Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-07

Jacob A. Chase.
fact that he idoized his father, often
helped him to have his own way when he
took the notion.
well. the night of that awful happen
Ing Mr. Lincoln wanted Tad to go with
the rest of them to. the Opera House.
That's what they used to call Ford s
Theater in those days. But Tad got the
notion that he wanted to go to Growers
where the National now stands, and he
| had his way.
Tad at Growers Theater.
"Alphonso T. Dom. who has been dead
about twenty years, was then the door
keeper at the White House. He and Tad
and I went down to Growers Theater,
while his father and the rest OF the family
went to the Opera House.
1T seemed to me that we had been In
the theater about an hour when a man
rushed in the front entrance and yelled
out so you could hear him all over the
house: President Lincoln's just been
shot in his private box at the Opera
House Immediately the audience sprang
to It's feet and the widest excitement fol-
lowed
Manager Hess came out of the wings
and tried to calm the people. He said
they had better wait until the news could
be confirmed. 1t seemed to be only q
rumor and there was hope it wasn't true.
Things then quieted down little, but
| only for short while. A few minutes
later Manager Hess came out again and
said it was all true
Mr.. Dom and 1 then took Tad-each
| of us had him by the hand-and we went
straight to the White House. Poor little
/ feliow-he was only about ten years old.
He was crying as If his heart would
break.
Way to Father Barred.
When we got to the White House we
went in by the main entrance, but soon
found they hadn't taken the President
there. So we turned back down the ave-
nue. to 18th street and then down street
to Ford's and then to the house across
the street where Mr.. Lincoln died.
1--WE made ourselves known, but the
polceman-I don't know who he was
wouldn't let us in. He said while the
He told us he had been shot in the
shoulder, but said that 10 quiet Tad. He
advised us to go back to the White
House, which We did.
This time. though. we went in the en-
trance at the east side. You know in
those days there were sandstone extern
sions on each side, pretty much like the
marble ones now, only they weren't as
beautiful
when we got back the housekeeper.
of Tad. Later on l went to bed
But. oh. when they brought his fathers
body home in the morning! Poor lit
tie Tad. l never saw such grief In a
child before or since. II was heartbreak-
That's the story about TadFs where
abouts the night his father was assas
sinated. There isn't much to 1t, but there
would be if 1 could only tell just how
| everything happened and how we felt:
Father and Boy Devoted.
The child was devoted to his father.
I don't believe Mr.. Lincoln loved anything
on earth like lie loved that boy.
''Oh the nights when Mr.. Lincoln, with
his great big shawl wrapped around his
shoulders. attended by his bodyguard,
used to go over to the War Department
for the latest news from the front. Tad
would wait in the office, sometimes till
| 1870 o'clock until his father got back.
| AS he would see him come in the door
| he stand up and wave his hands and cry
| out: Three cheers for old Abe
His father would just seem to wrap
| his soul around him. Then he would take
| him on his back and go upstairs to beu'
Mr.. Chase. who relates this simple
story. went to the White House as a
| messenger boy in the fall of 1864, he says,
when he and Mr.. Dom and Thomas F..
| Pendel. who is usher there to this day,
were appointed at the instance Of Mrs.
| Lincoln. He remained there, man and
| boy, for thirteen years and half, serv-
ing through President Johnson's term.
during the eight years of President
| Grants and for about six months of
! President Hayes term. Then, because his
| salary was paid from the police roll. he
| was transferred to street duty.
During that time, he says. he lived in
| one of the rooms in the eastern wing Of
| the extension. After an uneventful career
| as Washington policeman lasting about
| two years. he entered the service OF the
office of the superintendent of public
buildings and grounds. where he has re.
manned ever since. part of the time work
| ing In the parks. and the remainder as
a park policeman.
He Is still strong and vigorous for his
| sixty years of life. His face bears the
rudy glow of health and prudent living
| and his hair shows the whiteness of years
as a background to an always soft and
pleasing smile, But his hands show the
marks of toll.
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