Evening star. [volume], September 29, 1929, Page 19, Image 119

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
which he happily saw enacted into laws, and
hia efforts so endeared himself, especially to
the lower classes, that he gained by popular
favor the title "Father of the People.”
Tlie date of his arrival in Washington is
given as February 23, 1795, and on March 20,
1700, just a little over a year later, he was
married at the home of Dr. David Stuart, then
living at Hope Park, in Fairfax County, Va„ to
Elizabeth Parke Custis, daughter of John Parke
CiLstls, then deceased, and granddaughter of
Mrs. Washington. He was then 39, the
bride 19.
Soon after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Law
UkjK up their residence in the range of houses
now a part of the Potomac Hotel. However,
except for the first few years, the union proved
a very unhappy one, finally resulting in a
mutual separation in the Summer of 1804, he
taking the daughter, Eliza, to raise.
Mrs. Law died in Richmond, Va„ on January
1, 1832 and is buried in the Washington Tomb
at Mount Vernon. Thomas Law died here on
July 31. 1834, and his death is recorded in the
Intelligencer of the following day:
"In this city, at 6 o'clock yesterday
morning, after an illness of 8 or 10
days. Thomas Law', Esquire, aged about
70 years * * *.
"The funeral of Mr. Law will take
place from his residence on Capitol Hill,
this afternoon at 4 o'clock, which his
friends and acquaintances are invited to
attend without further notice.
"He lived to follow to the grave his
whole family, three beloved sons, natives
of India, and a no less beloved daughter,
a native of this District.”
He is said to have been buried in St. John's
Cemetery, which at one time occupied the
block between Twelfth and Thirteenth and H
and S streets northwest, and when the bodies
were removed from this place, his was taken to
Rock Creek Cemetery, and today rests in an un
identified grave.
years after Conrad and McMunn ceased
to keep a boarding house on this corner the
place was kept by a Frenchman named Mitchel,
subsequently becoming the Law House and the
Varnum. For a number of years the place was
leased to the United States Coast and Geodetic
Survey, and it continued to be its home until
it removed, about 1871, to the buildings farther
up the block, erected in that year by Rich
ardson Bros. Later the Government bought
this building, and here this branch of the Fed
eral service Iras made its home ever since.
However, by the time this story appears In
print it is quite probable that little of this
building will remain standing, as the rear por
tion. running back to South Capitol street, is
already down.
Everything in this block is slated to go, even
to the old Ben Butler house, the large dark
Marooned Eight Months
was the kiM of some oakum from the seams,
and site was refloated and anchored with what
ground tackle we had. She was, however, ill
starred. Within a month or so one of the
worst storms I ever saw, whether on sea or
land, made an end of her.
Fascinated by a threatening aspect of the
weather one evening in August, I scanned the
sky. Its colors resembled those associated with
typhoons; overhead, a dull and heavy gray;
below and extending almost to the horizon
from east through north to west, a sickly violet;
beneath that lay copper to the dim line where
sky and sea met. Little wind was blowing.
When would the blast come? After waiting
an hour I abandoned my watch and went t<»
Redwood Cottage. "Have you,” I asked Jor
gensen, "experienced any typhoons here?” He
said he had not. "Unless I’m badly mistaken,”
I continued, "we’re in for one. I hope this
shanty will stand the gaff. Your work on it
may be its salvation.”
At 11 o'clock that night the blow struck us.
The building, it seemed, must go. The storm
raised a terrific noise. Not a soul could sleep;
every one was on edge to feel the house demol
ished at any moment. In their flimsy quarters
the crew thought that the end of everything
had come, and. abandoning .heir huts, they
huddled under the lee of our veranda. In their
shacks they had been panic-stricken; now
crowded together, close to omnipotent white
men. lords of tempest, they were far braver.
At daybreak the wind still blew fiercely, driving
before it a hell of sand that penetrated into
all parts of the house; sand in our hair, ears,
eyes, nostrils; sand everywhere; we breathed
it, swallowed it, gritted between our teeth.
Anxiety for the boat which Jorgenson and I
generally used led me to suggest that we ven
ture into the storm and ascertain whether it
was all right. Out we sallied on the lee side of
the house; as we rounded the corner the wind
flung us back. To see was impossible; though
the time was forenoon, a dun night enveloped
the world, while rain and furious sand stung
our faces like needles. We lashed on our cloth
ing to prevent it being literally blown from
our bodies; then we made another essay; yet
still we could not stand against the storm, even
by crouching almost to the ground, and at
length we crawled.
Finally we attained the place where we had
left the boat. It had vanished. What now?
