Evening star., 1934-07-08

4 in 1S47 to attend the Thirtieth Congress
Like Gen. Taylor he Wing. and the
only one In the delegation from Illinois. He
served but one term in the House of Repre-
sentatives and left for home shortly after his
time expired. Mr Lincoln not only admired
Gen. Taylor, but campaigned for his election,
and attended the grand inaugural ball on
March S, 1849. given in his honor in a frame
building to the west of the court house erected
for the purpose, $50 feet long so feet wide and
20 feet high the walls being covered with white
cotton, and the light being furnished by
candles, the heating by stoves.
The price of admission to this ball was $40
a person. and a surplus of 81 25O was later di-
yided between the two city orphan asylums
Two other inaugural balls were held the same
evening-the national inaugural ball. held at
Jackson Hall, formerly at 339-341 Pennsylvania
avenue, and the third one. which was in honor
of the visiting military organizations at Carusis
saloon. the site of which-at the northeast
corner of Eleventh and C streets-is now be-
ing cleared for an extension to the Internal
Revenue Building
At the inaugural ball attended by Lincoln,
adjoining the Court House. arrangements we're
far from perfect, resulting in the loss of many
hats and cloaks and Mr.. Lincoln suffered the
loss of his chapeau. He attended this affair
with Elihu Washburn and few other friends.
and after enjoying the evening and up until
Or O'Clock the next morning the party
went to the cloak room for their hats and
wraps, and all were successful in finding them
but Mr.. Lincoln. who failed to find his hat
after an hours search. In telling of this
event Elihu Washhurn said: Taking his coat
on his arm he walked into Judiciary Square,
deliberately adjusting it his shoulders. and
started off bareheaded for his lodgings 1t
would be hard to forget the sight of that tall
and slim man. with his short cloak thrown
over his shoulders. starting for his long walk
home on Capitol Hill at o'clock in the morn
ing without any hat on"
A T THE time of the Inauguration Gen.
Taylor vas stopping at the Willard Hotel
and Mr.. Fillmore where stands the Ra-
leigh. Apparently Gen. Taylor was not very
well known in Washington, for the story is
told that when he appeared on the hotel bal
cony on the of his induction into Office to
greet the crowd assembled there to meet him
he was mistaken for John Boyle for many
years employed in the Navy Department and
the grandfather of our John Boyle of the Wall
Street News
The pioneer John Boyles career is an inter-
esting one. He was an Irish patriot and came
from Londonderry, Ireland to America about
1893. when things became too uncomfortable
for him on the other side of the pond
The voyage was made in a small sailboat,
in which there were only three other men be-
sides himself and on a stringer at the mast
OF which were the words: where liberty dwells
there is my country He soon came to WASH
ington and found employment in the Navy
Department, where he served as chief clerk for
nearly 80 years, and for while. during the
first jackson administration, filled the higher
office Of Secretary of the Navy. At an earlier
period, when Washington was captured by the
British, he went out to fight his old foe
though he, no doubt. did agree with the rest
of the Americans in that engagement that "he
who fights and runs away may live to fight
another day." And with him it was quite
fortunate, for his life was spared and he pros
pered and became a large property owner In
Washington.
However, it must have been embarrassing to
Gen. Taylor upon the occasion referred TO
when the crowd, believing him to be Mr. Boyle,
broke into howls and jeers, saying: "Ah, get
out Johnny Boyle. you can't fool U.S." OF
course, when the crowd woke up to its mistake
the laugh was on it.
! be President for long and he died on July
9, 1850. The press reports at the time are not
satisfying in details Indeed, the National In
telligencer makes its first reference to the
Presidents illness the day preceding his
death. though it must have been known that
he was seriously ILL., for his sickness began on
July A. when he attended patriotic celebra-
ton at the Washington Monument, the corner
stone of which had been laid just two years
before.
The Intelligencer, referring to this occasion,
said:
"The President and a portion of his cabinet
and many Senators and members Of Congress
were present.
THE Rev. DR.. Butler opened the exercises
with prayer. Garcia's Band played appropriate
music.
walter Lenox, mayor Of the city, read the
nanIarafior Of Indor,ondann rl,a nrnfn- Of