Evening Star Newspaper, April 6, 1889, Page 7

THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON, D.C., SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 1889-TWELVE PAGES. THE PRESIDENT’S HOUSE. ———-._—_ THE ORIGHAL EXECUTIVE MANSION. AND WHEN IT WAS BUILT. Reasons for Separating the Domestic and Oficial Quarters. HOW ——~——— DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY OF ERECTING PUBLIC BUILDINGS YEARS AGO—SLOW WORK UPON TRE WHITE HOUSE AND CAPITOL—AN UNALTERED BUILDING—BEFORE AND AFTER IT WAS BURNED. — There is a prevalent opinion that the White House is not a suitable piace for the home of the President. Public attention has been called afresh to this matter by the contrasts which have been drawn between the residence Herrison and the residence of Presi on. The average citizen is, per- haps, surprised to learn that the White House only contains five bedrooms, and the feminine portion of the people of the country no doubt read with s good deal of interest the newspaper accounts of how Mra. Harrison is trying to adapt herself and her belongings to the cramped quarters of the executive mansion, after being accustomed to the roomy house in Indianapo- lis. The shadows of this picture of the home accommodations of the President's house are further intensified by accounts of the de- fective plumbing of the White House and its unhealthy location, It is but just to the old msion to state that these latter details are P magmative. It is bad enough to admit that the President's house is without that in- dispensable feature of all hospitable homes—a re bedroom. There is no necessity. how- of representing that the immates of the ite House inhale sewer gas with every breath or draw in deep draughts of malaria from the poison-laden atmosphere. On the contrary, the sanitary condition of the building is said to be as near perfect as modern appliances can make it. Col. Wilson, the superintendent of buildings and grounds, says that the en- embing system of the house was a few » renewed in accordance with plans ared by Mr. Waring. the sanitary expert. zach year all the work is thoroughly examined d tested. and it is now first-class in every respect. The former conditions, which exposed the mmates of the house to malarial influences, now entire hanged since the improve- ment of the river flats has done away with the nd beds of mud which festered un- ehot suns of summer. As the White e used to be it is no wonder that the Pres- i from Buchanan down to Cleveland, abandoned their vial residence for the er part of the year and sought some ion. The cottage at the Sol- was oceupied by all the Presidents period named, with the exception of veland, who owned a country place on NOT A HOME. Bat the White House of to-day with, its mod- ern improveme: nd its location in one of the largest and finest parks that ever sur- rounded a city residence, whether in this city or in Europe, is q different place from the White House as it was at even such a recent tin the presidency of Mr. Hayes. Now the ands extend from Pennsylvania avenue to Potomac, end there is besides on the other de of the Avenue the splendid Lafayette park. In spite, however, of these improvements and chang r each year it is becoming a more obtrusive fact, that the White House is no longer a home. It is neither large enough for the proper accommodation of ‘the President and his family, and there is almost entirely lacking the privacy and retirement which are the essential features AS FIRST BUILT. ofahome. It is estimated that last year 100,000 people visited the White House, and there is no doubt but that the throng of visitors will continue to grow in nnmbers. It is also noted that the house is continually growing aller asa place of residence. The employes of the executive office are increasing in num- ber. and the rooms required for their accom- modation are located on the second floor and are encroaching upon the private living rooms. Bedroom after bedroom has been given up to ce purposes, until now there are no more sleeping rooms in the | White House than the tenant of a house Yenting for twenty-five or thirty dollars & mouth enjoys. This encroachment upon the family partof the White House began in the time of President Johnson. Previous to that the private secretary of the President con- stituted the entire force of the executive office, which was located in the White House. When the business of the President required addi- tional clerical force clerks in the Treasury de- partment were detailed for that purpose and they did their work in that building. When President Johnson came into office he tra ferred the clerks employed on executive work in the Treasury departr t to the White House, and there all such employes have remained to this day SITES FOR A NEW RESIDENCE, The inconvenience to the President's family by this contraction of the accommodations in the White House was soon realized. Over twenty years ago the agitation was begun for the erection of a residence for the President. The agitation has now more than reached its Majority, and seems to be ina rather healthy condition. The earliest movement in this di- ou was made in the year 1867, when a » was inserted in the sundry civil bill ng the survey of a tract of land for a park and a site for a presidential mansion. his resolution resulted in an elaborate report from Major Michler, of the engineer corps. Several sttes were suggested. Meridian Hill, the estate of Colonel Messmore, containing 120 seres, had the honor of having the first men- tion in the report. It was stated that the 38 acres adjoining on the west, belonging to Mr. Little, could also be obtained. Metropolis View, the homestead of Washington Berry, which lay just north of Eckington, between Lincoln and the old Bladensburg road, was ht by Maj. Michler to possess inany de- sirable features. The country residence of W. W. Corcoran, Harewood, now a part of the Soldiers’ Home grounds, and the homestead of Moncure Kobinson, adjoining on the east the land of the Soldiers’ Home, completed the list of locations which were deemed suitable for such a purpose. It may be of interest to state that this report contains fuli deseription of the Rock ereek region, = cine as to its adaptability for a public par KEEPING CP THE AGITATION. The recommendations of Maj. Michler rela- tive to a site fora presidential residence nover materialized into legislation. The agitation of the matter was, however, renewed during Pres- ids ington set in. A number of propositions were made. It was suggested that a house for the ¢ erected on Meridian hill head of 16th street. The Little tract hh had been purchased by the syndicate hich now