The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-05-30
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
Firing a Salute to Logan on the White
House Grounds and What Came
of It-Going for the Post
masters, &c, &c.
WAsHrseroN. d. C., May 26th, 1885.

WASHINGTON, D. c., May 26th, 1885.
Editors Union There were several comica
and strange sides to the midnight salute that wai
fired in the White House grounds, just below the
White House and but couple of hundred yards
from President Cleveland's window, about one
o'clock ON the morning of the goth inst, in honor
of the re- election of Gen. Logan to the U. 5. Sen
ate, which took place the day previous by the
Illinois Legislature. First, that it should have
been fired at so unusual an hour, little past mid
night, awakening all the babies in the city and
frightening the nervous women and children,
making the former actually think that the world
had come to an end as the sounds of the success
sive discharges went reverberating over the city
like horrible thunder disturbing the nights still
ness and re-echoing from house sides and tops, or
sounding as though the "enemy were then at the
gate" and bombarding the city preparatory to
regular and genuine assault upon it. But 1t was
strange that any one would have the hardwood to
essay to fire salute on such an occasion 80 near
to the Presidents residence and right "under his
nose" as it were. Was the President Republic
can? Could it be thought that he would relish
hearing the news of the election of q Republican
Senator after such long contest in the Illinois
Legislature? And to come there to fire salute
in honor thereof right under his window, awaken
ing him from his quiet dreams, as was the Turk
awakened from his to hear the cry of "They GOMEZ
stances would seem somewhat similar, and who
would have the hardihood to do it? Was it not
quite impudent?
But the denouement of this strange midnight
affair. 1t caused the utmost wonderment, and
with many people indignation, that it should have
been done. 1t was all the talk of the city the
next day, and still the wonderment continued as
to who did it. Was it Alfred P. Cunningham and
VIM. Lee who did it with their "little cannon"
fhau I'm
commandant of the arsenal here, as the latter did
not know chow it would go with the administra-
tion," but did obtain from ga man at graveyard
meetingp Yes, the police found out who did it,
and those two gentlemen, the former especially a
very enthusiastic admirer of Gen. John A. Logan,
appeared in the police court before Judge Smell,
on last Saturday morning, on the charge.
But now the somewhat comical part of the
actors in the courtroom. Mr.. Cunningham
testified that he was wholly responsible for the
firing; that he had obtained permit from Com
missioner Vests son, and permission to use the
grounds from Col. Rockwell. The Judge said that
Commissioner Vests son was not Commissioner
West himself, and he would receive the permit to
fire the salute for what it was worth, which after
wards proved to be nothing. The leader of this
nefarious affair of firing salute at the dead hour
of the night for the election of Gen. Logan then
proceeded to detail how he, with lame horse, at
tempted to drag the cannon to the place intended
to do the firing, but met with many obstacles
that, although he started early in the evening, it
was that late Tor early) hour before he reached it
he being, however, too 'chuck full of euthusi-
asm' to desist or be thwarted. Mr.. Padgett, the
prosecutor, asked him if he did not think of the
babies the firing of the salute would awaken. He
replied that he had ga baby at home, year DID,
who got up and instead of being frightened he
haloOed for Jacky" But the Judge said that
the accused's enthusiasm, although no doubt
honest and of good intent, was not an excuse for
violating the law, which was intended to protect
citizens against danger and the jar of conclusion,
and fined each of the defendants FIVE dollars, TAX
ing their personal bonds and releasing them.
The First Assistant Postmaster General return
ed to this city from Aiken, S. Co. on last Saturday
morning, much improved in health. He has
taken possession of his Office and already the axe
has begun heavily to fall among the postmasters
of the fourth class in Virginia, no less than from
fifty to eighty being discharged in one day. tits
said that after all the Malone postmasters in Vir-
ginia have been turned out, and there is to be a
clean sweep of them, the attention of the First
Assistant will be turned to Ohio, the political ex-
igencies of that State requiring it, and then pos
sibly to Indiana or some other State where the
same political necessity will exist. Senator Cor
man will probably soon have a consultation with
the above officer and then no doubt plan of pro-
cedure with regard to making changes In that
class of offices in Maryland will be Formulated
Until such conference probably the postmasters
of that State may rest easy.
Washington, in her way, or possibly should
say they always come this way, can produce as
many "cranks" as any other place in the United
States, and of such was Robert 0dlum, who went
from this city to New York last week to jump off
the Brooklyn bridge, as an experiment or athletic
feat, and killed himself. Personally, he was a
very genial fellow and a resident of this city,
where his mother and sisters still live, almost
grieved to death by his foohardiness. ANON.