Sitting with our backs to the gale, shouting
mouth to ear in order to make ourselves heard
above the awful elemental roar, we discussed
our course. We decided to search for the boat
to leeward, but not to venture too far, lest we
lose all sense of direction and so fail to regain
the house. Within 50 yards we stumbled upon
the craft, half buried in sand, with some ot
the planking broken; whether it had been dam
aged otherwise we could not ascertain.
r J' , HEN we retraced our steps; we crawled,
rather, on the flats of our bellies, guessing
our way; moving at the pace of a snail; holding
our eyes shut fast against the flying sand.
Our progress was small, and even that little
THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C„ SEPTEMBER 20, 1020
Thomas Jmu\ “If ashingtons first rich
man."
granite building situated at the southwest cor
ner of New Jersey avenue and B street, lately
occupied by the Bureau of the Public Health.
Though erected quite a while ago, yet the
Butler house would not be classed as a land
mark. and even its historic value hinges upon
the fact of its having been built by Gen. Butler,
and that for a while, in 1881, it served as the
Executive Mansion, as had the old hotel at the
south side of the block 80 years before.
After the death of President Garfield, at
Elbe ion, just 48 years ago the 19th of this
month, Chester Alan Arthur took the oath of
office as President of tire United Slates in New
York City and accompanied to Washington the
funeral party, which arrived here two days
later. President Arthur then took up his resi
dence in the Butler mansion, occupied at the
time by Senator John P. Jones of Nevada, and
remained there until the following December 7,
when he removed to the White House.
Gen. Benjamin F. Butler, or "Spoony” Butler,
as the South delighted to call this able soldier
and legislator, was also noted for his shrewd
ness in a business way, and the story is told
that when he was about to ship the granite
for the Butler house from the quarries of Mas
sachusetts. which State he represented in the
House, he learned that some Government ves
sels were to leave Boston for Washington in
ballast. It did not take him long to agree
to furnish the ballast free and the granite was
sf
Guessing our way: kidding our eyes
shut fust against the flying sand. Jor
gensen was beginning to des/tair. *7
can go no farther. Camerontie
moaned.
might be in a wrong direction. Never have I
had another such experience. We clutched
each other’s hands, I slightly in the lead to
shield Jorgensen, who was beginning to despair.
"I can go no farther, Cameron," he moaned.
"You fool!" roared I—" Roared” did I say? I
must have squeaked like a bat in that hell—
" You fool! What! Give up and die? Sand will
bury you. We’re near the house. Spurt, and
we’ll make it!” "I’m done for, Cameron,” he
gasped. "Leave me here. You go on.” “See
you damned first.” said I—and without me,
damned he would have been.
I clouted him hard in the face. A stiff
blow to the jaw is an excellent spur, believe
me. "Now will you try?” I demanded. He
made an effort:—funked; rallied and again
failed: but striking and cursing him and resting
frequently. I got him to the hut. Each of us
was soaking wet, grievously hungry; our faces
were bloody from the scouring of the sand.
Between 3 and 4 o'clock in the afternoon,
soon on the ground ready to be placed in his
new home, greatly to the surprise of every one,
who stood aghast at his nerve, and how he
got by with it, yet the Government was bene
fited by his thoughtfulness just as much as
he was.
INURING the Civil War, when the land and
sea forces of the North were hammering
away at the defenses of New Orleans, Butler
was a major general, and when the city fell,
after the bombardment which began on April
20, 1802. he took charge of the place as provost
marshal. He forthwith had a census taken
of the city, which showed that out of a popu
lation of 160,000 inhabitants only 4,000 were
willing to say they were not Confederate sym
pathizers.
Basing his action upon this, Butler took such
jr '
Eliza Parko Custis (Mrs. Thomas Law).
real and personal property as he deemed neces
sary. Guilty or not guilty, naturally he was
accused of everything but horse stealing, and
out of it all grew the silver spoon story, at
tributing the taking for his own benefit all
the gold and silver loot of the town, which
he denied.
In after years some one asked Gen. Butler
for his version of the silver spoon story, and the
following account of the transaction is said
to have been written or approved by him:
"In July, 1862, he ordered all property in
when it had blown for 16 hours, the storm
suddenly died. What a sight we saw! Changed,
remolded, was the whole island; the brush,
scanty at best, was stripped of leaves and
seemed scorched as by fire; all the grass was
withered; here was a new’ mound, there an
unexpected pit. Fortunately for us the birds
had not been blown away, though I cannot
understand why they were not. The boats,
shanties and house all had been damaged to
such an extent that repairs required a week.
Far worse was the fate of the schooner; again
she had been cast high upon the sand and
now was beyond restoration; masts and rudder
were gone and the port side was smashed. The
typhoon had made sure that neither Walker
nor Cameron would ever navigate that craft.
Other woes pressed upon us. Soon after the
typhoon the weather grew colder, indicating
the approach of Winter and the probable dis
appearance of the turtles and of many fowl.