owns it and has recently subdivide: it was proposed a3 a suitable location. Gov. Sheplerd thought that the square where the late Mr. Corcoran’s residence now stands should be purchased by the government and a house for the President erected there. All these ® tions and propositions came to nothing. Congress has failed to take any action. The President ought to at the * only measure which has come before Congress is Be the bill which was reported favorably to the in 1582 by Senator Morrill and wasagain t before the Senate in 1886. It is pro- i by this bill to authorize the erection of building precisely similar in its exterior to the present, directly south of it, and connected With it from the center by a broad corridor. Dir. Morrill 1s of the opinion that in this way ample room will be secured for the executive office and for the accommodation of the Presi- dent's family. ‘THE PRESENT BUILDING To STAND. It is noticeable that in all the plans and sug- gestions offered to remedy the difficulties which have been recognized for more than twenty years, ithas never been contemplated to remove or change the present building The sentiment of the people of the country would be pronounced aguinst any harmful i with this historic house. The classic sim- licity of its style, its imposing dimensions, and e memories which cluster about it will always cause it to be a place of interest to the Ameri- ean people. this city that has nts, with —— ‘ashington, have lived there, and the President is associated Grant's term, when the newera for Wasb- | with the honse from the fact that he selected the site and approved the plans, ITS COMMENCEMENT, The corner-stone of the White House was laid in the fall of 1792, about a year after the | site of the city had been chosen. A year later the corner-stone of the north wing of the cap- itol was laid. The energies of those placed in | charge of the work of building a new city to be in readiness for the reception of Congress and the government departments by the year 1800 were devoted mainly during the next seven or eight years to the completion of those two buildings. The north wing of the capitol, as it | was then known, is that portion of the present buildmg which is now principally occupied by the Supreme Court. The plan of the building | adopted at that time. however. provided for the | erection of a south wing, the two wings to | be connected, as was subsequently done. It was soon found that only the north winj could be finished in time. The material used | in the construction of both buildings was sand- | stone from Acquia creek, and the progress in | their erection was made as uniform us possible. | COMPARED WITH THE CAPITOL, as then being built, the White House was the largest building and its great size Was the cause | | of good deal of unfavorable criticism. It was | called “the palace” and in fact the Irish archi- tect, Hoban, had modeled it after a well-known Dublin palace, the residence of the Duke of Leinster. If this tact had been generally known, it would have given additional point to the sneers about the aristocratic tendencies of the new government. Tom Moore, the poet, } who visited the city in 1804 and had ittle that was pleasant to say about Washington, spoke of tie White House as a “grand edifice. a “noble structure.” But while the grandeur of the plan of the White House was cri f complaints were made that the city was laid out on too extensive a scale. that the streets were ridiculously wide and that available build- ing space was wasted in reservations for parks. FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES. The builders of the city had financial diffi- culties to contend with. The expectation that the sales of the lots would furnish sufficient funds for the completion of the public build- ings was not realized, and when the walls of the capitol and the White House had about | reached the roof line the commissioners were obliged to go to Congress, then sitting in Phil- adelphia, and ask for an appropriation of money. This was in the year 1798. Two years pre they had secured authority from Congress to negotiate a loan of $300,000 based on the city AS THE BRITISH LEFT IT. lots. After vain attempts to fill their loan with cash the sum of £200,000 was obtained from the state of Maryland in United States 6 (oh nt . Which the city commissioners sold at the Ket price. Such was the d iated credit the government at that time that the about 60 cents on dollar. The state authorities evidently did not consider Washington city lots security for the payment of the loan. they obtained in addition the personal bond of | the commissioners, who ere men of means. ter, however, when an additional = 0 was obtained from the st: Maryland under the same condition. ities of the govern 1 such an extent t able to sell the The credit of the , proved, and two citizens and large property owners, Uriah Forrest and Ja i. Lingan were required as securities for the payment of the money. mr of stock was only worth th OPPOSITION OF CONCRESSMEN. Before, however, this last loan was secured the commissioners, in the year 1798, asked Congress for an appropriation of £100,000 to enable them to complete the buildings. One of the commissioners went on to Philadelphia to lobby the bill through. Hy found that there was considerable opposition among the mem- bers of Congress to the character of the two buildings then being erected. It was thonght by some that two such iarge buildings were unnecessary. Gne ougiit to be sufi said. To the dismay of the e Was suggested that the erection of the White House be abandoned, that the eapitol be finished, and that a house for the President be erected near the capitol. Another plan pro- posed was to stop the work on the capitol and fit up the White House for the use of Congress, and estimates were actually secured from Architect Hoban of the probable cost of the work. Another bone of contention was the location of THE BUILDINGS FOR THE EXECUTIVE DEPART- MENTS. Gen. Washington had, during a visit to the city just prior to his retirement from the pres- idency, selected the southeast and southwest corners of the President's grounds as the loca- tion of the two buildings it was proposed to erect for the departments. His reasons for placing them near the President's house rather than the capitol building he stated, were th in the former !ocation the public business was less likely to be interfered with by the too fi jaent visits of members of Congress, and also that the constant communications | President and + | that the buildings « 1 not be far apart. | After considerabie delay on the part of Con- gress the appropriation was finally made