The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-03-12
The Pope's Stone.
An Incident in the Hi.tory of the WASH
ingtOn MOnument-Tbe Rape OF the
stone Attributed 10 Know Nothing.


Washington Star.l
The pope of Rome sent contribution to
the monument In the shape of a slab Of rich
marble, varleeated with veins of pink. This
slab, which was aOont 8 feet long. IS inches
wide and 9 inches deep, was placed, with
other Ike gifts, in a shed or lapldarlum
south of the structure, In which most Of
these stones received from foreign lands
were stored. The winter of 1858 was quite
a severe one and work bad no, been resumed
in March following. The day watchman
in the grounds was Mr.. George Hilton, and
be lived in the house since occupied as the
house. He had good watch dog, aud be-
sides a regular night watchman, Mr.. John
Stewart, was employed. At this time the
know nothing party here was blooming"
and there were large lodges in each Of the
wards Of the city. One OF them, IL was be-
lieyed, on account of the large number Of
people seen going into the stable at the cor
ner OF Tbirteeu-and ahalf and e streets,
met in that place. When on the morning
Of March it was found that the pope's
stone had disappeared, it was thought that
lut WOIk WAS DtdDucu LuhL COu0Cll OF
lodge, and persons reputed to belong to that
council were looked upon as the perpetrs-
tors. The report that the stone had been
carried away caused much excitement, and
every effort was made to get clue as to the
perpetrators. When inquiry was made 1t
was found that the watch deg had been
poisoned and the night watchman made
prisoner in his box by long line OF rope
being passed around 1t and securely fastened
He was found in this dilemma In the early
morning by the day watchman. The all
important question was where had the stons
been carried, and what bad become of II. 1t
was natural that the know-nothlugs should
be suspected, aud also to suppose that The
council or lodge meeting at 123 aud z streets
should have done the job. Indeed, when
in a few weeks the following words were
sung on the street, to the tune of "Jordan
am Hard Road to Travel" the suspicious
against the know-nothings were strength
ened:
''Oh. the pope of Rome
He sent q stone,
To be placed in the monument accordin.
But kn0w-nothiDgs thought it best
Not to let it rest,
But pitch it on the other side Of Jordan
Rewards were offered and the police
worked up every clue without success,
though at one time they were confident as 10
one or two persons having had hand In
the act, but could get no tangible evidence
against them. Notwithstanding the efforts
made from time to time there never has
been any reliable Information obtained.l The
secret both as to the participants In the af-
fair and the disposition of the stone has been
well kept. 1t has been stated varlously that
the act was committed by Bsltimoreans;
that il was the work of navy yard people and
that the men were selected from several
parts Of the city, but the statement most
generally received was the following:
Less than dozen persons, some of them
reputed members of the know-nothings,
composed the party, and they we're bound
by pledges not to betray one another. They
started out simply for the purpose of doing
something big, and after midnight they
went to the monument grounds, poisoned
the dog, tied the watchman in his box, broks
openth shed, placed the stone on = hand
truck, ran it down ravine, southwest OF
the structure, to the river shore, where 10
was placed on sand boat. Lar &c spalls Of
it having been knocked off, the boat was
poled out TO the channel, when the stone
was heaved overheard. When the marauders
returned 10 the shore some OF the party
rolled the truck back aud they then sepa-
rated. Altohugh many attributed the act to
the know-nothine party many persons re-
puted to be members of the party disap.
prove OF it and have always claimed that IL
was simply an attempt of irresponsible par
ties to do something that would make q
noise in the world. If those who had the
credit of this deed were really the guilty
parties there is coed reason TO believe that
this theory is correct. Some Of those thought
to have been in the job soon afterwards
turned out badly. Five of them were arrest
rested for crime which seut all bat one,
who jumped his bail to the penitentiary,
The reputed leader was said to have gone to
Texas and TO have assumed another name,
under which he served as field officer in one
of Sherman's regiments during tue war.
Another died in prison, and it is now thought
that but Que survivor Of the depredating
party lives in the district.