Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-02-12


would have created great excitcment
Our quarters We're Immediately in
front of the south porch OF the Exc
cutive Mansion, Il position which
J placed us ut about equal distance from
the treasury building on the east and
the war ana navy building on the
west. Just to the cast of the quar-
ters was our guard tent where Il por-
ton of the bodysuard remained when
on duty. President Lincoln was fire.
| quently called to the war and navy
building. 10 the west OF the White
House. a graval walk led from the
west end of the mansion through the
park. which was filled with trees and
shruEbery. 10 the war department,
and over this the President walked
several times day. often unaccom-
panied
For reasons at the item unknown
10 us we We're ordered to move our
guard tent and place it al the west
end OF the gravel walk. directly in
the rear of the war department. While
| we stayed there nothing occurred to
arouse suspicion. Shortly afterward
we learned however. that on the very
night after we had moved the tent the
Conie'lerates had a plan laid to cap
turc the President. The conspirators
were to hide in the shrubbcry. and
walk they were to seize, gag. and
when the President came along the
carry him to the house OF one Green.
rank Rebel. on the hank of The Po-
tomac. back of the White House
grounds. where he was to he secreted
for time and then spirited across
the river into Virginia. Thence he
was to be taken to Richmond or some
other Confederate stronghold. where
lie was TO he held as hostage. The
members of the bodyguard always
supposed that 'the conspirators were
frightened away when they saw iour
guard tent. and abandoned tho plan
of kidnapping.
Ford's Theater Gang at Work.
Not long after the ATTEMPTED kid
mapping. another episode took place.
which afterward was found to have
De'n piannel by band OF assasslns
VINO made their headquarters in the
city. Ronrke, the veteran coachman,
VINO had served mt the White House
through Piercc's and Buchanan's adj
mihislrat.ons and thus far through
Lincoln5 was taken sick and COM
PEELED to be off duty
Immediately n stranger. who repre-
scented himself as an experienced
coachman from Baltimore, applied at
the White House and reported that
Bonrke was down in the city on n
protracted spree. He pleaded his own
cause. and the result was that he
was employed rs presidential coach
man. From the first he was domi
neering, and after n few weeks he
came so important that he was dis
charged and Bourke reinstated. He
made threats, and was so ugly that
he was driven away. and we we're or
dered not to allow him on the prem
ises.
One night shortly afterward, just
about dusk. the discharged coachman
was seen sneaking around the sta
bies. ly some of the guard. The
stables had been locked for the night.
and II was not supposed that he could
10 any damage. and consequently the
men who saw him did not 90 to the
stables. Presently the whole interior
OF the barns was found to be on fire.
The guard was called ont, and by dint
OF great eXertion we saved the Presi-
dents coach and team; but Tad Lin
coins ponies and Colonel Hays car
riage team persisted in the flames.
The plan was to have this man fire
the stables and thus TO distract our
attention. During the excitement
SOME of the conspirators were ready
to rush into the White House and
murder the President. hut instead
among us. and thus in all probability
frustrated another attempt at assassl-
nation.
What makes this appear more like
~ now is the fact that. after the In
cendiary was arrested, he produced
several witnesses. who lated found
employment at Ford's Theater. to tes-
tiiy that he was down IN the city dur
Ing the whole of the evening. These
were the persons who doubtless plan
ned the final conspiracy that brought
the great bencfactor to the grave
Shortly before we were mustered
out of service, verifcation OF the last
two incidents was given me by Cap
tain Lamon. who was then marshal
of the District OF Columbia. and who
kept in close touch with the work
ings OF the secret service department.
John w. Nichols in Syndicate Mag
azine.
For STOVES OF all kinds call on