and the commissioners were allowed to continue | the work as it had been originally planned. This was not, however. vomplished until an appeal had been made to President Adams, who | said that he had too greataregard for the opinion of General Washington to oppose any action taken by him hough he wes of tie the department buildings ought to capital, not only because of the convenience to members of Congress, but be- cause the grouping of the public buildings in one location would induce private individuals to erect houses there and thus fi 1 | for the members of Con, n, Washing- ton was at that time dead, and the yielding of the President and Congress to his known wishes is a striking illustration of the influence upon bis contemporaries of the great Washington. FROM PHILADELPHIA TO WASHINGTON, The White House having thus made a narrow escape from being transformed into “The | Congress House,” was prepared with as much rapidity as possible for the reception of the President. The gov ly trans- ferred to the new city in the summer of 1800, Two brick buildings, two stories high, and containing thirty rooms each, had been erected | atthe corners of the President square desig- |nated by Washington. One, known as the | Treasury department building, occupied a por- tion of the site of the present south front of the Treasury building. The war office, as the other building was called, occupied the site about where the center portion of the State, War and Navy department building now stands, This latter building, enlarged by the addition of a third story and a wing, was known in later years as the Navy department building, and was but ~ recently re- moved to make room for the new building, Neither the enpitol nor the President's house | Was finished when their occupants came to this city. Mrs. Adams, who took possession of the White House in November, 1800, has left a | Vivid description of the bareness and incom- | pleteness of the house which, however, she said was “upon a grand and superb scale.” But few of the rooms were finished, and the east room she used as a drying room to hang up | clothes in. The ground’ about the house was { | littered up with the debris of building, and the | | frame sheds built for the use of the workmen | were still standing. Mra. Adams endured the | discomforts of the house for only one winter, and in March, 1801, the White House receive | as its occupant the third President, Mr. Jeffer- son. The house was described as “barren, | draughty and barn-like” when Mr. Jefferson | lived there, and it is evident that the work of | completion was not hastened. It had algeady | costa large sum of money for those day: Jon- | gress, by annual appropriations, was paying off the loans, at par—it is hardly necessary to add— | which had Been made to prepare the public | buildings for the use of the government of- 8 The resources of the new goverument was still unfinished. From old prints of the White House taken prior to its destruction by the British, it is seen that the building of to- day as far as its exterior is concerned, un- dergone but few changes. A cut from one of these old prints is given above. Ins flat roof a rather high pointed roof is shown. The north portico is also lacking, but that ad- ditiqg, like the south portico, was not built some years later. In the year 1314 the House suffered at the hands of the British invaders in- common with all the other ublic buildings, A sketch, showing the White Fionse after ite deetroetion by fire, accompanies this article. When the work of rebuilding was begun it was found that the walls were in a weak condition, and the greater portion was taken down. FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL PLAN. In rebuilding the criginal plan, as may be | seen from the accompanying sketch, was scrupulously adhered to, From that time down to tae present there have been no changes mode in the exterior of the White House. and it may be said to be the only pub- lic building that remains as a monument to the foresight and wisdom of the founders and lanners of the capital city, who built not alone ‘or the present but for the future. ~——-—___ PEOPLE WITH WEAK ANKLES. They Would be Less Numerous if More Laced Shoes were Worn, Daring the last couple of years Washington physicians have had their attention attracted by the marked increase in the number of cases of injuries to the ankle coming to them for treatment, Most of the sufferers have been girls and women, and the injuries have ranged in seriousness froma simple strain or sprain to fracture of the small bones of the leg and rupture of the tendons, “In my practice during the last five or six months,” said a young physician toa Star re- porter, ‘“f have had no less than thirteen cases of injury to the ankle. This may not seem an alariningly large number, but when you come to consider that my praetfee is small and that I am only one of a couple of hundred doctors in Washington, the aggregate of cases for the whole town must be something enormous, I have no doubt that the other doctors would re- port quite as many of this class of cases in pro- portion to their practice as I do, for there isno reason why people with injured ankles should come to me rather than to any one else. In fact, [know that my experience is not e: ceptional from tailing with other physician: who have had their attention turned to this subject justas I have had. Then druggists have spoken to me of the growing demand for the big rubber bands which people with weak ankles, or who have had their ankles injured, use as supports, of druggists on the subject and they ail tell the same story. There actually seems to be a sort of epidemic of injuries to the ankle in Wash- ington.” ve you discovered the cause of the trouble?” the reporter inquired. “Well, my own experience and what other physicians and the druggists have told me naturally set me to looking into the question with a good deal of interest. Other physicians didn’t seem able to offer any explanation of the | phenomeuon. Neither did the druggists.” “There's nothing lacking in the diet of Wash- | ington people or in the water and other bev- erages we drink here that would tend to make our bones weak, is there, doctor?” asked the reporter, a3 avague recollection came up in his mind of reading somewhere about a com- munity in which, owing to a lack of bone-form- ing material in the soil, the people broke all to pieces when they Happened to fall or were compelled to jump froin any height. THE REAL CAUSE. The doctor smiled amusedly at the question. “No, I found an easier explanation than that,” he continued, “‘or at least I think I have. My belief is that the present