Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1905-1906, 1906-02-12
WAS HONORARY PALLBEARER
On Great Emancipator Funeral
Train-Many Touching Scenes
at the Railway Stations.

Today, the anniversary of the
birth of Abraham Lincoln, will be OBJ
served in various ways all over the
country, even in the Southland where
the people are just beginning to APP
preciate the true character of the
man whom many regard as the great
est president this country ever had.
The Hon. Isaac Jenkinson of this
city recalled last evening to Palla-
dium reporter the first and only time
be ever met Lincoln. Mr.. Jenkinson
was a member of the first electoral
college that elected Lincoln Presi-
dent of the United States, and a del
egate to the convention that nomi-
mated Lincoln for a second term, but
Mr.. Jenkinson only had the privilege
of meeting the great president once.
orary pallbearer when the body of
the martyred leader was escorted
through this state to Springfield, Ill,
where Lincoln was buried.
"When Lincoln was first elected
said Mr.. Jenkinson "I was so FORUM
ate as to be chosen out of thirteen
members of the Indiana delegation
to the electoral college. Myself and
John w. Gay Of Indianapolis are the
Only two now living. 1t was neces-
sary to send the vote of the Indiana
electors to the electrical college when
it met at Washington and we drew
lots for the honor. / was the for
tunate one, being the last to draw.
The national Republican convention
that nominated Lincoln for second
term met at Baltimore in 1864 and I
was a delegate to that convention.
Ny home at that time was in Ft.
Wayne.
"The day before the convention I
met Judge Killgore of Delaware
County, this state, and he was per-
sonally acquainted with the Presi-
dent. We went together to the
White House and were ushered into
the waiting room of the executive
office which was crowded to suffoca-
tion with delegates. 'Killgore' I said
I'VE had better 60 as we will never
get in to see the President with this
great crowd ahead Of us
"Killgore told me to wait and he
thought he could arrange an audi
ence. He took out of his pocket a
card and sent it into Mr.. Lincoln. A
minute later an usher took us into
his presence. Mr.. Lincoln stood with
his back to an empty fire place and
was regarding the card KiHgore sent
him with smile.
After shaking hands with us he
laid the card down on the table and
remarked that he was extremely busy
but thought we could have a chat be-
tween audiences. While he was talk
ing my curiosity got the better of me
and / glanced at the card on the ta-
BILE. Killgore had pasted on the back
of it an army anecdote which was
just little bit spicy. We sat and
talked with the President for an hour
and he and Judge Killgore told story
after story
When the funeral train which car
ried the body of Lincoln from Wash
ington to Springfield, H., began its
journey across the country the State
of Indiana appointed twelve men as
honorary pallbearers and among them
was Mr.. Jenkinson. Together with
the other pallbearers he met the fu-
neral train in this 0ity and Mr.. Jen-
kinson states that there was an i'm
mense crowd at the Pan Handle sta.
ton and that hundreds of men, WON.
en- and children broke down at the
sight Of their beloved leaders bic,
and cried like babies.