Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-12

White House the night of Good Friday.
April IA. 1865.
The mansion had been appropriately
set in order for the joyous occasion,
tempting visnds were stcamng on the
great stove In the basement. and the
hired help. allowed TO repair to their
homes for a few hours. had been
to serve and attend the guests.
This prandial affair was supposed TO
assemble congonial and diplomatic
spirits who might exercise helpful IN
f1uence upon the sensitive relations
existing between the North and the
South. and thus aid In realizing the
dream of President Lincoln OF re-
united country
The places at table were never
filed: the stove wood was reduced to
ashes. and the stew congealed IN the
kettle IS White House attaches forSook
their allotted cmployments on hearing
that Mr. Lincoln had been mortally
shot
Instead of gathering at the APP
pointed hour al the White House. the
prospective guests went their seVefai
wavs to guard their own households. 10
min in the pursuit of the aHsassins or
10 augment that melancholy circle
around Mr.. Lncoln's bed at the Peter
son home
incident Of unwritten History.
So far as the writer is aware, thf
circumstance OF planned supper az
the white House on TINS memo1 rn,
dsv is unwritten history. mat
such an event, told TO as many as SIX
people. should have escaped the no'1s
Of bioprachers or been obscured so long
in any manner is almost bcvond oehe!.
Yet we know that certain oinrlais Weie
uncommonly reticent concerning ltlaV
last dav. not only as to their own
whereabouts but as to any event con
nccted with il: and, on the o'neT MANU-.
a witness appears whose story IN othei
r.rtic,,,ars 50 neatly dovetai.s win ia"t
that II appaars impossible tn DOUBT ms
tale In AN hour Of close questioning
this man relates so ru"h tn2i va.
common knowledge of III" pcrioo tfiat
his contribution re"0rmenos i'Seii W
tho CATEGORY Of strav frao'nents "ili' ~
have hobb"d VI after som" Nm" 70
make the mosaic OF Lincoln what 1t
is to-day ~. .o,,,.
r.as snhodulad for the White Hou@e
after the presentation Of Our Ain@t-
lean Cousin" at Ford's. II NAV De
thought of as an occasion bringing 10.
eetbcr Cabinet ministers, generals ana
others TO the number Of % 'br"onn
which limit 1t could not well nav re-
NAMED secret 63 years., or II nav o.,
conceived as grouping OF hanhlui
q. close personal friends OF IN" Llncol!a
and even as quiet compliment 10 'ne
affianccd pair who occupied the .'resl-
Dental box with them that ni5it ~
Mai Henry r Rathbone Of A!ban". N.
Y and the United States Volunteers
and Miss Cara Harris. daueht2, OF
Senator Harris OF New York City.
Matter Of Speculation.
Going a step further. considering the
ramifcations OF the plot ana the oes-
perate character of the assaSsinb ii Is
no, impossible that had Booth been
foiled al the theater and Payne re-
strained at the hour his foul blows were
directed at Secretary Seward, The at
tempt upon the life OF Mr.. Lincoln
might have been made at the White
House itself. While those who kno"
little OF the inner workings OF the ron-
spiracy may scout such theory, 4 peg
IN support of 1t may be borrowed from
the memoirs Of Gen. Grant. who tes'i-
fed TO Booths frantic sctivilcs OH
This fateful day IN marshaling his way
erinx forces for the climax VI MS VII
iainl. A. the Grants were having
their mid day meal designing person
was 80 insistent on forcing his presence
upon them that they were obliged 10
leave the dining room. When they
were proceeding in their carriage to
the depot. en- route 10 Burlington, thus
same individual. now mounted IN u
spirited horse. followed them cioA'iy.
rode ahead. then executing a sharp
about face. peered impcrtinenuy INTO
the closed vehicle as he passed again
Booth did not follow farther. but
INN on the trail OLaughiin took The
into the Grant coach on nearing Bal
timore. but found the door securely
locked.
Gen. Grant Precaution Noted.
By catching the O'Clock train. Gen,
Grant made IL almost impossible for
the conspiraturs 10 WORK IN conbonancs
Az they had planned with himself cou-
sidered one Of the prospective victims
and moi only saved himself but en-
UatiEtIEu ttlG h9NBf pan. INV ttIstili
part Of which was rescued by the
astute young tragedian. II Grant had
been Killed al any time before . ~
O'Clock the alarm would have been
spread 10 Washington and the horrors
there ayetted Luke~arm In his re-
solve and believing he could not reach
Grant. O'Laughlin probably left tbt
cars at Baltimore and went 10 hi,
bro. TIERS home, A telegram annolinc-
ing the assassination was received BY
Grant at Philadelphia. Instead 81
oDcying Stanton's order to return l.,
Washington al once he continued on
To Burlington. arriving about O'Clock
In the morning Of Saturday, aud reach,
ing Washington ~ hours later, where
he Immediately conferred with prehi
dent Johnson'a outraged cabinet,
Former Slaves Testimony.
Now let the grizzlcd witness. Il for
mer slave. who had some acquaintance
with President Lincoln. relate his mar
ratiye that The reader may form con
fItihinns Of his own Robert IS. Brown
III 1870 n street Is II sob 81 The ihls
Peter Brown, VINO served as butler Il
The White House through Tie iiIth
anan and Lincoln administrations ait
The first part of the lncunbency o
Andrew johnson. Brown VII br II
| years old April ~. having been BON
| Apill rs 1850 al itcctUrioWn. Fauqtiie
| County Va He IL not laxative niat
and lie enjoys "A reputation for terafity
/ further his nina Is perfectly clear ~
! The things iie telhtas "A Wash
| ingb,n b,a,tbisek he van the cnnhdt nc,
| III notabies IN public HE. particuinri,
| President Grant, whose rrComhiendh
| ti1n III INN WAS s,iincifnt Ia gain Inn
! The position III c0achman 10 FrehIden
| Gnff field He lived tri1pofately. saVcs
! ills money aud bnijeht house and 10
/ ~ 800 FoTiY seventh street. Yehtetta'
! i,t came ~ tht business hectlun 10 Er
| ills rent Eehtfd ~ HE realty Office -
| CHaties II Mpif, hon ~ Tho late Itft
J Muir chaplain of the United Stats
| senate, vi 1903 HeW Iotk avenue, h'
1 . IIIN