style of footgear is en- tirely responsible for the trouble. The low-cut and buttoned shoes now almost universally worn by men as well as women give no support whatever to the ankle. Worse still are the Eieh- heeled slippers which are generally worn by 1a- dies with full dress, There has been an outcry against the latter for years, but I think almost as much mischief is done by the low-cut and high-buttoued shoes that have not the high heels. All of them leave the bones of the ankle loose and without support.” “What sort of shoes would you recommend?” “The old-fashioned laced “shoe, which fits snugly around the ankle and holds the bones and muscles compactly together at that jomt, When wearing these shoes you are much less apt to turn on your ankle, and if you should happen to do #0, the strain is distributed pretty evenly all along the small bone up to the knees and among the muscles and tendons at the ankle. When the latter is left without artificial support, the strain is thrown on the small bone of the leg just above its articulation with the foot. In nine cases out of ten, when this bone is fractured, it is at this spot, showing where the greatest strain comes and the need of some support which will keep the small bone well in apposition to the large one,” “But why should there be a special weakness of this part of our anatomy?” inquired Tue Star man. “Well, the causes of it are not as plain as they might be,” the doctor answered, “Even the medical books do not throw any light on the subject. Ihave consnited a dozen works for some hint at an explanation, but not one of them gives it. It think it probable the NEED OF AN ARTIFICIAL SUPPORT for the ankle is due largely to degeneracy of the muscles caused by the style of shoes the moderns wear, All our shoes nowadays are made with a stiff shank under the ball of the foot, This prevents to a very considerable ex- tent the natural play of the bones of the foot, and the adjacent muscles in consequence are not nsed to an extent that would fit them for bearing any the extra strain in. ad- dition to that imposed by the weight of the body and the exertion of locomotion. Thus when this part of our anatomy is left without artificial support of some kind, injuries are apt to result, When patients come to me complain- ing of weak ankles or injuries to the ankle I at once inquire what sort of shoes they wear, In almost every case I find they wear low-cut shoes or buttoned gaiters, and that they used to wear lace shoes afew years ago, Lat once prescribe the old style laced shoe for casca of this kind. It usually has the desired effect without other treatment where the trouble was merely weakness of the ankles,” ee Photographing Stars. OW THE CAMERA SEES MYRIADS INVISIBLE TO THE EYE, From Macmillan's Magazine. When we place in the focus of the telescope a highly sensitive photographic plate the vibrations of the rays of light throw them- selves assiduously on the plate and steadily apply to the task of shaking asunder the mole cules of silver salts in the gelatine film. Just as the waves of ocean by incessantly beating against ashore will gradually wear away the mightiest cliffs of the toughest rock, so the in- numerable millions of waves of light persist- ently impinging upon asingle point of the plate will at length effect the necessary decom- ‘ition and so engrave the image of the star. t will be obvions that this plgmee will be the more complete the longer the exposure which is permitted. and thus we see one of the rea- sons why photography forms such an admirable method for depicting the stars, We can give exposures of many minutes, or of one, two, three, or even four hours, and all the time the effect is being gradnally accumulated. Hence it is that a star, which is altogether too feeble to produce an impression upon the most acute eye, fortified by a telescope of the utmost power, may yet be competent, when a suffi- cient exposure has been allowed, to leave its record on the plate. Thus it is’ that photo- graphs of the heavens disclose to us the exist- ence of myriads of stars which could never have been detected except for this cumulative method of observation that photography is competent to give. ——-see. A Near View From the Epoch. Mr. Renan, the French historian, is short and fleshy and looks like a good-natured priest with his broad, clean-shaven Rabelaisian face, large nose, small gray eyes and well-shaped mouth. He seems to have preserved something of that timidness of a young man who has been early subjected to a rigid discipline and accustomed to compress the free and generous ex} ion of natural sentiments. In company he evidentl; desires to please and shows in conversa‘ the same indul t electicism that iis books ales 3 of Renan. T have talked with a number | a f ‘ , ve THE STOCKS AND BRANDING IRON. | fine of 1,000 poubds was imposed in cases of RATLROADS. THE VOUDOO DOCTOR. A Swindler who Trades on the Super- stitions of Old Colored Peopie. QUACKS AND SHARPERS WHO DO BUSINESS WITE CHARMS—THE WAY THEY WORK—HOW THE CREDULOUS PEOPLE ARE ROBBED OF THEIR SAVINGS—SOME OF THE OPERATORS’ TRICKS. “‘Voudoo” doctors, quacks and small swind- Jers of various kinds, find a good field for operations among the more ignorant of the col- ored population of Washington. They play successfully upon the superstitions that are found especially among old colored people who, as slaves, lived on farms and plantations, and imbibed in their youth all the strange fantastic notions that formed part of the plantation lore. The “voudoo doctor” is generally a colored man Who knows all the weaknesses of bis own race. He travels with a carpet-bag or valise contain- ing bottles of colored liquids, salves and a few luck stones. He may have also an assortment of pamphlets bearing the name of “Dr. Bolus,” or whatever other name the charlatan may adopt. These Seon say that the doctor cannot only cure all diseases but has already done so, It bears the names of persons whom he has saved from an early grave. When he meets a person who cannot be convinced that he is dying from galloping consumption or some other malady, the doctor finds it convenient to be a fortune teller. None of the old colored “aunties” were ever known to drive a fortune-teller from the door, for if there is one thing above all others of which they are superstitious it is the fortune teller. Many of them believe that he can drive away evil spirits, while still others are under the impression that he cannot only tell of their fature life, but can also by their actions guide them in any direction. They believe they might as well be dead as to have a ‘‘voudoo” put the “eonjuration” on them, for nothing but ill luc will attend them for the remainder of their lives. One result of a successful ““conjuration” would be that ghosts would appear at every op- | portunity and make merry war in the house- | bold of all such superstitious persons, While most of the swindlers who obtain a livelihood by “taking voudoo tricks” are colored, yet once in a while a white “doctor” makes his ‘appear- ance, HOW SUPERSTITION HELPS TRADE. The latest person who has successfully played the “voudoo” game is a white man, who ap- pears as a peddler of writing paper. He sells his paper at 25 cents a package, but does not make any guarantee if only one package is pur- chased. “But with every dollar's worth” he and with #4 worth there is a prize of from $20 to $25.” In several instances he succeeded in getting 21 for about 25 cents’ worth of paper, and in one or two instances he sold 4 worth. the Saturday night following the sale.” That is what he tells the purchasers, woman who needed the four dollars in her business was persuaded by the silvery-tongued rogue to part with her money, She did so wil- lingly, believing that she would largely realize on her investment when she opened the pac ages. The prize packages were placed safely away until the day designated. Then she opened them. had more writing paper than she wanted, but it is needless to say that she was no wealthier than she was the moment after she parted with her four dollars, CHARMS TO CURE SICKNESS. Some time ago there was a colored “voudoo doctor” in this city who succeeded largely on account of his clerical appearance. He wore a neat-fitting Prince Albert coat, a silk hat, and carried a snake cane. He traveled as a *medi- cine man,” and carried his “remedies” done up in envelopes in his satchel. He worked prin- cipally on the ontskirts of the eity, where he could find sick children. His envelopes were numbered, and he prescribed for his patient by number, He alsocarried an assortment of charms with him, which were small stones done up in pieces of red flannel. In prescribing for a patient he would use the charms which were “ure” to make the medicine have the desired effect and bring the patient out all right. His remedies proved to be a_ mixture of flour and salt. He was imprisoned for awhile, and when released he left the city. He subsequently turned up in Jersey City, where he was ar- rested as a suspicious person. THE HANDKERCHIEF GAME. Probably the most successful “youdoo doc- tor” who ever operated in this city was Jos. Carroll, who served eighteen months in jail, fend who is now “doing” time at Albany for repeating the offense. One bright sanny morn- ing he was crossing the commons in East Wash- ington when his attention was attracted to an old colorea “aunty” sitting in front of a small shanty. Being rather well dressed and present- ing the appearance of a man above the ordi- nary walks in life he gained the confidence of the old woman and conversed with her relative to her family affairs. She told him all her *mis- eries” and troubles. What troubled her most was the absence of her husband, who was in some far-off place serving his country as a sol- dier, She was anxious that he should return home. Joe could accomplish anything he un- dertook and would not have the least bit of trouble in bringing back her husband. In order to insure his return it was first necessar: so Joe explained, for her to get a five-dolli bill, as its potent influence was required in working the spell. He had plenty of mone: and of course would ask no pay for his se vices, He had interested himself in her behalf and was going to see her through all right. The old woman had confidence in him, but she ‘Wid not have the 35. Joe took care of the house for her while she went to the West Endand got the money from her daughter. She returned home with the money, eager to start in on the work of magic that was to reunite her with the one she loved. Joe took from his satchel a charm that he said would do the work. The old woman, by his direction, placed it in her handkerchief and tied it up. Then he found it necessary to take the handkerchief himself to tie the corners up properly. This done. he told her to place the knotted handkerchief on the top shelf in the cupboard and let it remain there until the next day at sundown, when she was to open it. It would not only cause the return of her husband, he said, but the money would grow and when she opened it she would find perhaps 20. THE MOON HAD TO COME DowN. He had the money in his pocket, but how he got it from the handkerchief the old woman was never able to tell. Having thus secured the money Joe learned that his victim was the possessor of a silver watch. “The moon must also be worked down,” he told the old woman, “It takes a silver watch to accomplish that.” In the same manner the watch was produced by the credulous old woman and tied in a hand- kerchief to be placed away with the money, and in the same mysterious man- ner the watch managed to get into Joe's pocket, The handkerchiefs were put away in the Oe poe and the next evening as the sun went down the old woman opened the door gently and unfolded her handkerchiefs, ‘They were ompty. Words cannot express her disappointment, "She lost no time in reporting her loss to the police, and a few hours after- ward Joe found himself behind the bars, HE WAS FUNNY. The most humorous of the ‘‘voudoo doctors” was one named William Brooks, He was a good looking, well dressed young man. The only “trick” he is known to have taken was a #10 note from an old colored man from Alex- andria. The old man was sitting on one of the benches in Mt. Vernon square one afternoon in warm weather. He had stopped in the shade of a tree to get cool. Brooks came along and sat down beside him, “How are you getting along?” said Brooks, “Very poorly,” replied the old man. “Iam out of work, aud have just got $10 to pay my rent with. ‘To-day is the last day of my notice to quit, and if I don’t get to the office and settle, my farniture will be thrown out.” “Why don’t you make your money grow?” said Brooks, “I would if I knew how,” replied the old man, Brooks then explained how, with the use of acharm, he could make the money double it- self in an hour or two. Thegold man took from his pocket a large handkerchief, Then he went down deeper into his pocket and took out the $10 bill. He tied the note up in the handkerchief with the charm given by Brooks, and started toward his dlord’s office, thin! by the time he arrived there he might have enough to pay his rent and 10 to spare. His faith was soon shaken, and when he got around the cor- ner he untied the knot, charm was there, Brooks also juarters and entered his