National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-12-06

GOOrgCtOWn'S s Revolutionary nerOes IL tnc
name of Cen James A. Lingan. In the
troubulous times immedi ately prior to the
breaking out Of tho war of 1912, under
cover Of tho general spirit Of lawlcssness
which broke out with uncomfortable
force. many were the cruel and revolving
deeds committed which sought justihca-
tion under tho flimsy pr etonse Of the
public veal. Iu examining Gle Of the
Federal Ropublicaa, publ ished during this
period in Georgetown and Alexandria,
ono will find consider able space devoted
to tho murder of Gen. Lingan, who mot
his death while striving to defend the
liberty of tho press during ono of the
riots in the Charles street house in Bal
timore. The poor old revolutionary hero
appears during his life and more especially
at the time and by the manner of his
death, to have occupied large share of
the public atteu tion. Long and graphic
nre the accounts given o: the riots then
raging with such violence in Baltimore
and many of the surrounding counties.
More than once the vague hints 80 Dlenti-
fully besprinklinR those papers opposed
to the Madison administration, breaking
all bounds of reserve and caution, boldly
declared tho keynote to the general dis
turbed state of the country was to be
found in the white house ITSELF Presi-
dent Madison, for his own private ends
aud purposes, being actively engaged as
the instigator aud promoter of the same.
In what manner these shafts so freely
hurled were received by the party aimed
at we havo no record preserved. 1t is
pretty safe to assert that the liberty Of
Nl..,x aN I,,, ia, haV DO
gone considerable modification from that
INDUCED in at the times of which we
write.
For many reasons IL Is now deemed ad-
visablo to preserve, ut least in outward
Appearances u greater show of courtesy.
Though our journals are still open in
their announcement of men and measures
OF the opposing faction, IL is certainly q
fact that few, If any, reputable news
papers of the present day would launch
forth such bold invectivos, such wholesale
condemnation, such barbed sarcasms, as
seem in earlier times to have formed tho
daily or tri-weekly food Of the people.
Strange it is that this same impoitic
course appears in no wise to have affected
the standing Of the paper.
In those stirring times newspaper,
published oft times at night in secret
cerned, and distributed by secret agents
meant proportionately more to the reader
than could bo possible for n journal of
the present day, published openly, with
every assistance of improved mechanical
aids and the support Of men of wealth
and influence. Those adventurous spirits
of the press whose journals weathered tho
wars of the revolution and 1912 cannot
fail to elicit from all praise for the valor-
Gus defense of those principles for which
they risked even life itself.
While in the Charles street house with
numerous distinguished men and fellow
defenders of the press, Gen. Lingan was
surprised and overpowered by the mob,
whose inhuman treatment Of their aged
victims seems almost without q parallel.
After being crushed until life was almost
extinct, the general and his comrades
were hurled down a flight of stone stairs,
when their inhuman torturers followed,
trampling upon and beating this half
dead mass Of humanity. cutting them in
the hands and face with knife thrusts,
opening the eyelids quivering in the last
awful agonies of death, and dropping on
the naked eyeball heated candle grease;
tar bIottins bhg and biSrrinS every feature
beyond recognition. Tho mnngled corpse
of Gen. Eingan was then thrown out Of
the building, and lay through tho long
hours of night and far into the following
day upon tho bare earth, like that Of
some dishonored felon or uncared-f for,
soulless dog. When tho scorching rays
Of the nonntide sun were streaming down
upon the remains Of the poor old man,
who had so brayely met his death,
his disfgured body was obtained
by relative and removed for burial No
had hA l.. ,,st. \
the manner of the same become known
through the press than the citizens of
Montgomery county, in accordance with
suggestion contained in the journals,
put on mourning for their beloved chief,
with the avowed determination to wear
the same until his murder should have
been properly avenged. The following no.
tice, heavily bordered in black and clipped
from the Philadelphia Register, was copied
in the Georgetown papers.
MoRTUARY.
Another of our Revolutionary Heroes is no
more
GEN. LINGAN
Who faithfully served throughout the War of
independence in defense
of the
Liberty of the Press,
One of the privileges which his yalor helped to
purchase,
Was murdered by mob
in the
City of Baltimore,
July 2S, 1912.
Honor to his ashes. Peace TO his soul
The funeral services were advertised to
take place Sept. l, at IL a. M, at the
church of tho Rev. Mr.. Addi,on, in pur-
suance Of the meeting held nt the Union
taven on tho 7th instant The church
here referred to is st. Johns Episcopal
church, situate on the corner of o and
Thirty-third streets. Subsequently it was
found necessarylto alter this arrangement,
as the accommodations of the building
were inadequate to hold the number of
persons who had signihed their intention
to attend the funeral. A shady eminence
was chosen on the suburbs of the town.
Hero was spread among the trees the
marquee of Washington. Deserted and
silent were the streets, with the old.time
Sabbath quiet rheshops were draped in
mourning and business suspended for the
day. 10 the sound of tolling bells tho
tovnspeoplo wended their way to the
spot chosen Where should be rendered the
last solemn. rites and utterances of re-
spect for the lamented old hero. A new
vessel lying at the wharf, and owned by
Mr. Washington Beall, had boon named
the day previous in his honor, tho "Gen-
eral Lingan." Her eags were hung at half
mast, minute guns fired, and thus did tho
sorrowing multitude seek to do honor TO
tho memory Of one whom all loved and
revored. The exercises were opened by
prayer from the Rev. Mr.. Addison,
aIter which was delivered tho funeral
Grafton by George Washington Parke
Custis. This was montionedI later as a
nasterful effort on his part and drew
tears from THO eyes Of all present. Tho
services then concluded with prayer by
the Rev. ID. Balch. In the records Of the
obsequies published at that time, it is
stated that the military present we're
there in direct opposition 10 the known
and expressed wishes of President Madi-
son. Some even 20 so far as to state that
in many instances, when this request be-