Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-04-12
Romantic Drama in Lafayette Square History

which told him the coast was clear
and that the beautiful young wife Of
CONGRESSMAN Daniel +. Sickles would
be at home il he called.
Key did not know that the dashins
Congressman, suspicious of the two,
had set a trap for him Otherwise the
tragedy of February p. 1853. might
have been averted. The eager lover,
however. obeyed the signal and
crossed to the Sickles house. The in
dignant husband, at the club, awaited
Keys return, met him in front OF
the club and shot hip, killing him
instantly.
From the Sickles home the con
demned wife was banished and Sic
kles hired Edwin NJ. Stanton 10 defend
him. This brilliant lawyer, afterward
Lincoln's Secretary fof War. and, for
few days prior to his death, a JUS
tice of the Supreme Court, cleared
Sickles under the "unwritten law
A few years later Sickies raised
regiment for the Union Army, distin-
guished himself in the Civil War, lost
a leg at Gettysburg, became recon
ciled with his wife. and was appoint
ed Minister TO Spain. And in 1916 and
1911 his old home was the headquar-
tiers of the militant sutfragettes who
picketed the White House.
Next to the Seward Blaine house
was another historic structure, still
standing and now part of the Cosmos
Club. 1t was built early in the last
century. by Benjamin Ogle Tayloe,
that famous dilletante, whose salons
were the most noted in America for
the forty years following 1929 In
innate of every parsonage of his time
Tayloe steadfastly refused public Of
fee, remained en- friendly terms with
all, and, because of his substantial
means, lived in grand style through
out his life.
Before IL was purchased by the
Cosmos Club the Tayloe house had
been noted as the home OF Vice
President Hobart and Senator Don
Cameron of Pennsylvania.
In the Mckinley administrations,
because of its proximity to the EX-
ecutive Mansion and the political
status of its occupant, Senator Mark
Hanna of Ohio, it was known as The
Little White House"
X y II X
DLAGONALLY across from the
~ Dolly Madison house, at the Yer
mont avenue corner of the square,
was the home of Senator Charles
Sumner, later to become part of the
famous Arlington Hotel, from which
Grover Cleveland went to the White
House, and where many distinguished
Washington visitors were entertain
ed among them being President Diaz
of Mexico, Emperor Pedro of Brazil.
Adelina Patti. AlSert of Belgium when
prince, and many others.
Next to the hotel on the west still
stands the great structure used by
the British as their legation, when
Sir Henry Bulwer was Minister, ac-
companied by his brilliant nephew.
owen Meredith, the author of
Lucille" which was written there.
| In this house the Ashburton treaty
was negotiated, between Bulwer and
| Secretary of State Daniel Webster,
who lived a block west on H street,
facing the square, in the old Corcorau
home, the gift house" which had
been presented to him by the people
of Massachusetts,, and which, in later
years, became the French legation
and afterward the home of Senator
Chauncey Depew.
Contemplation of the history of
! this little square, makes it easy 70
| understand why Washingtonians will
| not calmly sit by and see the historic
spot disturbed for the convenience of
| modern motorists.
Copyright, 1921