com) was brought in, and the next the old man ited the station-house to identify him. “"Fo' de a, lemen, dat’s de man!” "Bode I will,” he replied. “Well,” the “here’s your poe eg oy sa tae oid vod ae other. The old man peer ae enna withdrew his to have the prisoner ze- ner in the Felice Court," “seed the Prt will tell his customer “there isa prize of $2, | “But the packages must not be opened until | One old | | } | if the goods are of th: Laws that were in Force Here Early in the Century. DEATH WITHOUT BENEFIT OF THE- CLERGY— TONGUES OF BLASPHEMERS BORED—CRIMES TOR WHICH SLAVES COULD BE HANGED AND QUARTERED—THE SABBATH LAWS, The old Maryland criminal laws, many of which continued in force in the District after the cession of the ten miles square to the Fed- eral government, provided for many curious punishments which would now be considered barbarous. Some of these laws remain unre- pealed by Congress. These laws are set forth in two old volumes, unfamiliar, at least to lay- men, known as Ki the beginning of the century. Sentences to death without the benefit of ciergy, boring the tongue, branding on cheek and forehead. whip- ping, and the stocks and pillory are quite fre- quently mentioned. A glance throug Kilty shows that at each successive sess the general assembly provision was made to make the laws more effective by providing fees for informers or by increasing the penalties. TO PREVENT FALSE SWEARING, In 1692 an act was passed providing thata person convicted of procuring a witness to swear falsely shall forfeit forty pounds sterling or suffer imprisonment one whole year and stand in the pillory one hour, and thst after- wards he not be received as a witness, The second section provides that a person con- victed of wiliful perjury shall forfeit twenty pounds sterling, suffer six months’ imiprison- ment, and, if he shall not have the goods to pay the twe pounds, shall be set in the pillory and have both ears nailed. As in the case of the procurer, he conld not afterward be re- ceived as a witness, A subsequent act, how- | ever, provided that a person so convicted may give evidence against convicted persons. An act of 1707 recites that much of the foreign coin then in circulation in the province had been counterfeited, altered or clipped, and provided that upon conviction of counterfeit- ing the party convicted and his aider and abet- tors should for the first offense be whipped, pilloried and cropped in both ears, and for a second offense be branded on the cheek and banished, For embezzling. impairing. razing or altering a will the act of 1715 imposed a pun- ishment involving the forfeiture of all goods, standing in the pillory two hours, having both ears nailed and cut from the head. AGAINST PETTY STEALING. In 1715 an act was passed providing that justices of the county courts shall have juris- diction ia cases of thieving and stealing when the goods are not over 1,000 pounds of tobacco in value, and havé power to impose penalties of four-fold the value of the stolen property to be returned to the aggrieved party, putting in the pillory and whipping not exceeding forty stripes. If incapable of returning the four-fold the convicted person shall receive the corporal punishment and satisfy the claim against him, and the fees for conviction by servitude, A subsequent offense by the party valne of 12’shillings, is ple in a provincial court. On convie- Hi 1, be branded with a made t tion he sh hot iron and receive other corporal punishment, as the court shail adjudge. swine above three months old or to or disfigure a mark on swine subjected the offender to similar penalties. A law of 1717 made negro, Indian and mulatto slaves, charged with pilfering or stealing or other crimes or misdemeanors, liable to not exceeding forty lashes, An act of 1720 provided that for the burnin of any court-house the convicted person should suffer death, THE BLASPHEMY ACT. The act of 1723, chapter XVI, is what is knownas the blasphemy act, and provides for the punishmentof blasphemers, swearers, drunk- ards and Sabbath-breakers. The first section pro- vides that any person whos! ittingly, malici- ously and advisedly, by wri or speaking, blaspheme or curse God, deny the Savior to be the Son of God, or deny’ the trinity, shall for the first offense be bored through the tongue and fined 20 pounds sterling, For the second offense he shall be burned in the forehead with the letter B, and fined 40 pounds sterling, and in default of payment be imprisoned twelve months. For the third offense the punishment is death without the benefit of clergy. For profane swearing in the presence of a Magistrate, minister, vestryman, warden or constable, a man _ could be punished by a fine of 2 shillin, for the first and5 shillings for each subsequent oath, Any person who should be drunk before any one of the officials or dignitaries mentioned was liable to a fine of 5 shillings for every such offense. No person was, however, to receive more than thirty-nine lashes or over three hours in the stocks for any one offense. When the fines were not immediately paid and the accused was not a freeholder or respectable person it was the magistrate’s duty to order him whipped or put in the stocks. The magis- trate had power to appoint a person as con- stable for the purpose, who, if he refused to act, was liable toa fine of 10 shillings. A like penalty was imposed on the magistrate or other ‘officer guilty themselves of cursing, swoaring, or drunkenness, or omitting to enforce this law. No person was permitted to work on the Sabbath or suffer such to be done, or allow their children, servants, or slaves to engage in gaming, hunting, fishing. or other unlawful pastimes on that day under a penalty of 200 pounds of tobacco, Any housekeeper who suffered strong liquor to be sold (unless in cases of absolute necessity), or drunkenness, gaming, or unlawful sports in his or her house was liable to a fine of 2,000 pounds of tobacco, It was provided, also, that this law should be read in each parish church four times a year, anda penalty of 1,000 pounds of tobacco im- posed in case of failure, SEVERE PUNISHMENT FOR SLAVES. If the severity of these old laws contributed | To kill unmarked | conceal | Digest, published at | 8 dissuadii or discouraging citizens From enlisting in the army or navy. and a like penalty on any person dissuading others from supporting the independency of the United States or justifying the measures of the king and parliament against the United States. Any person corresponding with one in the service of Great Britian against the United States without leave or bringing a letter or message from such person and not communicate