“'Mr. President, my errand is to save the destruction of a good family.'
“She then recited the facts as to the two old people, and that Seraine, the only daughter, was now on an errand of mercy South somewhere.
“The President replied that he remembered giving her a letter at the request of his friend Daniel Lyon, and said:
“'My dear Mrs. Anderson, there is hardly anything that I would not do for any of Mr. Lyon's family, as well as Gen. Anderson and yourself; and, certainly, if to prevent a calamity to such a family as you describe Mr. Whitcomb's to be, I would do anything that would be proper and reasonable for me to do.'
“She was very much encouraged by these remarks, and began to feel more at ease.
“The President, seeing this, asked her many questions about her husband's health, and also about my family. When she spoke of Stephen's foul murder, the President walked the floor and remarked:
“'Most diabolical—fiendish.'”
(“Little did he or she then suppose that it was her own brother that had committed this wicked and cruel murder.”)
“By this time she was so much encouraged that she handed him the letter and statement of Jackson.
“The President read the letter, and then read and reread Jackson's statement. Great tears rolled down his bronzed cheeks as he read the statement. He tapped a bell, and sent for the Secretary of War. The Secretary soon came, and greeted Mrs. Anderson very cordially on being introduced. The President asked him to take a seat, and handed him the statement. He read it, and said: