Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-02
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS
The Baltimore Massacre Nearly a
Century Ago.
~ GEoRGETowN MAN KILLED.
ecu Linrsp's Remarkable Csr~cr-His Res
fdence In Old Geor.etowp-His Connection
With the Federal Repubucso-Driven From
Baltimors-Attacked in Jail by the Mob.


unjust laws are speedily denounced and the
free spoken press with its condemnation Of
some governmental pn'!cy is spread broadcast
throughout tie most4iberal country on earth
how seldom We pause TO think of the struggle:
Of those who by pluck. energy and fearlcssaes.
gained FOR US this unrestrained liberty We nov
enjoy. And yet 1t has not been hundred
years since the people the mselves-the ores to
whom the blessings had been Lequoathed-be-
came sngercd at the utterances Of a news
paper. simply because they were not in unison
with their own thoughts. that an attack was
made upon the printing Office and the publish
ers and one of GeOrgetowns most valued citi-
zens ANONYMOUSLY massacred. dramatically
though the story reads. il is nevertheless true,
and there many in Georgetown yet whose
fathers have repeated TO them the following
story:
DORM OVER CENTURY AGO.
James McCubbin Iingan was born on the 3lst
day Of May 179l. in Hartford county, Maryland.
His father a descendan; of the famous Nc
Alphine family Of Ireland. and his mother also
boosted of honorable ancestry. Born In the
year and moath Georgetown was laid out, he
WINS destined to be closely Identified both with
her interests and her citizens Coming to the
new town at early age III search of employ
ment young Iingan soon located himself at
street between Market and Frederick and oppo-
site Scotch row. Here ne spent the long hours
of the day working among the dusty punches
for bis board and plitauce- The town prin-
cipal wharves were then Just below SD street,
and when the ships which carried the tobacco
10 foreign ports were loaded they sailed down
the western channel of the river between Ana
iosran Island and the Virginia shore. In 1905
this channel was destroyed by the construc-
tlon CT the causeway. When the Declare ton
OF N. m en-
of the American people Lingan threw
aside the steady commercial life he
was then leading. and with musket and
ammunition did more than his part of the work
that made the United Thirteen" a free and
independents power. He enlisted with the COM
pany of ritiemen formed In GeO-gTown. which
WINS soon transferred to Long Island and placed
unde- the command of Cen Lord STERLING.
On the 9th OF August, l116, a report reached
the Americans that the British were II motion
on the road leading along the coast from the
Narrows- A detachment under Lord Sterling
was immediately sent out TO meet them After
both sides had been reinforced by the arrival
OF new men the attack began though vastly
outnumbered the Americans held their own for
long time, and every foot of ground the in
yaders gained was fought for 20 the death.
Lingans bravery on this occasion was en-
Enthusiastically remarked upon by his superiOrs.
In those trying days when the British were
masters of New York and the blood-tbirsty.
mercerary Hessians hesitated TO do crime,
the prisons there were worse than bastlles, ami
the dark deeds perpetrated IN them made the
Americans fear them 80 that he fought with "a
desperation never known before or since.
Washington was brought III contact with Young
Lingan many times during the war and their
acquaintance ripened before the struggle WAS
over into genuine friendship When the gar
rison at Fort Washington on the Hudson was
overpowered and compelled TO surrender.
Lingan Cthen a general) with his associates was
removed to the PRISON ship Jersey. Faint from
his wounds and though suffering greatly from
fatigue he still Thought Of Others anu wien On
the death of one his companions coffin was
brought which proved to short and the guard
proposed to cut OF the head of the deceased
and put 1t In with the body, Lingan, tired at
the lndlgnIty about to be offered to a fellow
soldier, rose from his couch of pain and laying
MS hand on the corpse. swore lie would de-
stroy the first man WHO dared to mutIlate the
body of his friend
ATTACKING HIS CHARACTER
When the war was all over. the country a;
rest and Washington esiding as the peoples
father. the jealous enemies of Liagan, who
was now almost idolized by his toxnsmen. be-
gan their wsrk to injlre his hard-earned repu-
tation. and among the calumnles circulated
were certain published letters said to have
been written during the revolution and adj
dressed by the general 10 members Of his fam
ny. They we-e said TO have been captured
with his baggage during one of the engage
ments IL which he TOOK part. These letters
contained sentIment unfriendly to the cause
Of liberty The forgery was apparen; to all
who had served in the war, and II was never
believed the baggage OF the accused Lad ever
been taken Washington during his official
life refused TO notice these attacks bu.
when he returned TO privacy he gave
proof OF the absolute falsity of the
taie In lFSO Washington recognition OF
services rendered Lingan lie collectorship
OF customs Tor the port Oi Georgetown Az
IL that day the PresIdeH. did hot have the fill
ing up OF hundred tholsan,. o. more offices
Ae Position was ROT as .i~I1 LihCal. hen as II
HOW appears Though Ii gan Wa tar from
rich (st the time o. his lea.A his
property amounting In Va. &C. ~ only about
S',otDl Il was he honor attache,. TO the newly
created Office that made il acceptable to him
ne was TIE hrsi alderman tie historic old place
ever had. and his small authority WAS alyay,
exercised Ia a manner that pleased all On III.
appointment Ly Washington Of the three com
I-,s iOhers 10 call "a tie principal OBacrs Z:
iaa0 II Tie western section II The District and
Settle certain boundary questions L!uean VIE
oae OF those VINO met the THO and concessions
were made 20 the United STATES tuat we're any
tniit; but beneficial TO the patriot On resisa-
ing tie eo!iec;ors.Iip L4nsan engaged In the
business CT buying aa1 seili:S property, AID
TIE records ST. Ow HAT lie WAS bV uo mean, sIoyy
ia making sale OF transfer.
As An EDITOR.
In the first decade o. the present ca,tnrv
LinSan tired Of the employment he was ;heu
engaged II, and being q s:aanch federaEst
combined with Aiexandc, e. Uans,n aud
others and edited a. Baltimore the E,yleroI
L.lt'stttcGf. a SEee: whose differences were often
niOre than I;stls'esGl - the opposite proIa,-
neat political parts When Madison issued MS
VA. po.icy the Publishers of the paper Ii! all
That I'M. paper and type could do to preycn,
TIE people Tom siding with niIa. these artic,e.
So opposed 10 the Astilsouian wav Of thIukin.
Naturally Macc the editors from TN. u-,,-,ra5
SIDE the most listed OF men. At last Tier.
appeared. on June 20, ISL IN editorial de-
preciatnS III strong Terms the ,leclara.io,, AMI
oep.oriHS the w@r a ioOlh.rdy uatiertnLipc
On The part o. America. closing with th,.o
words: We are ayowedly hostile 10 the ,,ol;cv
OF Madison. and We shall never breathe I,nIe.
the dominion direct or ,!eriyat!ve Of Bo:,anarta
let IL De acknowledged when 10 Ilay. Lei ,hos,
who cannot openly adopt the expression alsn.
don u. and those who We shall cherish =.
friends and patriots worthy OF the nan, ;.
Broadcast throughout the city the issus MA.
distributed. and the publishers were carefnI
thai not only every Tederalist received one I'm,
that every follower of Madison should run hi.
eyes over these words
ArrACKISG THE PRINTING orrrcy
OF course the publication excited the grea.est
irritation throughout the city, and denuncia-
nons were heard on every side. The irrita-
ton soon deepened into anger. and ere long
the anger into rage The more the article was
sf.a a 81 -.