Evening star., 1918-04-14
ou get your place in the War Depart

ment?"
Hundreds OF stories are told Of Mr..
Secretary Stanton's roughness Of man.
ner. Dishonest contractors. politicians
who sought military commissions Tor
Incompetent friends. men who wanted
his ear to gain the latest news or to visit
with him, and officers of the army who
liked to loaf in Washington and strut
about in their uniforms drove him to
the verge of frenzy. and leaving his
personal Bearing.
To the man who desired to chat with
him. after his business was done. he
would say: Il am through with you;
his respects or to ask a favor he would
roar: Return Immediately to your
command. II find that you are In
Washington tomorrow, I will have you
Sterling by the interviewer. then. had
an object of some Importance.
IT came to Washington with q letter
signed by three OF Steubenville's lead
Il was acquainted with Mr.. stanton's
SON, and SO 1 went to him. The best
thing to do he said. is to go to
fathers Office in the morning. get In
line with the others who are there and
present your letter in person
Il followed instructions. Mr.. Stan
ton stood near his desk. When he was
through with man and the man lin
gered. Mr.. Stanton would turn his back
to him. He took my letter hastily.
read it quickly. asked about my father.
wrote few words on the letter, with
one movement Of the pen. 1t seemed
to me. called a messenger and told
him to take me to the appointment clerk.
The appointment clerk made out
document and sent 1t to Charles "A
Dana. assistant secretary of war: and
later later for 10. many many years; editor Of the
document was examined mentally In
a day or two and received my appoint.
"Mr. Stanton treated me kindly. Out
side of his office he was friendly and
companionable. Glasses meant nothing
to him. A rich man. in his opinion,
was entitled to no moro consideration
than a poor one. Steubenville black
smith unsuccessfully tried to get his
son, who was a private in the Army
and Ill. released 80 that he could re-
turn home and remain there until he
was we'll. The blacksmith came to
Washington. stated his case to Mr..
Stanton and the boy went back to Ohio
with his father"
The death Of stanton was hastened
by overwork and worry. He turned
night into day and would often sit
alone with Lincoln until dawn. talking
over the disasters OF the federal armies
and other grave matters known only
to the President and himself. He was
nervous and in consequence suffered
from asthma Frequently he would
say to the surgeon general Of the
Army: Keep me alive until the war
is over and then I will take q rest
and long one. perhaps. rr-
Henry L. Dawes, long senator from
Massachusetts,, was a neighbor OF Sec
retary Stanton in Washington. MI.
Stanton" he wrote in one of his papers
of personal recollections. retired to
private life an old. worn-out man. al
though not yet fifty-four years of ago.
He was bent and wrinkled and gray.
aHd his voice was feeble and husky.
as Of one who had already passed his
three score years and ten." ~..~->
At the age OF ffty-five he died, leay.
ing nothing but q homo in Washington,
which was mortgaged fop all that it
was worth. The money that he had aa- ,
fession was spent while he was in the
When he left ofhce wealthy
men attempted to give him 100000.
but he declined to accept It. After his
death q fund OF $4,000 was collected
for his family.
At the time he became Buchanan's
Attorney General he was one of the
leaders of the American bar. His flrst
partner In Steubenville was Benjamin
Tappan, q senator from Ohio. but
native of Massachusetts. The Stantons
were wings. It was largely through
Edwin NJ. Stanton became q democrat
was an audacious and witty
man. Ancisntly In Ohio the common
pleas court consisted Of q presiding
Judge, chosen in the district, and three
associate judges elected in each county
Three Judges made . quorum.
Mr.. Anderson was one Of the looa1
Judges of the court that sat ut 6teu-
benville. He lived on Q farm. thfAA
niles from town. and each morning
rode to his duties on horseback. cArry~
ing his dinner in one end Of his SAD
ilebags and his horses oats In The
,ther end.