The Baltimore County union., 1882-05-06
MARYLAND TYPES.
Some ofthe Quality Folks who are Well
Known at White Oak Bottom-The
Old Poker Players Ghost-Old
Massa Bill Contee-Long Tom
Bean-Jenkins Mansion.

Correspondent IF the Philadelphia T;@e..
White Oak Bottom IL 4 curious spot. II lies on
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, some tHeniy
miles northeast Of Washington city, In Prince
Georges county, Maryland. OF nil places In the
land for q news gatherer TO make halt this cer-
tainly seemed the most unpromising. When the
noise Of the train that bore the there had died
away and the old station as;er had erept within
doors the place became all still again and not n
sign Of activity disturbed the solemn quiet Of the
scene. Presently there came slowly around the
winding road horse and cart. In the cart sat n
specimen Of that almost obsolete type Of the gen
uine Southern negro-gray headed, as black
the ace of spades and clothed In diiapidated
slouch hat and what had formerly been confed-
crate overcoai. AZ he lifted upon the platform
several boxes Of freigh, stood BY and asked him
the question: of q stranger in u new neighborhpod.
"And the old-fashioned house up there on the
bill, just back Of the little burial ground-whose
l. itl" | asked him. at the same time pointing 20
an antique house of brick, which stands close by
the station.
"Dat place belongs % Ma.sa Contee and has
been de home Of de family long afore kin rseo-
member. De contees. de Jenkinses. de Tysons.
de Bowies and de Sn0wdens all belong to lie same
kin and dsy grow putty thick all around heer.-
Dem bricks you see In de house all brought
from England. and mighty hne old house Il H..
too. Afo' de wah de quality folks used % have
great goin's on up dar. and many \ good time we
niggers has had In de big barn while de white peo-
pie vas J0yin' dsmselves in the ParlOr."
OLE NAssA att coSrEE.
The conversation began TO grow interesting with
"reminiscences Of the slavery days, and the kindly
old man, seeing that he had an eager listener.
seated himself upon = keg Of nails and gave
this yarn Of "0le Massa Bill Contee:"
The Contee family rank with the best blood OF
Maryiand, including such famous connectiOns a.
the Bowiss THE family Of Ex.Govsrnor oden
Bowie.l and the CAROLS tdecendants Of Charles
Carroll Of Carroiiton, Of which Ex-6overnor John
Lee Carroll 10 q member,l tho Thomases, the
Snowdens aud n long list of the fret Maryland
people. The entire section surrounding "white
Oak Bottom formerly known as contee's Station.
composed grant made by King George the Third
to Charles Carroll. Who was given all the land he
could pass over In . day ride. "Massa Bill Con
iee." as he vas always called by the slaves. va.
the autoerat Of . large track Ot this land and of
more negroes than be could count. lie was bluf
old fellow. dogmatic, irritable and an absoluic
master. lie used TO call Up the slaves for their
regular lashings with these predatory remarks -
"Come up here. you nigger,, and get regulating.
All Who deserve IL ought 60 get licked. and you
who say you don't deserve 10 bs shall get iashed
anyhow, for It's morn likely you are lying. and
besides. niggcr amt worth his feed if he don Z
do nothin' TO get iieken' for
This vas hard logic. and IL vas observed With
stern inhexibility. The "Oie Ma.sa was n con-
were Doc. Snowden aud Judge Mark Tyson. In
o little hut yet standing in a dense grove Of trees
known ~ the forest" the trio used TO meet
iy every evening and play draw-poker until late
In the night, and these occasions we're said 60 be
anything bat religious In their tone and general
character. In fact some Of the select phrases pc
euliar to these three old bucks. which were fre.
quenty heard over their table, furnish indisputa.
bio evidence Of this fact.
ruE OLD roKEn PLAYERS GHOST
One day old contee died and his two friend,
we're compelled 60 play \ two handed game. Ca
. certain Halloween the pair met as usual. and.
having imbibed 10 such extent that they became
hilarious, they called upon "0ld Bill COntee' %
seome from blank" and take hand just once more
Scarcely had the Invitation been uttered says tbs
story, than the door opened and Old Biil appeared
In ghostly raiments and approached the gaming
table. Snowden and Tyson did not even wait q
welcome their friend, but they made tracks foi
home. and no more poker was ever dealt In that
house. The negroes about there will tell you that
Contee has frequently been seen at the hut, and Q
visit to the spot IN Halloween 10 sure to be re.
warded BY . sight Of the old poker-player, whOs'
ruling passion is strong In death.
LONG tom brAS, or pEASvtLLE.
The subjec, Of poker then came under consider
alton and my ebony companion recommended .
local chasacter known as "Long Tom Bean, o
Beanviile," Is "de berry debbil st kyards," and
sfterward had the opportunity Of verifying th'
| statement, for that evening was beneath Tom''
roof vith my legs under his oil. fashioned tabi'
| and surrounded BY as rough crowd Of card play
| efs - Nevada ever saw In her paimiest days
Tom himself is tall, slim fellow, who might stant
for Uncle Jonathan" as our British cousins like
to picture him In their cartoons, and 10 the cham
pion Of the county at cards. lie 10 . degenerate
wealthy family. But the war and other less worth,
reasons made Tom take the little roadside hous
| on the Montgomery county line and follow th
fortunes Of . gambler and an inn-keeper. TIL
house 10 the resort for the most desperate eharae
tiers, and women and children shudder ~ they pas
!. by In the daylight and cautious men turn out 0
/ their way 20 avoid u at night. Many drunkei
orgie and many . free hght has taken place In th
| little bar room, which was foul with the fumes o
bad tobacco aud noisy with the strong oaths OF !
| mixed assembly Of white and black players ~
entered. TON Bean has had 90 many fights In hi
house that he has grown TO provide for them BY
means Of protesting himself and his property.-
When behind his bar he is safe from violence.
high partition separates it from the main body o
i the room, and through o heavily barred windov
the liquors ere passed 10 the customers, who drin
from heavy pewter mugs. 10 which are attaehe
long chains, fastened at the other end BY staple
driven In the window-sill, this being guard an
. reminder for biiiigerent persons that the mug
are not 10 become weapons of war at times Of fight
/ ing. Beanvilie, with Its hard crowd, IL q geo
place 20 avoid when these little sensations begin
and - there 10 regularity about their oecurene
10 Just as well 10 give Il vide berth all the time
However, the neighbors do not need this caution
ruE oLp JEsKISs MANSION.
Ls. me turn from Tom Beans hovel and tell 20
ef one Of the relies Of . past generation, which
IN object Of great interest 20 strangers. IL 10 th
old Jenkins Mansion, standing In . clearing In th
thick "fsrest" 20 which my black informant refer
red In his story Of old man contee. Its OF stons
brought hither IN conestogs wagons, 10 built !
the must substantial manner, and u seems 10 stan
as 6rm - ever, though the moss lies thick upe
lie roof and the Ivy and the arbutus cling 20 u
time-stained walls. The broad portico and lie hus
stone pillars are erumbiing here and there. bat eve
they are resisting decay slowly. The rooms insid
with their antique portraits, furniture, ehimne
places and polished brass Andirons carry you bae
10 the days Of Knickerboekers and Psfiwigs, m
the family take great pride In showing . roo
which Lafayette once oceupisd whsn guest Of u
family. The house is situated just OF the ol
Washington turnpike, and during the Revoluiic
Il vas Q convenisnt aud favorite place of rest &
many of the most cslsbrsted American oihces. Il
|. 1 afs.aIna f4snarnl Wnnk1u NiraanlL whnn