Evening Star Newspaper, April 20, 1930, Page 80

BY JOHN CLAGETT PROCTOR. | EW of the many thousands of auto- mobile drivers who . annually pay their respects to “his honor” st the Police Court, and the army of others who are daily “invited” there for violating—or accused of violating—the law in other respects, rarely ever give a thought to the historic spot upon which the court building stands. Indeed, it is doubtful if any consider- able number at that particular time would be even in the humor to talk history—even sim- ple, local history—and whatever along this line might be said then would probably go in one ear and out the other. Whatever one might say about this noted place, under ordinary conditions, is quite likely to be listened to with marked attention, since there are so very many people in Washington who are familiar with its location and sur- roundings, and some even know the present judges by name, while others—among the old- timers—can even recall Judge Snell and his rotund outlines, and can almost hear him say “Ten days” or “Six months” to some wnfor- tunate who has violated the law in somt n:inor respect. Judge Miller, for whose regard “Jack the Slasher” had such little consideration—and one of the most humane judges who ever sat on the Police Court bench—as well as Judges Kimball, Scott, Pugh and Mullowny, who, for special reasons, are also, no doubt, recalled by many of our older residents, are remembered. Judges Mullowny and Pugh rose from the ranks, the former—now deceased—having served as assistant United States district at- torney, while the latter was detailed to the court by the corporation counsel. This same reward only recently came to Judge Ralph Given, while Judge Schuldt had similar experi- ence in the Juvenile Court and elsewhere before going on the bench. OF course, the Police Court is not a cheerful place to visit, especially when you have received a pink slip with your particular of- fense checked off. Every one feels offended and aggrieved, and then every one seems to have his fighting face on. Even the judge Jooks unusually stern and sees little to smile at. If you are fined you are displeased; and if you are acquitted, you are angry because you Had to go there. One of the judges, when appointed for the first time some few years back—and, by the way, one of the most cheerful of the four now on the bench—in a letter which the writer re- ceived from him at the beginning of his ad- ministration wound up by saying: “Come to see me socially, but not officially.” Really, the strain seems somewhat to have told on him, since gven he—a real prince of a fellow—does not seem to be just as jovial as formerly. In the municipal and in the upper courts, however, it is different, especially in the latter, in the e¢ivil branch, for irrespective of how the case goes, almost invariably one side or the other is made happy, and, of course, the trial judge involuntarily absorbs some of the joy of the victorious party. But, alas! rarely does this haippen in the Police Court, where trou- bles never cease and where smiles are rare and at a premium. S to the early history of this corner: Quite in contl’ast to its present use, here for- merly stood the first Unitarian Church in the city, which was dedicated June 9, 1822, and remained standing until shortly after 1904, the plans for the present court building having been approved August 20 of that year. The old Unitarian Church was historic for more than one reason. Architecturally it was so because it was designed by Charles Bulfinch, the architect of the Capitol from 1818 to 1830, and the only building known to have been built by him in Washington, though it is be- lieved that others were erected by him for which he never received the credit. This old church is well within the memory of many who may still be considered as being not over middle-aged, and during the 80-odd years it existed underwent but slight change. It was of brick, with smooth plaster finish ex- terior, with steeple, in which was placed the first bell erected in the city, except the one uced at the Capitol to announce the hour for starting and ceasing work on the building. At the time of the execution of John Brown at Charles Town, Va., in 1859, it was the only bell in the city to toll its mournful sympathy, which, however, was resented by the city gov- ernment to such an extent that from that time on its use for official announcements was discontinued. . When the new church was built, at Four- teenth and L streets northwest, the bell was removed there, and after this church was crowded out to be replaced by a business block it was probably taken to the new church at Sixteenth and Harvard streets. But wherever it may be, it is a valuable relic, not only for its association with this chuarch, but also because it was cast in 1822 in Paul Revere's foundry. During the many