Evening star., 1935-12-01
MARY T.L|NCOLN
BOOK ST|RS ROW
Did Her Servant or Abolition
Journalist Write Book on
Pretty Clothes?
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Behind the scenes" the Mary Todc
Lincoln book which was banned more
than go years ago, has stirred q
new historical controversy.
This decidedly feminine document
with Presidents wife's passion fol
pretty clothes as its theme, has freshly
brought to the fore three picturesque
Civil War characteristics. Lincoln
the Presidents wife, who tried to sci
her wardrobe; Elizabeth Keckley, one.
time slave and later colored modiste
and Jane Swisshelm, an able aboli-
ton journalist.
Researcher David Rankin Barbet
recently reported his conclusion that
the book was conceived and written
by Jane Swisshelm, and Jane only
They brought colored leaders forward
in spirited defense Of Elizabeth Keck-
ley as an author.
Photographs Are Found.
In old albums they found photo
graphs Of her to prove her decidedly
dressy and intelligent person.
They cited as living witnesses To
various phases Of her long existence
the pastor who preached her funeral
sermon here in 1907; a namesake in
whose family she lived as far back
as 1854: the daughter of a man
who almost married her in North
Carolina. before she ever came to
Washington; a pupil in her domestic
science class in Wflberforce Uni
versity for Colored at Xenia, Ohio;
a teacher in the public schools, who
recalled her extreme old age here
as matron of a home for colored
children.
The composite picture they built
up was Of a woman more than six
feet tall. of great grace and poise.
whose introduction of the IS. T.
Taylor system of cutting and fitting
had won for her q great and fash
ionable patronage.
Teacher Backs Swisshelm.
Yet the stanchest Keckley de-
fender of all, j. E. Washington, high
school art teacher who makes hobby
of history of the Lincoln period, cheer
fully conceded the fawless grammar
and brilliant literary style Of the book
to Jane Swisshelm, the first woman
to sit in the Senate press gallery.
But Washington. who said he hac
collected data on the life Of Elizabeth
Keckley. as opportunity offered, fol
80 years. emphatically claimed for hel
the experiences chronicled in the booi
that bears her name-receiving Mrs
Lincoln's condolences through foul
years in the White House, staying
with her there after Lincoln's aSsaSsi-
nation until she left for Chicago with
scarcely friend to tell her good by,
sharing her secret trip to New Yorl
under an assumed name to put or
sale her fabulous wardrobe. and re-
ceiving later letters from Mrs. Lin
coin fairly dripping with woe, anc
berating the Republicans as ingrates
and Congress for not appropriatine
money to meet her needs.
Saw G. o. p. Day of Reckoning.
A few Of Mrs. Lincoln's letters said
If had committed murder in every
city in this blessed Union, could moi
be more traduced.
IT feel sure that the Republican,
who. to cover up their perfidy anc
neglect, have used every villanou.
falsehood in their power to injurt
me- fear they have more than sue.
ceeded; but if their day of reckoning
does not come in this world. it surely
will in the next"
An ungrateful country thisp
The book came out in 1868. Tht
year before Mrs. Lincoln's wardrobe
had been a bitterly debated issue ir
Congress, with open contenders thai
some of its more costly items wer,
presents from Army contractors anc
wealthy politicians.
The brokers inventory of clothin,
she had up for sale at 609 Broadway
as published in the National Intelli.
gencer here, included such breath.
taking items as s1,50o cameIs-hail
shawl, a $4,000 point lace shawl, 4
$4,000 point lace dress, a $3.50 paraso
cover and an $50 handkerchief.
Two Curios Displayed.
Washington showed two of his GU
rios of Lincoln's death: QD a framed
square of the blood-stained sheet OF
which Lincoln died; (2) a framed
square of the blood stained dress worr
by Mrs. Lincoln that night.
He said scientific tests OF stains OF
the two had shown the blood to b,
identical and that then authenticit,
had been elaborately attested. And h,
turned to the page in the long g-sup.
pressed Keckley book which told O.
Mrs. Lincoln's Ford Theater gown 60
ing to exactly the same colored famil,
that he got the relic from-and they'c
never even known about the book.
Moreover, he said, Elizabeth Keck.
ley had talked about the book in hel
domestic science classes to such effect
that the few copies he had seen ir
present-day circulation virtually al
belonged to her pupils, who had sought
them out in secondhand stores.
v. Volta Parma, the rare book cura-
tor at the Congressional Library, who
cheriShes both the Keckley and Swiss.
helm autobiographies, is keeping q
daily tab on the progress of the con-
trnversv