Evening star., 1921-03-02
INCIDENT OF LINCOLN'S
FIRST INAUGURATION
Writer Tells of Warning Shouted
From Tree Top by a South
ern Sympathizer.

To the Editor Of The Star:
I read from time to time articles in
the newspapers. written by some one
who witnessed the second Inauguration
of Abraham Lincoln. In the Sunday
Star of February s. ! read an interest
ing article by Representative Isaac R.
Sherwood telling of his presence in tho
crowd in front Of the inaugural stand
on that occasion.
The writer Of this article was four
teen years old at that time. but was in
the crowd with Gen. Sherwood. and ]
suppose rubbed elbows with him.
remember the crowd wasn't very great
in those days at presidential inaugu-
ration, and not to be compared to the
crowds who attend such ceremonies
! nowadays. But. since read Mr.. sher-
woods article / feel proud to know
and feel that 1 was in such distin-
guished company. But let me go
back four years. to Abraham Lin
coins first inauguration. Where are
all that crowd that stood in front of
the inaugural stand waiting to see
and hear President Lincoln? 1 won
der if there are many of them alive
today. i do not think there are many
Of the older ones. / don't remember
il there were any Washington boys
there, but 1 know that 1 followed a
band Of music all over. town that
morning, which finally headed for the
Capitol to take part in the cere-
monies. 1 was ten years old at the
time and / edged my way through
the crowd and secured a good posi-
tion up close, where l could hear and
see all that might happen.
i knew pretty near every one in the
crowd at the time, because in those
days the population Of Washington
wasn't like what it is now. wanted
to see Mr.. Lincoln and hear, what he
had to say before that band of music
started back through the Avenue TO
the White House. l could walk be-
side the kettle drumer of that band
as long as / could see. 1t was my
greatest delight to watch him beating
thereabout, the people began to
gather up close. and by the time my
band got there the crowd began to
show signs of excitement. -
| About this time an incident happen
| ed which / have never seen publish
writing of Abraham Lincoln. Every
| one was standing on tip-toe and
| stretching his neck to see what was
| going on. Just as the President was
expected to come out, and people on
| the Capitol steps began clearing
| away. there came shout from the
4 top of large oak tree that stood
about fifty feet or so from the stand.
There was an old man in the top of
| the tree shouting. i cannot remember
{ ndIl ol "nat ne SalO, DUt IL was q
warning to the people of the north
of the dreadful calamity that would
| follow the advent of the incoming
administration. The old man spoke
in favor of the south, which aroused
| the anger of the crowd, who COM
manded him TO come down. The old
| man continued to shout his warnings
| when some of the Capitol police
brought axes. which they got from
the Columbia Fire Company, close by,
| and began chopping down the tree.
| When the old man realized what the
| crowd below was doing. he shouted
that he would come down, which he
! did. Upon reaching the ground. after
a ladder was set up against the tree,
the old man was placed under arrest
and placed in a room in the basement
| of the Capitol. l never heard what
was done with him after that. It was
| supposed that the old fellow climbed
the tree early in the morning with
the assistance of a friend, and using
Il ladder, which was Immediately car
ried away. Excitement was very
great after that. Everybody was talk
ing OF war. +. B. DURKIN.