Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-12-07
AT THE HOME OF MALONE.
from the New York SUM-


Rising couspicuously in the midst ct the
desoate grass grown Confederate cemetery
at Petersburg, Va, is the vault Of Senator
William Malone Il is a massive granite
structure that in its proportions remluds the
visitor from New York somewhat OF the
resting place of John Anderson, the tohac
conist, iu Greenwood Cemetery. Two child
reu of the Senator, little boy and little
girl, are the only occupants OF the tomb.
There is well.b beaten path that leads from
old Bandford Church through the civic
cemetery of the town, and out along the
slopes of the Appomattox river (the bloody
Appomattox is the way the natives of Pc
tersburg speak off to the Senator's pros
pective burial place. The path was made
by curious visitors; for next TO the crater,
that jagged hole in the ground, so replete
with dreadful memories, the personality OF
Mahoue is the most interesting thing in the
vicinity of Petersburg to strangers. In TACT,
strangers connot separate Malone from the
crater As they explore the workings of
Grants mine they are told how Malone,
dressed in a knit Jacket, with his trousers
rolled up to his knees reformed the dismay
ed Confederates and retook the crater. 1t
was Malone who said: "Boys, these men
are federal troops, and we must respect the
usages of war. I know its hard, but we
must stop the slaughter" Aud he stayed
the bloody work of the Confederates, who
we're lying along the outside of the excava-
tion lighting bombs, and casting them over
among the negro soldiers inside.
AS the visitor follows the thirty miles of
entreuchment that stretched around Peters.
burg he is told that here Malone did this
and there Malone did that. The proper
title of Fort He'll and Damnation is Fort
Malone. In fact, Malone, notwithstand-
ing his erratic political course, in which few
of his white neghbors followed, is still liked
and respected for his war history, and the
history of Petersburg is indissolubly linked
with his name.
Malone himself, Notwithstanding the Bit
terness of his old comrades in arms toward
him, is to-day prouder OF being an ex-con-
federate General than of anything else in
his checkered career. This feeling prompted
him to build his costly mausoleum among
the neglected graves Of his former soldiers.
1t is his fame as soldier, not as politician,
that he wants perpetuated. In every de.
tail of his life he retains the ex-confederate.
His long hair, shaggy beard and wide
ostentatious affection OF the typical south
phraseology of the soldier. He refers often
to his achievements as commander, and
the parlor of his home on Long Market
street is hung with paintings, by we'll
known artists, Of scenes and incidents
of the late rebellion. He has two busts
of himself modelled in the uniform OF 3
southern General, that he exhibits to
all visitors to his home, for Mahones
vanity is only equalled by his restless ambi-
ton. One of these busts in by Valentine.
1t was made just after the sculptor had fin
ished his recumbent figure of Gen. Robert
E. Lee, which is over the grave of Lee at
Lexington. The other bust was made by
New York's Irish chiseller, of mock-duel-
ling fame D. B. Sheahan. He and Mahoue
are great friends, and the latter declares
Sheahan's bust of him is much more salts
factory than that of Valentine. Sheahan
has given Malone a broad chest and a
frank, open countenance-just the opposite
of the original for Malone, whether in
conversation or in brown study. screws
his features up until his glittering, grayish.
blue eyes are buried in the mass of wrinkled
skin and shaggy eyebrows around them,
while his chest is as narrow as that OF a
Boston poetess. But the little General
points with pride at his bust, takes his
slouch hat off and claps it on the inanimate
imitation of himself, and, after preventing
Butler Malone, his hopeful son, from com.
pleting the representation by thrusting the
butt of cigar between the lips of the bust,
he generally proceeds to tell the story oil
! how the bust was made.
"That fellow Sheahan came here" is the
| way the recitations runs, with Johnny
| Wise. was in the midst of an active politi-
oal campaign, and when he wanted me to sit
for him told him had no time. Well, he
stayed around the house, and one day went
down to the river bottom and got barrel
of Appomattox mud, which he carried up to
the stable He watched me as passed iu
and out, and - me if, he didn't fashion
me out of mud, and then made that figure
you see there"
It was dreadful blow for Mahone's s as.
pirations when he went down so completely
before the shock of Fitzhugh Lees cavalry
he did not expect that John S. Wise would
be elected, but he never doubted that be
would carry the Legislature. Those whc
were nearest to him during the campaign
said that he spent $3.50. 900 ofhis own money
in order to be returned to the Senate. What
his political future will be it is difficult &c
say, but that he does not intend to leave
politics is evidenced by his reply when asked
the other day if he though of quitting the
political arena. He said:
| did you ever know a man to leave poll
tics when once he got into them."
| When asked if he intended to run in the
Fourth Congressional district, the Black
district, now represented by Brady, he said
II was urged to run for Congress when I wal