The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-08-22

Martyred President as Seen by Major Merwin Interesting L ct t CT
 Sent Times by Miss Florence Poh1man Lee. To the Editor of the Bridgeport Times:
 We were speaking the other
 day of Major Merwin. I first met and heard him speak at a Prohibition State Convention
 in New Britain. I invited him to come to Stamford to make
 an address on Abraham Lin-
 coin. The Presbyterian church was easily secured and a large } and enthusiastic audience greeted him. Later I invited h him to take my. place at the Sabbath evening service at Union chapel and to tell of his personal friendship with Abra- ham Lincoln-what he thought
 about prohibition of the liquor
 traffic.
 Y. NJ. c. A. Boys In Camp The boys of the Y. M. c. A. were in camp nearby, and had come with their director to attend the morning toned that Major Merwin was pres ent and would come forward at the a close of the service, so the boys could
 snake hands with gentleman who
 had taken dinner with the martyred President on the day that he was shot by J. Wilkes Booth.
 3 Not a boy missed the opportunity
 presented to him. The following day was Memorial Day, and the G. A. R, did honor to Major Merwin, which was well deserved. You will like to
 know a few of the things Major Mer- Win told at various times, in public
 and also at small gatherings of my friends to meet him. He would give an account of his first meeting with Abraham Lincoln. It was in Springfield, H., Major (then Mr) Merwin went to Illinois to 1ec- ture on the temperance question: 8 few. years before the war Of the Re-
 then a member of the Illinois Legis- iature and was greatly interested in a bill regulating the liquor traffic. Lincoln Hears Meryyin M Abraham Lincoln had heard of the lecturer and though very busy in an- other part of the building had asked a. man to call him when MT. Mer-
 
 forgot till the lecture was well under way and when MT. Lincoln heard the fact hurriedly grabbed his hat and hastened to the hall. thought could be said on the subject" when there were cries for Lincoln, Lincoln Then MT. Lincoln arose and Mr. Merwin was surprised that a man so awkward, so ungainly, so careless Of dress, could command the atten- ton indicated by the applause. He learned later the coat MT. Lincoln wore belinged to another man put on so hurriedly that he had failed to mo- tice it.
 When Mr& IineoIn beea-, tn speak It was slowly at first, and in tones al most inaudible. But as he warmed
 up to the subject every trace of awk- Wafdness and lack of boise disappear
 ed and there was uttered a speech the like of which for power and Pathos he never before had heard. The lecture. closed and MT. IjncoIn spoke to MT. Merwin and invited him to return to his home with him, Mr MerW1n spoke to those who were en-
 tertaln1ng mir him and asked if he should go. If MT. Lincoln has asked you
 better go.'' They talked the temperanca question for hours Thousands of
 men had been induced by MT. Lin
 coin to take a pledge to abstain from
 the use of intoxicants They talked
 about the campaign. MT. JincoIn
 was then engaged in an attempt to
 pass the bill referred to. The hours
 Sp@o' 1Ias MT. Merw1n saw red light,-it
 was the rising sun.
 For the following six weeks Major ! Merw1n and MT. Lincoln spoke
 bfIr bbnfITroughout the state in behalf of the | game to know Abraham Lincoln as
 God-fearing and a God-loving man
 A close and intimate friendship
 which lasted till the assassin's bu11et | severed it, arose
 On July 24. 1882, the President wrote wrote to the surgeon-GeneraI of the Su5nited States Army to send James B. MerWln where his services were most | reu1red. Some of the trials which 1 the President endured from "the foes or his own household" so to speak. printed, but not an item can ever he erased from my memory Troops RmEgry
 ine battle or Bull Run, fought on 1 tHe Saiooath day, was entered into by | me feoeraI troops, without having nad any food since the previous Fri. | gay gay Me1gs. the Quartermaster Gen order and sent the food to the Con- federate forces.
 Later. the United States govern 1nent had ordered SO,O0O pairs ofI shoes for the Federal troops-thev also had gone to the Confederates | Ihe Pres1dent sent for Meigs and said | 10 nm, "Do you not think it would | nave been fair to have let the Fed era1 troops have at least 40. 900 nairs of shoes?'' "Why,what do you mean. MT. Pres
 You know perfectly we'll what | mean: Meigs hastened away The cabinet met. Why did you not shoot off his d. head ?'' said | Cameron.
 Where should I find another head to put on?" asked the Presid ent | l Other members stated what they would have done in his place, and he l said Come here tomorrow morning1 l at n,clncIx rd rhat