The union Democrat., 1870-07-09
Whose habits
Intincei him 10 feed nrann rabbits
Nhea he had eaten eighteen
lie returned perfectly green

of the United States navy, who purchased
Monticello, Jefferson's home in Virginia, ant
II was offered TO, but not accepted by, th,
Senate. The statue is of Thomas jefferson
q OF whom Captain Levy had g,eat aduira
ton, and seems permanency on the gras
plot, in spite of It's doubtful ownership.
Lafayette square is distinctly connected
| with three .radgedies. two occurring and on,
terminating on its boundaries. The las
mentioned in the first in chronological order
the duel of Decatur, concluding in his deatl
at his house on the northwest. corner of tn,
lsquere. The house is very little changed b,
the lapse of years. It has an air of the pas
about it which is old-fashioned but no pictur
esque. It is a double house, three stories il
! height built of brick, unpainted. 1t fronts
Ion the square. and runs quite for back on Il
istreet; a low building covered with yellow
plaster connects with it, in which were the
kitchen ard servants rooms. A door in thi.
building is pointed out as the one through
which Decatur left the house on the fata
|morning. The story of tue duel is very sad
one. Decatur was universally beloved, and
his great services to his country were so sin.
cerely appreciated that losing him in such a
way produced feelings of the most intense
horror and distress. 1t is useless to give 6e-
4
ron. 1t related to naval affairs, and it is
generally conceded that Barron was mainly
responsible for the duel, which Decatur avoid
ed as long as possible. He expressly declar-
ed many times that he had no desire 10 take
human life, and should be careful in case he
| fought not to wound his enemy in vital
point. To this resolution ne adhered There
are those still living who remember attend
ing party at his house, either the night be-
fore or very short time previous to the day
the duel was fought. The precise date is not
remembered, but the impression remains with
the lady who tells the story that it was the
evening before. The same lady who knew
him and his wife intimately, speaks, with
vivid recollection of both of them as they ap-
neared on that last evening Of his life.
Knowing all the while of the appointment he
was to keep on the following morning, Com
modore Decatur was still able to entertain
his guests witt his usual cordial hospitality,
and remained 10 the parlors, conversing in
his ordinary manner, until the last of the
company. had left the house. Mrs. Decatur,
who had no suspicion Of what anguish was
in store for her, was particularly animated
during the evening, and, at the urgent re-
quest cf some of her friends, played on the
harp, for she was a skillful performer on that
instrument. The next morning. March o.
1920, Decatur rose early. crossed the square
and walked to'Capitol Hill to Beale's Tavern,
which house stood on the diagonal corner
from the present Senate wing of the Capitol
From there he and his friends went to Bla-
depsburg, where the duel was fought about
nine o'clock. Decatur was MORALLY wound
ed, and was taken to his home to die in
few hours. He was buried at Kalorams.
country place, near Washington, Mrs. Deca-
tur occupied her house for very few years
after the death of her husband. whom she
deeply mourned. Since that time many per-
sons have lived there. among whom were the
father and uncle of Mrs. Bancroft Davis, the
two brothers King, who were both members
of Congress. Mrs. Davis there passed por-
ton of her girhood. The house is now, and
for some time. has been used as Govern
nent Office. The remainder of the block is
well built up. some Of The handsomest
dwellings in Washington having been erected
there within two years. In these live Mrs.
Marcy and her daughter (Mrs. Pendleton),
Mr.. and Mrs. O'Toole. Mr.. Parker, Mrs.
Blair and her daughter Miss Violet Blair),
Major and Mrs. Rathbone. Mr.. and Mrs.
Phillip, and Mr.. and Mrs. Dick The house
occupied by Mr.. Peter Parker, on the corner
Of Pennsylvania avenue. is not new: nor is
the one in which Mr.. Colfax lives, near the
center of the block, of which more anon.
The names of all these ladies and gentlemen
will be familiar to the readers ef the World
as the givers of some ofthe most elegant enter
tainments during the past season. Dr. Barker
is best known as the physician who, some years
back, went to China as q missionary, and
was so successful in the treatment of diseases
of the eye as to be enabled to amass a very
large fortune. He has lived in his elegant
house since socn after his return to Wash
ington.
Mr.. Colfax occupies what is variously
known as the Sickles and the Stockton
house. 1t is this bouse which old residents
mention as having been always inhabited by
the aristocracy. and only once has Con-
gresham occupied it-which is meant to i'm
ply that only once has it descended so low as
that. Sickles had the honor of being that
blemish upon its untarnished glory, Mem
bers of the Cabinet, as rule. were the
dwellers in the house. AIr. Woodbury., the
father of Mrs. Montgomery Blair, lived there
when Secretary, first of the Treasury and af-
terward of the Navy The father of Mrs.
Ogden Hoffman. of New York (Mr. South
ard. of Georgia), also lived there. The name
Stockton, who married II relative of Commo-
dore Decatur, owned and lived in it for some
time. When Sickles had it, the trees in La
faye.te square were young and small. and
the waving Of a handkerchief from one of the
windows could be distinctly seen across the
park at the Clubhouse, nearly opposite and
thus. it is said, was the false wife and the
handsome man Of the world which terminated
in the second tragedy, at the corner of Madi-
son place and Pennsylvania avenue. Near
this corner may still be seen, if one searches
diligently, the remains of the trunk of the |
tree against which Key fell on that Sunday |
morning when the church services were Just |
concluding and the ladies were passing to
their homes, and in some instance were hor-
ri6ed witnesses of the encounter. Many of
these ladies left the city at once to avoid ap-
pearing in Court to give testimony in such a
case. The Clubhouse stands near the mid |
die of the block. 1t is very large double |
house. three stories in height. and composed |
of red brick. Commodore Rodgers of the |
navy, built it and lived in it. After he died |
it was, as now, a fashionable boarding house,