the same to the governor or some judge or justice is liable to a fine of 100 pounds. For forging tickets in the United States lottery or the certificates of the continental loan office the punishment was death without the benefit of clergy. The same penalty was prescribed for forging or altering any bills of credit | issued by Congress. Chapter lof the session convened October 31 provided that anyone who shall burn. or destroy, attempt or conspire to burn or destroy, any magazine of stores or provisions, or de- liver, or attempt to deliver, any vessel to the enemy, shall suffer death without the benefit of clergy. —aneaeRears HOME MATTER COMMONPLACE SUGGESTIONS AND USEFUL RECIPES FOR PRACTICAL HOUSEKEEPERS — EVERY-DAY HINTS FOR THE DINING-ROOM, LAUNDRY AND KITCHEN—SOME SIMPLE RECIPES. Tex Commoy-sizep Ecos weigh one pound, Two TaBLesPoons oF PowDERED Svaak or flour weigh one ounce, To Restore Gitt Frames, rub with a sponge moistened in turpentine. Youre Veat may ne Toup by the bone in the cutlet. If it is very small the veal is not good, A Wrse-Grass or Srroxe Borax water in a pint of raw starch will make collars and cuffs stiff and glossy. ASrraixep ANKLE Has BEEN Crnep in an hour by showering it with hot water, poured froma height of a few feet. Mvciiace.—A transparent mucilage of great tenacity may be made by mixing rice flour with cold water, and letting it simmer gently over the fire. Waen Papzntxe a Room a small apartment can be made to appear large by being covered | with a paper of subdued color without any par- ticular design. Ir You Wist ro Krer a Suanr Kxtre don’t put it in hot grease; stir your potatoes while frying, or turn meat, with a fork or an old case knife kept on purpose. A Lirrie Turrestixe added as clothes boil will whiten and sweeten them without injuring the most delicate fabric. For garments very much soiled, use a spoonful of kerose Arter Sprinkiine Stare Roiis or buseuits with cold water place them ina pan and cover them with a second pan, Set in a w for twelve minutes, and they will as if treshly baked and are more digestib’ Parer Bass, in which many articles are from the grocery store, should be ss when blacking a stove. Slip the hand into one of these and it will not be soiled, and when through with the bags they can be dropped into the stove. Tick Brown Parer should be laid under ts if the patent lining is not to be had. It saves wear and prevents the inroad of moths, which, however, will seldom give trouble if salt is sprinkled around the edges when the carpet is laid, Bunss,—The white of an egg has proved one of the most efficacious remedies for burus. Seven or eight successive applic substance soothes the pain and effec clude the burn from the air, This simp! edy seems preferable to collodion or even cotton, Warm Breap or Cake can be cut without be- coming moist and heavy if the knife, a thin, sharp one, is dipped into boiling hot water, wiped quickly, and the bread cut immediately, before the knife has time to cool. A napkin should be laid double on the plate where the warm slices are laid. Porato Sarap.—Chop together six ordinary sized potatoes, one small onion, and the whte of a boiled egg. Dressing: Mix together one small half cup vinegar, two tablespoons melted butter, one-half teaspoon mustard. the 3 of one raw and one cooked egg, a lit and pepper. Pour on dressing just be serving. Ox» Fasmionep Watyvt Tarry.—Take one quart of black molasses, put on to boil, a hot drop in a lump of butter (teaspoonfal), try constantly if done, in cold water. When nearly done have one-half pint of walnut kernels stirred in and pour out on a large well-buttered dish, When nearly firm take a knife and divide of in two-inch squares, and set in a cold place. Drop Crackens.—Beat up the whites of three eggs and the yelks of five with a spoonful of rose-water, and then add five ounces of sifted sugar (such as confectioners use); whisk them well for twenty minutes or haif an hour, and then add halt an ounce of caraway seeds aud three ounces of fine flour. Mix the whole to- rm oven em as nice sent fore gether, drop them on oil papers, and bake in | F moderately heated oven, Cream Scattors.—Take a quart of the fish™ a pint of iilk, a tablespoonfal of flour, two tablespoonfuls of butter, and salt and pepper. | The milk must be put in the double boiler, aud while the scallops are being drained, the butter and flour may be beaten together until creamy. This mixture, together with the seasoning, must be stirred into the boiling milk, and the j scallops cooked seven minutes, Mixt Jexty ror Markixa Corp Lame or Cuttets.—Take two tablespoonfuls of Spanish sauce and dissolve in it a good teaspoonful of gelatine, softened in cold stock, a tablespoonful of aspic and one of thick mint sauce, aspic be ready a teaspoonfal of glaz to making any class an orderly, law-abiding | P¢, dissolved together to take its place. No class the slaves should have become such. An act of 1729, for instance, provided that slaves convicted of petit treason, murder or house burning should be adjudged “to have the right hand cut off, to be hanged in the usual manner, the head severed from the body, the body divided into four quarters, and head and quarters set up in the most public places of the county.” The same act recited that as several felons had broken and entered shops, store- houses or warehouses and stolen goods, and it had been doubted whether such were excluded, by law in force, from the benefit of clergy, it declared if such offender took goods to the value of 5 shillings, and is convicted therefor, he shall suffer death without the benefit of clergy. The act of 1737 imposes a penalty of death without the benefit of clergy, or any slave who shall break into and steal from any tobacco house, and a like Penalty for stealing any boat of over 17 feet and taking it 10 miles, or for aid- ing and abetting another to do so. In 1751 death without the benefit of clergy was imposed upon slaves who advised or attempted to raise an insurrection, who attempted to murder or poison, committed rape upon a white woman or was convicted of house burning. The same act provided that any slave convicted of giving fulse testimony should have one ear cut off on the day of conviction and receive thirty-nine stripes on the bare back, have the other ear cropped the next day and receive a like number of stripes on the bare back, This act also provided that slaves rambling, or going abroad at night, riding horses without leave, or running away, should be subject to whipping, croppiug, or branding, on the cheek with the letter “R.” It also provided that if a slave were killed in the attempt to capture him the person doing the