Already the number of birds had tectqie su
New Orleans belonging to persons in the Con
federate service to be declared confiscated to'
the Untted States Government. Among thd*
property seized under-this order was the hand-*
some mansion of Gen. Twiggs of the Confed
erate Army, who had been in command of New
Orleans but had withdrawn to Georgia on
hearing of the approach of the United States
forces. To this mansion Gen. Butler trans
ferred his headquarters from the St. Charleg
Hotel.
“Soon after his occupation here one of the
family servants came to him carrying a load!
of silver salvers, spoons, fo;ks, etc., and saying
that his ‘old massa’ had meant to hide thens
from the Yankees, but that he (the Negro) had
‘marked wliar de silber was buried, an’ hyaf,
it all is, sure ‘nuff.’ Gen. Butler used this
plate while he occupied the house, and when
lie retired he turned every fork, spoon, etc,
over to the quartermaster’s department. He
asserts that he has in his possession
to show that all these were pass'd over to the'
Government, and when they subsequently diM
appeared he says that he has no means of.
knowing. Two handsome swords belonging tg
Gen. Twiggs, one of which had been voted to
him by Congress in recognition of his valuable
services in the Mexican War, while tiff other,
was the weapon which he used in the Con
federate Army, were sent by Butler to thf
Government at Washington, with the suggestion
that one of them be donated to Ann&pohg
Academy and the other to West Point, ‘as ex
emplars of what base uses may be made of
honorable weapons ’ His advice was not taken.
The swords were locked up in one of the Treas
ury vaults for safekeeping, and one of tbe du
plicate keys was given to the general. M
daughter of Gen. Twiggs went to Washington
several years ago to obtain these swords, ans
we think that they were restored to her. On
making an application to Gen. Butler first, hf
disclaimed all personal right to the property
and referred her to the Government.”
Not. nearly so many buildings will have ftp
be removed for the House Office addition ag
was the case with the original building in til#
block on the east side of New Jersey
Between B and C streets this square was solidljj
built up with the old Congressional Hotel, frm
quented by many important men, at the north
end, while at the south stood another of thf
Law houses, occupied for many years by Judgf
Joseph Holt? cabinet officer and judge advga
cate in the trial of the Lincoln conspirators. ..
The laying of the corner stone of this buildldft
was a notable event, President Theodore Rooahk
velt being present and delivering his celebratgi
address, “The Man with the Muck Rake#
Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks aag
Speaker Joseph G. Cannon. **■» not with of
today, were present upon that occasion.
small that our rations of eggs were
and the creatures themselves, taught
by experience, could be captured only on daily
nights.
“What about food in the Winter?" I
Jorgensen. "Not much to be had, except
fish.” said he despondently. “There are tov
many of us.” Some of as, it was obviou%
must depart.
“Let's strengthen the boat we've been usings*
I suggested to Jorgensen; “fit it out, and mafcV
for Hawaii.” Although he approved the phuu
he was none too sanguine of success. I had t#
admit that we had no means of determining
longitude, although my sextant would give ufl
our latitude. We mulled over the prosjwctg*
and eventually decided to run the risk.
While we were planning the necessary altoe*
tions to the boat, Prank Lord, the cook, aal
American, one of the few white men of ou?
company, stole a march on us. He and founjoj
the crew cleared out the best of the thred*BßlV
With consummate secrecy they executed thettf
design; I at least had not the slightest inkling:
of the stupid thing they were about to do until
we missed them one morning. Soon we ob*
served their boat rounding the western point ofl
Eastern Island, under full sail, with a fresh
breeze blowing; it headed for the passage and
the open sea; and Prank Lord and his four
fellow imbeciles vanished from the face of tM
earth.
What became of the idiots? Did they start*
or, more happily, drown? They had no com*
pass, no means whatever of ascertaining thtf
course to steer. Perhaps they were led to taU
such a desperate chance by the hope that #
vessel would pick them up at sea, or that they
would arrive at Ocean Island, some 50 mile*
to the west, where food had been cached
the Hawaiian government for castaways. What*
ever they expected to accomplish, wherever they!'
expected to land, no matter what miracle thejf
hoped for, they died, one and all, somewhere'
in the broad Pacific.
(Copyright. 1028.)
High-Priced Chiy
1-7 VEN clay seems to be high priced in tlMd
J days. Kaolin, from which high-grade
pottery, porcelain, wall paper, oilcloth and other
products are made, was produced to the extent!
of 496.000 tons last year, and the value, at
approximately $8 a ton, was $4,088,003.
than 4.000,000 tons of all types of clay wfiW
produced, and the total value was $14,000,00*/
Wheat in Maryland
yy’HEAT, which is one of the important crepe
of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, to
carried to market in the schooners which pte
up and down tfct bay and rivers emptying into
it. The whea> is weighed and dumped into
the hold, from which it is later sucked out
through special openings, at the elevatore to?
Baltimore.
19