The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1909-02-04
HOW Connolly
SAW AND SPOKE
WITH ABE LINCOLN
Newark City Clerk Tells of Con-
versation He Had with the
Martyred President.
"H0MELY AND KINDLY"
WAS THE IMPRESSION
Recalls Meeting with Emanci-
pat0r On Eve OF Ills Cen
tenary celebration.


Among the Newark veterans of the
CIvIl N.ar VINO naa the nonor OF tank
LIS A.ltn Fresluent AOranam Lincoln
10 Dl.s Clerk James r.. Conneliy, all
GA memot OF LILeom Fost, Grand
army VI the Repuutlc, VINO is active
in lnaklag arrangements Tor the OBJ
serN ahce IA the Ola First Presbyterian
Churcn the afternoon M evening OF
February II of the centennial of the
birth OIL Lincol by the local Grand
Army posts and the city. He was in
his teens, but was tall and very SEN
ger, ana was d hign private in Cap
tam Augustus T. Dusenberry's COM
pany or an early New Jersey volunteer
regiment when he met Lincoln and
hau a few words with him.
When his regiment arrived in Wash
ington, D.. c., from New Jersey young
Connolly was anxious to see the White
House, and the colonel of the regiment
gave MIN a pass. The young soldier
wore a SNOWY Zouave uniform, which
comprised d loose blouse of blue cloth,
with c rich red sash around his waist,
baggy red trousers, leather leggings
and a red fez cap on the back OF his
head. Private Connolly showed his
pass to a soldier standing in front OF
the gate to the White House grounds
and said he wanted to go inside.
Sees Lincoln.
That pass amt any good here, and,
~youngster, you are d fool and a
better move on" said the guard, "or
I'll put you in the guard-house." just
then the door Of the White Hous was
opened and a very tan and homely
man with a long and sallow face, a
big wart on one side of his prominent
nose, large and sad black eyes and
coarse black hair, anne out with sew
eral other men. Private Connolly rec
ognized the tall man, who was dressed
in a suit OF black, as President Lin
coin, whom he had seen in Newark two
years before, when Mr.. Lincoln was on
his way to Washington to be inaugu-
rated.
President Lincoln saw the guard
waving young Connolly away when he
arrived at the gate and he said to the
guard;
Let the boy stay where he is"
Then turning to the trembling young
soldier he said in a kind voice that re-
assured the youth;
What do o want, my boy?'
Il want to see our President" said
young Connolly, land nave the honor
of speaking to him." =
Il am President Lincoln said the
tail man, "and 1 am glad to meet a
soldier boy"
He then shook hands with Private
Connolly and asked: Are you a
drummer boy?"
mo, Mr.. President" was the reply,
II am a high private in a New Jersey
regiment and 1 saw you when you
passed through Newark"
President Lincoln remarked tina he
was in Newark o n his way to the Ma
tional Capital, and he asked Are you
q years old?'
mo, sir" was the reply, and then
came the question:
Are you IS years old ?" There was
no reply from the high private, for he
did not want President Lincoln to know
how young he was, lest he might he
sent home. The President looked at the
Zouave uniform and said: t
THAT is a gorgeous uniform you nave
on. 1 think you will not wear it long
after you get to camp. YOU viii he
given a uniform less snowy. ] hope you
will make a good record and get home
safe after your term of service"
HOmely But Kindly.
President Lincoln and his party Their
passed on. Mr.. Connolly said yester-
day that soon after his regiment
crossed the Long Bridge and camped
near Alexandria the soldiers were sup
piled with plain blue uniforms in place
of the snowy Zouave suit.
MY impression of President Lincoln
then was that he was one of the home
lest, but kindest, men | ever met"
said Mr., Connolly. His large and sal
low face was gloomy, his black eyes
showed that he was troubled. But
when he smiled while speaking to me
his sad eyes became kindly and a smile
meath his lips rippled over his face.
THE first time I saw Mr.. Lincoln
was on the platform of the last car on
his train in Newark. Boylike, / had
wriggled through the great Grove at
the railroad station and was near the
car when the train stopped. Mr.. Lin
coin looked down from the platform of
the car, and, seeing me nearly crushed
in the crowd, said: Let that boy come
near the car A man who became q
prosperous manufactures and died re-
Gently pushed some men back, lifted me
to his shoulder and | put up my hand
and Mr.. Lincoln shook hands with me.
II was the %happiest boy in Newark
because I had that honor. l recall that
Mr.. Lincoln la on a suit of seedy
looking black cloth, the trousers baggy;
that he was very tall, and that he
looked sad and worried. But there was
something in his large black eyes tina
made me like him. I often heard after
ward that he was fond of children. He
was n kind-hearted. brave, good man
a patriotic American who had risen
from poverty to the highest Office in his
country. The people of our country
annot do mis- memory too much honor
and the centennial of his birth. for he
saved this grand Union of ours"
WEBS GIRL HE WON AND