension Of
flee.
Most of the other men on the White
/ House force are young fellows who have
not long records at that place. Several IF
the policemen on duty have been there a
Jamison and Parker. Cissel and Jamison
have been looking after the front door for
| twelve or fifteen years..
X
! Historical characters are apt to be more
or less shadowy in the average mind was
| he nv tn
quaintance as they stood looking at the
| workmen putting in place the Rochambeau
| statue at the corner of Pennsylvania avenue
F., and Jackson place sit is difficult for us
to realize that the men we read about were
| actually alive and We're ordinary flesh and
blood. Take the case of Rochambeau for
| example. We know of course, that he was
one of the group of ardent Frenchmen
| who came to this country to lend their
| services in the patriot cause. 1 take it
! that our interest would be decidedly of a
| more personal character if we knew that
he was a friend of a man who is closely
identified with this city.
! Il Enfant, the author of the plan of the
| city, which is much admired, was, as
| we know, a Frenchman of prominence who
| remained here after the war of the revolu-
| ton closed. He practiced his profession of
| architect and civil engineer, and his ability
| was recognized by Gen. Washington, who
commissioned him to prepare a plan of the
new federal city. Many years Of his life
| were passed in this city and his remains
are buried here. He was an inmate of the
home of the family from which DR.. J. d.
Morgan is a descendant and large num-
Der of LEnfant's papers and letters have
come into DR.. Morgans possession. In this
collection Is letter from Rochambeau
which relates to the Society of the Cincin-
natl, of which he was a member, as was
also l. Enfant. The latter was commits
| stoned nv Alexander Hamilton n
the medal of the society, which duty he
| performed. DIR. Morgan also has letters tC
l. Enfant written by LEstaing and Count
! de Grasse, which have reference to that So
| ciety.
| Somehow" he concluded, ''it brings
! Rochambeau a little nearer to me to know
| that he was a friend of one of our fellow.
| citizens