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592. Horace White to William H. Herndon.

New York, Jan 26, 1891.

Dear Mr Herndon:

Your letter of the 23d is received.

Mr. Villard has returned from Europe. His address at present is: Plaza Hotel, New York City.

Mr Hermann Kreismann, whom you will undoubtedly remember, came to this country with Mr. V. but he has gone back to Berlin, where he now resides. He has a fund of Lincoln reminiscences which it would be worth your while to tap. One

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of them is to this effect; That after L's election as President, but before he had left Springfield Judd & Kreismann went to Springfield on an important political errand & made an appointment to meet L, but he did not come & Kreismann was despatched to his house in quest of him. Arrived at the house he was ushered into a room where both Mr. & Mrs. L. were. The latter was on the floor in a sort of hysterical fit, caused by L's refusal to promise the position of Naval officer of the N.Y. Custom House to Isaac Henderson, who had sent a diamond brooch to a Springfield jeweller to be given to Mrs. L. in case she could secure the promise of this office. The fit continued until the promise was obtained. Henderson was, in fact, appointed. He was afterwards indicted by the Grand Jury for defrauding, the Government, & tried before Judge Nelson, but was saved from conviction by some technicality.

You must not use this on my narration. Indeed it would be best not to use it at all. Kreismann has other reminiscences, but I don't know whether he could be prevailed on to write them out. Mr. Villard can give you his address. You remember he (K.) was appointed Sec'y of Legation at Berlin when Judd was appointed Minister.

Mr. Villard accompanied L. on his journey from Springfield to Washington in the spring of 1861 — i.e. in February, when he went to assume the office of President. He had also seen a good deal of L. in the campaign of 1858.

With cordial good wishes
Ever your friend
Horace White

Library of Congress: Herndon-Weik Collection. Manuscript Division. Library of Congress. Washington, D.C. 3719 — 20

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Notes.

1. Henry Villard (1835 — 1900), journalist and financier.

2. Norman B. Judd.

3. Isaac Henderson, part-owner of the New York Evening Post, at first sought (unsuccessfully) appointment as naval officer at New York. Later he received an appointment from AL as naval agent in New York. In 1864 he was dismissed from the post on the grounds that he had accepted commissions from contracts let for government work.