The Washington critic., 1885-12-28
How 1t Was that Bob TOOmbS Left
the Georgia University.
DRINKING AT THE CAPITAL.
The Historic Mansion in Which Justice
Field Resides.
HoME-LovING STATESMEN.
How Professional Entertainer Makes
Good Living.

dences in Washington, the one most
historic, says the correspondent of the
Kansas City Times, is the present home
of Justice Stephen j. Field of the Su.
preme Court. When the Capitol was
burned by the British in August, 1914,
there was an immediate pressure for
the removal of the National Capitol to
some other city. To prevent this the
leading citizens of Washington pur-
chased lot and erected upon 1t (at a
cost of S30,O0O) building for the i'm
mediate accommodation of Congress.
1t was completed and leased by Con
gress December 4, 1915, at an annual
rent of 81 500, and here the legislative
sessions were held until the Capitol was
rebuilt and ready for occupation.
During the late war this building was
more than ever famous as the Old Cap
itol Prison. IL is now transformed
into three modern residences, owned
respectively by General Dunn, former
judged advocate general of the army;
the Hon William NJ Evarts, now Sen.
ator and eX-Secretary of State, and
Justice Stephen j. Field. In the por-
ton of the block now owned by Judge
Field, Henry Clay presided as Speaker
of the House during n period when
American statesmen and American or
atory enforced worldwide renown.
The particular spot in which the
Speakers chair then stood may
still be designated. 1t is at the head Of
the staircase leading to Justice Fields
library and facing the present front
hall. Immediately in front of the
house President James Monroe was in
augurated with great brilliancy March
4, 1912. In the year 1888 one of the
rooms was occupied as a studio by
Luigi Persico, who executed here in
plaster the group known as columbus
and the Indians" which now stands in
marble on the pedestal to the left as
| you enter the main east entrance to the
Capitol. When this building was given
| up by the Government it was converted
into fashionable boarding house, kept
| first by Mrs. Lindenberger and after
ward by Mr.. Henry Hill. 1t was es-
| pecially popular with the Southern
| Representatives. Daniel Webster,
John G. Calhoun and many other dis
| tinguished Americans spent their win
| tiers here, and in the rooms now occu-
| pied as a parlor Mr.. Calhoun died.
| Soon after the beginning of the late
war the Government took possession
of this building again. 1t then became
| the old Capitol prison, and entered
upon period of its history over which
it would be both wise and well, were it
| possible to drop the curtain of oblivion.
AS the home Of Justice Field this noted
| building is again as honorcd as in the
old days when the great men Of Amer
lea first made it famous and lived and
moved within its walls The two most
attractive apartments of the present
| dwelling are in the addition erected a
| few y ears ago. One on the first floor
and to the right as you enter, is the
| family sitting-room, which opens on
one side into charming conservatory,
looks out from vine-covered bay.win.
dow into private grounds and leads
from an opposite door into the dining
room and hall. Immediately over this
sitting-room is the judges library and
study-where the eminent iurist spends
many laborious hours in formulating
and preparing the legal opinions which
have won for him the admiration and
respect of the whole country.
Nv
The story that Robert Toombs when
youth was expelled from the Uni
versity of Georgia "for fighting" has
been generally accepted as true. But
| Colonel r. Nj. Johnson of Baltimore,
who happens to have some knowledge
| of the facts, says that it Is not true He
has written the following correction:
while student of the university,
being then IA years old, he was dis
covered one night by tutor of the
university playing cards with one of
his fellows, 1t had so happened that
| Cobb, his guardian, who resided in the
town of Greensborough in an adjoin-
| ing county, was in Athens, the seat of
the university. His ward, foreseeing
the result of his case being reported to
the faculty, applied for a letter Of dis
missal and obtained it. This he pre-
sented early next day to the president,
DR.. Moses Waddell, who gave him in
due form the papers asked for. General
| Toombs used to tell of brief inter
view held between DR.. Waddell and
himself, when, later in the day, they
met on the college campus. Robert
Toombs,' said the Doctor, you took
the advantage of me this morning, Sir,
/ did not know then, as the tutor told
me afterwad, that he had caught you
playing cards DIR. Waddell, ans
wered the freeman, you may as well
remember that you are now speaking
not to n student of your university, but
10 an American citizen"
~
The correspondent of the Cleveland
Plaindealer is informed by q leading
and long-established restaurant keeper
that there is not as much whisky and
brandy sold over the bar in Washing
ton now rs there was when the city
had only $1,000 inhabitants. Ten years
ago guests at hotels would see wine on
nearly every other table. Now, in a
large dining room Of hotel guests
scarcely half dozen bottles of claret will
be noticed. A great many who write
about the immense punch bowls at
private social entertainments never
were invited there to see punch bowl
or soup plate either, At New Year s
the serving of liqnors is the exception,
once it was the universal custom. AS
to drunkenness, more of it Is seen on
the streets of Western city in
day than here in one week.
There are frequent instances of striking
dissipation that are more noticed than
ordinarily, because the inebriates may
chance to be prominent men or lega-
tion ottaphos The ,nlnin fact ia there