The National tribune., 1910-08-18
Historic House Marked.

The Commissioners of the District of
Columbia have appointed a special Cit
izens' Committee, of which r. p. Van
| Wrinkle and Comrade McElroy are
members, to mark the historic spots in
| Washington: that is, those places which
have helped to make pages in history
from the establishment of the Govern
ment here down to and including the
war of the rebellion. one of the spots
so marked is the house III which Presi-
dent Lincoln died, which is on the
west side of 10th street northwest. be-
| tween f. and F streets. 1t is to be
marked with permanent tablet.
1t is a plain-look ing three-story red
brick, and it was in a small room on
the first floor of this old residence to
which President Lincoln was carried
after being shot by the assassin, Booth.
The old Ford's Theater Building where
the tragedy took place, is just across
the street. The house is to-day one of
the most important and interesting of
the many historic spots in Washington.
The room where the tragedy took place
is part of the hall which runs from the
front door to the back room and the
paper upon the wall is exactly as it was
when Lincoln died. 1t is known in
Washington as the Lincoln Memorial
Home. and is the home of Capt. Osborn
II. Oldroyd. who has there his private
collection of Lincoln curios, papers and
pictures incident to the public and pri-
vate life of Abraham Lincoln 1t is a
wonderful collection, and would take
hours to go thru ii and digest ii prop
erly. There are thousands and thou
sands of photographs of Abraham Lin
coin, including the infamous cartoons
which Puck printed of him during his
incumbency Of the Presidential office
up to the day of his death. There are
hundreds Of campaign badges that
were worn during the Lincoln cam
paignS. both Congressional and PreSi-
Dental. There is a rail which Lincoln
is supposed to have split; there is the
furniture used daily by Lincoln in his
little office; also the furniture that was
in his parlor in Springfield, Ill, while
he was President. There are vases
dishes, statuets and Il thousand and one
things connected with Lincoln's daily
life, all of which Capt. Oldroyd has
gathered piece by piece thru long life
devoted to great man whom ne never
saw.
Altho Capt Oldroyd was an Illinois
soldier, he never once saw Lincoln and
yet he began collecting Lincoln me-
mentoes while the man. destined to be-
come the greatest President the United
States has ever had, was get a member
of the Lower House of National Repre-
sentatives, and has kept it up ever
since. He lived for a number of years
IN the Lincoln home in Springfield ILL.,,
and had his collection there. When he
came to Washington, he secured the
house in which Lincoln died. and for
~ years has made his home there
adding to the Lincoln collection every
day You cannot make Capt. Oldroyd,
who Is Assistant Adjutant- General of
the Department of the Potomac. G.. A.
~ a ft,a b. 4
paper or magazine with a story about
Lincoln in it or some memento con-
nected with Lincoln. Two or three
years ago Capt Oldroyd made a walk
ing tour thru ireland, England, Scot
land and Wales, and made many
chance acquaintances on that trip.
Since that time he has received from
the friends whom he made then a great
many Lincoln mementoes, which had
come into their hands in one way or
another
The house in which Lincoln died.
now occupied by Capt. Oldroyd, was
constructed in 1S49 by VIM Peterson,
native of Sweden and a tailor by
trade He owned and occupied the
house at the time of Lincoln's death.
and it was popular with soldiers as a
lodging and boarding house. In fact,
the room in which the President died
was that Of a soldier named VIM 7.
Clark. He was out OF the house when
the President was brought to his room.
and when he returned he was stopped
at the front door by a garrison of SOL
diers. He went to his room, and after
explaining his presence TO those with
the dying man was permitted to re-
main. He sat all night with the Presi-
dent.
Shortly after the assassination Peter
son sold the house to a printer named
Shade. He published a paper in the
basement and used the upper part of
the house for his home. In 1896 the
United States Government purchased
the building for $4,000, and it has
since maintained it. and a bill is now
before Congress providing for the pur-
chase of the two adjoining houses and
the Oldroyd collection.
The bill provides for an appropria-
ton of S150,000. 1t Is the intention of
those interested in the bill to tear down
the adjoining premises and to cultivate
an attractive park upon each site and
to build an extension to the rear of the
Lincoln house.
The room in which Lincoln died,
with the exception of a number of rel
les now adorning the walls, is just rs it
was at the time. He was carried into
the house at 1890 o'clock at night,
and died the following morning at 1922
without gaining consciousness.