years that this church stood at Sixth and D streets very little improvement or change seems to have been made. Indeed, Sessford in his “Annals” mentions it but once, and then in his report for 1857 says: “The Uni- tarian Church, corner of D and Sixth streets, bas been greatly and substantially improved by stone steps, etc.” . It is very interesting to look at the picture of this old church and the steps referred to, up which so many prisoners marched in the nearly two decades it was used as a court. One can almost think he can see Judge Snell on th~ bench, trying some defendant for permit- ting h's pigs or cows to run at large in the city limits, with James L. Pugh prosecuting and Campbell Carrington, “Dan” Cahill or perhaps Oscar Nauck for the defense, with John Foster, Clark. A'bert Sellers, William E. Ambrorp and “Joe” Shillington, later one of our mus! cele- THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, APRIL 20, 1930. - Ol1d Unitarian Church Became a Court Police Cases Were Tried in Building Which Once Had Been House of Worship and Later Was Succeeded by Modern Court Building— Young Woman’s Chris- tian Home Also Made Use of S tructures in Historic Section. All Souls’ Unitarian Church, formerty at Fourteenth and L streets. brated criminal lawyers, and Robert E. Matting- ly, the genial judge who sits on the Municipal bench but occasionally also fills in here, then just looking on and waiting for their client’s cases to be called, while down in front could also be seen John A. Moss, Thomas L. Jones, J. M. Ricks, Fountain Peyton and Martin, col- ored members of the bar. If the prisoner was guilty he was taken in charge by Sam Kendig until the fine was paid, if collateral had not been deposited, and if it had and the prisoner was let off, Clerk Potts would see that the coin of the realm was re- stored to him. EW of these old-timers are living. Judge Snell has been dead for years, and so have Judges Miller and Kimball, and Judge Mullowny died only recently. The writer does not know whether Judge Scott is living or not. Judge Pugh the writer sees often. He drives his own car into the city from the suburbs nearly every morning and looks good for many years, Many members of the bar who practiced be- fore these judges have also passed from life’s activities. Carrington and Cahill, both men of fine minds and a good flow of oratory, have passed on, and 50 have Moss and a host of other legal celebrities of the time. Oscar Nauck still looks robust. The writer met him a few weeks ago, the first time in many years, when old times were talked over. Another lawyer whom he has known for years and still sees occasion- ally waiting for the street car, and who prac- ticed in this court years ago, is his old friend, Charles W. Fitts. Another familiar name of a lawyer who represented the United States district attorney's office in the Police Court as far back as 1879, :nd who came from a distinguished Washing- ton family, was Randolph Coyle, quite likely the father of William Radford Coyle, United States Representative from Pennsylvania, and who was born in the District of Columbia, but who had to leave town to become a full-fledged citizen of the United States. Other names appearing in this particular list are: Clerk, Howard L. Prince; deputy clerk, Wil- liam C. Harper; marshal, I. N, Cary; bailiffs, Henry Barton, F. C. Revells, and messenger, . William L. Hodgkins. F. A. Sebring, the present clerk of the court, has been employed here for many years, and the office he now holds was gained through promotion for meritorious serv- ices. * Though a good view of the building is here given, yet to those of us of an earlier gener- ation there is a certain something missing— the hangers-on and the cappers and the police officers who helped block the passage of the pedestrians—and the writer believes there was in front at one time an iron railing to which horses were tied, which is missing in the photo- graph, and. above all, the “Black Maria,” used to convey the prisoners to the jail and work- house, a vehicle as familiar to kids of 50 years ago as was the dog catcher's wagon preceded by Sam Einstein and his horse and buggy. THIS building had seen bettéer days. In the early days when Rev. Robert Little, the first pastor, was preaching here he had in his con- gregation such distinguished men as John Quincy Adams, later President of the United States; John C. Calhoun, then Secretary of War, later twice Vice President and United States Senator from South Carolina, and who died in the Old Brick Capitol—where soon will be erected the Supreme Court Building—on March 31, 1850; William Winston Seaton and Joseph Gales, jr., editors of the National Ine telligencer, the former mayor of Washington, 1840-1849, and the latter from 1827-1829; Joseph Gales, sr.; William Eliot, Charles Bul- finch, the architect John F. Webb, S. C. Fow~ ler and Judge William Cranch. ¥ Later on the following names also appear on the church records: Moses Poor, Noah Fletcher, Richard Wallach, mayor from 1861 to 1867;" Robert Little, Seth Hyatt, C. Andrews, S. Rob- inson, Pishy Thompson, who kept a bbokstore on the Avenue and for awhile published the American Quarterly Review; Thomas Bates, A. B. Waller, Thomas C. Wright, M. Claxton and 8. Frankiin. Thomas Law, who married Mrs. Washington's granddaughter, was among the contributors who helped build the church. i Being one of the most fashionable churches in the city, naturally it was visited by many prominent people, and undoubtedly up the same aisles that lawbreakers later walked the elite of Washington had once marched to the strains of some appealing wedding march, while all the society folk of the city gathered within its folds to witness the ceremony and, perchance, throw rice afid old shoes at the, bridal couple on the way out. ey JPERHAPS it has never occurred to any of the judges or attaches of the_court that the famous French-American general, the Marquis de Lafayette, who rendered inestimable services in the American Revolution, once visited this same spot in the latter part of 1824, when he _had returned to this country for the last time: Referring to this incident, Mrs. Jennie W. Scudder, in a well written article on the Unitarian Church of Washington, published in Volume 13 of the Records of the Columbia Historical Society, says: - “Mr. Little had a reputation for eloquence which attracted outsiders, even those of high degree. Mrs. Seaton in a letter to her parents in 1824, said: “‘Lafayette goes with us next Sunday to the Uritarian Church, being desirous of . hearing Mr. Little, of whose fervid eloquence he has heard so much."” * Mrs. Scudder further tells us: “From 1821 to 1909 the Unitarian pulpit has been occupied, for longer or shorter periods, by 19 ministers. These included, according to Dr. Shippen’s statement, Robert Little, Andrew Bigelow, Cazeneau Palfrey, Frederic Farley, Stephen Bulfinch, Edward Everett Hale. Or- ville Dewey, Samuel Longfellow, Joseph Henry Allen, Moncure D. Conway, William H. Chan-= ning, Rufus P. Stebbins, William Sherman, Frederic Hinckley, Clay MacCauley and Rush R. Shippen, and since the last named have come E. B. Leavitt and Ulysses Pierce. Not all of these were settled as pastors. Those thus far especially mentioned have been the more widely known, but others during those early days contributed no less sincerely to the estab- lishment in the National Capital of the ‘sweet reasonableness’ of a liberal faith. “Rev. Clay MacCauley preached the last ser- mon in the First Church and was installed minister of All Souls’ January 30, 1877. After leaving Washington, Mr. MacCauley was sent by the denomination to explain and to repre- sent the Unitarian conception of Christianity to the then just awakening nation of Japan. He is still living and has occupied the pulpit of All Souls’ once during the last year. . “IN 1881, Rev. Rush R. Shippen was chosen minister, and in his pastorate of 14 years the Unitarian Church entered upon a more ac- tive life than had previously been hers. Dur- ing this time, by arrangement between -the church and the American Unfitarian Associa- tion, prominent Unitarian ministers were heard here in the Winter months. “Dr. Shippen is vividly and kindly remem- bered by his parishioners, while as a citizen he made an impression on municipal life. “To him succeeded E. Bradford Leavitt for a term of three years, who was in turn succeeded by Ulysses G. B. Pierce, installed as minister April 11, 1901, “The character of the membership or laitv of the Unitarian Church did not chang= when the name of All Souls’ was adopted. Thc two Presidents who attended the First Church, John Quincy Adams and Millard Fillmore, are succeeded by Willlam Howard Taft. Senaitors Webster, Sumner, Hale of New Hampshire. have been followed by Senators Hoar, Morrill of Vermont, Howe, Anthony, Allison, Mason, Palmer, Burrows and Fletcher. From the House of Representatives may be mentioned Davis, Stone, Palfrey, Elliot, Stevens, Adams, William Everett, Banks Baker, the younger Hoar, Mann, Horr, Weeks anG "2oberts. Of cabinet Secre- taries there have been N. H. Hall, George S. Boutwell, William E. Chandler and John D. Long. In the judiciary, Associate Justice Story of the Supreme Court of the United States has been followed by Associate Justice Samuel F. Miller, while Judge Cranch from the District Court has had a successor in Judge Richardson. “The historian George Bancroft was an at- tendant at both churches. “Norman B. Eaton, civil service reformer; Carroll D. Wright, authority in economics, and Lester F. Ward, celebrated in sociglogy, have been more or less active members of All Souls’. “Ainsworth R. Spofford and Bernard R. Green, from the Library of Congress, gyd