killing should be exempt from progecution, A subsequent act amended this so as to provide for the trial of the party, and if it appear that the killing wasdone inthe lawful execution of this act, he should not onl: be acquitted but the public should pay all costs, A person who enticed a slave to run away had to Ped to the owner the value of the slave and suffér one year’s imprisonment. Ifa white servant was guilty of this offense he was hable to four years’ servitude, In 1744. law was d the benefit of clergy. For o) a a letter addressed to another. the po of the act of 1713 was six days’ im it and fine of five pounds sterling. TO REPRESS DISLOYALTY. Under an act of 1777 any person within state levying war against the United States any of them and hiring to any person in the ser- vice of Great Britian, fon aden of the warlike preparations or United States, shall be adju: and forfei one of the commission ag ae fe 8 i Hi : i a 3 } 5 i : I Fy 8 i i é is | Hi | gelatine will be needed with th in this case, Vinorsi4 Beaten Biscvrt.—One and a half pounds of flour, one-fourth of a pound of lard, a pinch of salt. Mix enough milk and water to make a stiff dough. Beat the dough with an axe for half an hour, until it breaks when pulled. Work out into small biscuit, prick sev- eral times with a fork and bake quickly. Take small pieces of the same dough, roll by hand the size of a marble and roll out flat with the rolling pin for wafers, or thin biscuit. VecrtaBLe Pre.—Scald some Windsor bea: cut into dice young carrots, turnips, artichokes bottoms, lettuce, mushrooms, celery, and pars: ley, with green peas; onions and spinach m added if liked. Stew the vegetables partially gravy, andseason with pepper and sult, Trim the edges of a dish with parsley; put in’ the vege- tables, pour the gravy over this, cover and bake. Eroam or milk slightly thickened with fiour and butter may be used instead of gravy. SaLTED ALMoNDS May Be PLacep on the table when it is arranged for the dinner, and may re- main during the entire meal, They should be first passed wampeongs é after the soup course. Any est may = ‘imself and pass them, ani mm may be handed around between al- most every course until the dessert is brought on, then, of course, they should be removed from the table. It is never necessary, how- ever, to have them passed around by the wait- ress, Porsosrxe sy Ortum or any of its prepara- tions (morphine, laudanum, paregoric, &c.,) is remedied by fifteen grains of sulphate of zinc in a little water. If this cannot be obtained at once, use mustard and warm water, or salt and warm water. and, after vomiting, give plenty of strong coffee, put a mustard plaster around the calf of each jeg, and, if the patient is chilled and sinking, give freely of spirits and water, Dash cold water over the face and shoulders, and walk the person to keep him from going to sleep, for that means death when the drug is yet active in the stomach, panish sauce ful and mix with a generous tablespoonfal of flour until it is smooth, and as soon as the re- point the mixture is stirred into it, ed for use | tks | two of | ine, and half a winegiass of sauterne may | 19, TSR station cornerof New Jersey land Northwest, Vestiimled Limited ex- > &_M.. OXpToSR #0 p, mM. aati. St Louts, and Indianapoll®, express, 1m ly. 5-00.and 1110p oF Pittsburg, ews daily Sh Tor mutes: and 11200 pa ates, ‘ 4.35 p. ™ 05, 410 p. 16.35, sationa Onlys ate points, 19-00, ng thea Tak iso. or Thy die at ate stations, 17-00 p. 110-00 pam meine? yo Church train leaves Washington on Sunday at 2-25 troy Bi PHILADELPRIA DIVISION, Newark and Elizabeth, XN. 40, "4:15 NEW YORK & aL rou the 1030p: m, y wark iphia, Ne . Wil 4 Trains Jeave Phi 3211S, m., t tSunday, *Daily for a . CLEMENTS, CHAS, 0. SCULL, Gen. Manager, Seu, Pass. Apt, NGEGREAS -NNSYLVANIA ROUTE, NOKTH, WEST, AND SOUTHWEST, CK. SPLENDID SCENERY , ENT BOUIPMENT, brs A. LNs FE, WASHIN [NX FROM STATIO! ; SIXTH AND STREETS, 43 Toe For Fittburgand the West. Chicas: ited Px of inpati and St. Louis, st ort eping Cars Wash: enuecting daily Neepers for Lou! » 10:00 pan, through Slee ly, for Pittsburg and the bor tO Pittabucg, and Pitter POTOMAC RAILROAD, nd Rochester, ni tor Bat- Rip 1 1 . : & e 4 F Ke AND 7.20, 9-00, 11-00, and 00.and 11204 210, 4:10, ress of F t Sunday, st 10 | } 0am. spd 4:40 p.m. daily, 9-00 am. 12 nd 4:49 day. Sundays, 9:00 & ul, van ds SOs an) Sui DERICKSBURG RATL- AMANDRIA AND WASHINGTON fice, nort! nuaylvapia avenue. rders can be left for tae mation oH rking of trom hotels aud residences, J. i. WOOD, Gen, Pas. Agent. tor’ Warrenton, td ta Gordonsville, Char! Vetween Alexandr’ Knoxville, is jeans. Pull 11-2 Azote, « Iman Si 7 ly or Warrenton, Ohat- hes. & ( jontwemery, New or Sleeper New York t ta to Monten ath i and Augusta. Solid ‘Docs not counect for a Lynchburg pule Sleepers, and thence to Arkansas —Western Express Daily for Manassas, Charlottesville, Louisviile, Cinein- iliman Sicepers aud Solid Trains Washington mise for Lyneh- Ville, Charlotte, ¢ v, f no | § b >. > A.M. Daily and 1:30 a yx Sunday, urriving Washingtou 8:30 | AD and 3s‘on Poa | ‘Through trans from the South via Charlotte, Dan- | vileand Lynchture arniv ngton. +00 AML j Sud 7:1e 1: via Hast Te brastol and Lyuch- burg at 11:13 AM. and i: vie and Obie rc e aud Charlottesville at Me u and 9:40 P.M; Strasburg Locdl at 10:15 A.M. rs ieeyane car reservation and information nd beurre checked at office, 13 POTOMAC RIVER BOATS. OTOMAC TRANSPORTATION LINE For Baltimore and River Landings. Steamer Sua, | Capt. Geoghewan, leaves Stephenson's What every Nubday at S0'clock p.m. For further information 4 apply STEPHENSON & BRO. _mh6-6m ‘7th st, whiart, ME VERNON: arr. VERNON: Es STEAMER W. W. CORCORAN Leaves 7th-stroct whart daily (except Sunday) for Vernon and River Landings os far down as Gli at 10 ol m, Returning, roaches We LL. BLAKE, Captain. KR POTOMAC RIVER LANDINGS. NEW IRON STEAMER “Wal ___ WOOD AND COAL Fomtest Dover COAL MERCHANT, Wholesale and Retail, Anthracite Coal of all kinds constantly on hand, GEORGE'S CREEK CUMBERLAND COAL. FINEST GRADES of SPLINT AND CANNEL COAL Sawed and Split Wood to Order, Xard and Office, 3008 Water Sa: Saree 2514 Sst street (opposite Foat-office), est _Télephone—Vand, 954-2; Branch office, 956-2. mh ¥ RETAIL PRICES FOR til chanyed, are as White Ash Stove, per tou of Sy treaee JOHNSON BROTHERS, Wharves and Rail yards, 12th & Water sis. Southwest, fees s six corn starch with ito i ; j i i: E i E ‘ Exclusive agents in the District for the sale of some <n, Supply more: ny HONEST MEASURE, FAIR DEALING, PROMPT DELIVERIES AND REASONABLE PRICES beve nade our business a succean_ nZ1 FEET ae nt, ser cme ER —