The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1910-02-05
Early Conspiracies Against Lincoln
BY JoHN w. NICHOLS


was Mr.. Lincoln 3 favorite saddle ami
NAL and when he was in the White
House stables. be always chose him.
As horse and rider approached the
gate ! noticed that the president was
bareheaded. After l bad assisted him
in checking his stecd the president said
TO me:
"He came pretty near getting away
with me, didn Z bef lie took the bit
in his teeth before | could draw the
roins.'
| then asked him where his hat was
and he replied that somebody had fired
IA gun of down at the foot Of the hill,
which scared his horse, and the lurch
Of the animal toppled his hat Of. /
led the horse to the cottage where the
president and his family was staying.
There he dismountod and went in.
Thinking the proceeding little
strange, a corporal and | started In the
direction from which the report of
the gan had be heard, 10 investigate.
when we came to the place where the
driveway meets the road we found the
PRESIDENT hat--a plain silk hat-and
on examining 1t found a bullet hole
through the corner Of the crown. The
shot had been fred upward and IL was
evident that the person who had fred
il had secretod himself close TO the road
side. We listened and searched the
locality thoroughly, but to no avail.
The next day ! gave Mr.. Lincoln his
hat and called his attention to the
bullet hole. He unconcernedly remark
cd that it was put there by some foolish
gunner and Was not intended for him.
lie said, however, that he wanted the
matter kept quiet and admonished us
to say nothing about il.
The next fall, after We had taken
up our winter quarters at the White
House, n conspiracy to kidnap the pres
ident was unknowingly frustrated by
rs. Had the truth Of the affair leaked
out at the time it doubtless would have
created great excitement. our quar-
tcrs were immediately in front Of the
south porch of the Executive Mansion,
a position which placed Us at about
equal distance from the treasury build
ing on the east aud the war and navy
building on the west.
For reason, at the time unknown to
Ms We were ordered to move our guard
tent aud place Il NJ 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 afterwRid We learn
ed, however, that on the very night
afterward we had moved the tont the
confederates had a plan laid 10 cap,
'uro the president. The c%onspirators
were to hide In the ~sbrubbery and when
the president came along the walk they
were 10 siese, gag and carry him over
the river into Virginia. Thence he
was to be taken to Richmond or some
other confederate stronghold, whore he
was 10 he held Rs a hostage. The
members Of the b~odyguard always sup.
posed that the coIspirators were fright
ened away when they saw our guard
tent and abandoned the plan Of kid.
mapping.
Not long after the attempted hid.
mapping another episode took place,
which afterward was found to have been
planned by a band Of aasassins who
made their headquarters In the city,
liourke, the veteran coaehman, who
had served at the White House through
Pieree's and Buchanan = administra.
tions ana thus far into Lincoln : was
taken sick and compelled to be on
duty.
Immediately a stranger, who repre-.
himself m an experienced coach.
man from Baltimore, applied at the
White House and was employed as
.oaehman. From the first be was dom.
neering and after q few weeks became
N important that he was discharged