Evening star., 1943-11-14
BY John Clagett Proctor.

BY John Clagett Proctor.
Madison place, which borders Lafay-
cite Park on the east and extends for a
block from Pennsylvania avenue to H
street, has been for many years his
torically identified with at least two of
the city's most prominent clubs, the old
Washington Club and the Cosmos Club.
There were two Washington Clubs"
both of which have now almost passed
from memory. The first of these was To-
Gated on the site where is now the
Belasco Theater, and Is particularly
recalled for its association with the
Sickles-Key murder which took place
near the club on February q, 1859.
The building was erected In 1881 by
Commodore John Rodgers as his home.
1t was large residence, with more than
two dozen rooms, and the commodore,
finding its upkeep required more than
he could afford, moved elsewhere, and
1t became for time a fashionable
boarding house in which lived a num-
Der OF distinguished people, including
John c. Calhoun, Henry Clay and Roger
B. Taney. After ceasing to be board
ing house, it was taken over as a club
house and took the name of the WASH
ington Club. Daniel E. Sickles and
Philip Barton Key belonged to this club
at the time of the tragedy mentioned
and It was in this house that Key was
carried In dying condition.
Assassination Attempt
The next event of Importance which
occurred in the house was the attempted
assassination OF Secretary Seward on
the same night Lincoln was shot by
John Wilkes Booth at Ford's 'Theater.
Seward, who had taken over the house
Tor himself and family and was living
there at the time, was ill in bed and
occupying the south front room in the
third story of the mansion. His son
Frederick and wife, who had retired, oc-
cupied the adjoining room. In the room
with the Secretary at the time of the
attack were his daughter Fanny and a
male nurse. Mrs. Seward, the mother,
had retired for the night, and Mai.
Seward, another son, was lying on
lounge, the better to be in readiness to
later relieve one of the watchers at his
fathers bedside. Lewis Payne, who aft
erward was tried for his part in the con-
splracy, and who was executed, proved
to be the one who made the assault on
Mr.. Seward.
On the night of the assault Payne
rode up to the mansion and hitched his
horse to lamp-post. Under the pretense
OF delivering prescription to the i'll
Secretary, Payne gained admission to
the house and, being confronted by
Frederick Seward, proceeded to cut his
way through to Mr.. Seward,s bedcham-
Der. There he severely slashed the Sec
retary, who only saved his life by rolling
from the wall side OF the bed on to the
floor. In addition to cutting the Secre-
tary seriously, he left Frederick Seward
In an unconscious and helpless condi-
ton, but both the Secretary and his son
soon recovered from the attack.
After the inauguration of President
Benjamin Harrison, when James G.
Blaine was looking for a home, he Sc
lected the, old Rodgers mansion, and
after making extensive repairs and inn
proye1nents moved in. As Harrison's
Secretary OF State the second time he
hads been: called to occupy this high
ofiesshs HAVING 'lsgiisaa ybeen in Car
fields scabinetr. he, desired residence
closa kd tasiS sssiinrlirstddN suited his.
needs There, happiness and sadness.
welasn snailgis aM Blaine, for
there his son and almost constant COM
panion, Walker Blaine, passed away, and
there he himself died on January o..
1885,, at the age of 50. The United
States owed politically but one thing to
Blaine, and this was the presidency. In
deed, he was even given the nomination
to this high Office but defeated by
Grover Cleveland in the election of 1884.
In his time no man was more powerful
politically.
Occupied by the President
During the administration of President
Polk the Rodgers home was occupied by
the President while repairs were being
made to the White House.
The Tayloe house, the first building
north of the alley on Madison place, was
erected by Benjamin Ogle Tayloe, and
had as occupants Admiral Paulding,
Vice President Garret A. Hobart, Senator
Marcus A. Hanna, Senator Don Cameron
and was the birthplace of Lilly Ham,
NIo~o ~,