The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-12-23
AMERICAN VANDALS.
y,,.r.crursT OF THE Ca<rTAL's
WORKS o. Art.
Fingers and Toes stolen from INC
~fatut~s by visitors Possessed OF
the Collector Fad-Pisees shipped
Prom the Carpets n7o
of the white Eouss-A Woman
Who Tried To snip Lock OF
Haby Ruth's Hair an souvenir

WASHINGTON. De-. = spsetal---Fe~
- reelsas,ss Of ne csSital. or who
= 49, hzvs not visited here, can unctr-
800 me rst ateoas Indignation tAAt ii4sal
- breasts OF the people % bis city a
~ ryoso~lf.on 90 use tAe rpAgniHeent Rev
fghrarv bagsdgrg. on Capitol El!i, = haea 4sas
.sasf 8 90 90 and is unsurpassed p a1.s-
<hsng n this Western word, as a pace 4Ss
hsgsInx the Inaugural ball IN aon0f q
President Mckinney. -
>r7sa ~zsperb TnagnIseeuce OF tbs oGlt1-
sry bursting IN al fts glory upon the
49, Of the visitor on first entering the
grand rofunaa il IN Itself an appeal uot
- he delivered over 20 the vandalism OF
efeh z mob az Bnfeeilng ard soulBsss Ieo-
NE a. ezosf5snce. IN the past mas SHOWN
are regular attendants upon the qaa9-
Tenntsi naticuai balls
vandalism seems a very harsh word TO
aupgy 20 people dressed faultlessiy IN the
most fashionable attire, who are able 70
gay SO each for an .nfrance ticket Yet
there L. no other word which all express
the seemingly insane desire u people VINO
come from abroad upon such OCCASIONS,
and even % people wa0 reside here con-
flnualiy. 70 possess some little souvenir OF
any event that is likely 70 become mat
ter % history. Il was well that TIE pen
sion building was chosen for the event.
The homes Of many people IN this city
contain collections OF al sorts 81 odds and
ends OF utterly valueless articles which
have been gathered here and there from
historic scenes or dwellings. As such
things are not 70 be had for the asking.
these collections. IN nine cases out Of ten.
represent the fruits Of some ones steal
ting. II must be hy no means understood
that the person possessing these worthless
- - kfa4s. TAI
cause Of The place from which they came.
themselves do the stealing On the con-
trary IN most cases they have paid good
round prices fOr them 20 those people y no
dld steal them; ard there are collectors
IN this city who make a business Of SUP
plying such historic relies 10 people who
can ind no better use for their money.
who are. and who know themselves 20 be.
receivers OF stolen goods
II one cannot possess the whole Of any
article 81 historic value. the next best
thing a. piece 81 II. and here is where
the yandai and thief or Washington
thrlyes and fourlshes. lie finds il easy
20 chip pieces on the stone steps OF the
capitol of the corner Of the Washington
monument. and from the great gilt frames
that surround the magnificent oil paint
fngs. from the lace curtains in the exec
utive mansion. or even from the upholstery
upon tho furniture IN the presidential par
ioFs A glass pendant from the great
chandeliers in the east room OF the White
House Is considered an especial prize
probably because they are placed so high
above the heads % the crowds that only
one Or two persons have succeeded in oh
saining one OF these coveted pendants
Removed from their place. these pendants
differ in no wise from those which enclr-
Gle an ordinary $50 hanging lamp: but n
y has once hung within the Whistle House
wallis. il becomes Immediately. like Kati-
shsw's elbow a thing worth travelling
miles 20 see.
Thousands OF dollars have been spent IN
renewing curtains. carpets and upholstery
" the White House that would never have
been necessary had u not been for the
penknlves OF audaclous yandals Who flock
"a the Capital city upon all occasions OF
public moment and carry home with them
for themselves or their families. some me-
mento Of their visit. How "A person can
exhibit piece Of lace curtain. or a bit OF
velvet carpet. and declare that he or she
obtained them from Mrs Cleveland's mar
Tors. when u must be known 10 everyone
that they could only be had by mutation
or the noor covering or draperles. is hard
90 understand. but people do IL. in free
America. by the hundreds every year.
Even thu vast collection OF aluable
hrle-a~ hrac, works Of arr and relies Of prn-
historsc ages IN the Smithsonian gnstlfnfin,
ana m The National Museum are not free
from these attacks Exnerienef his
taught the government that n = necss-
sAfy 10 maintain n large force OF guards
IN those buildings. These keen caref,it
watch upon every article that ruial,t he
stolen or even defaced Pcople are NOT
searched when they enter these places hut
their canes and umbrellas are taken away
hand upon anything IN the building and
he will find guarf standing immetiateiv
hy MS side who warns him that that IL
not permitted
- Tar as possible everything o. any CON
siderable value II kept IN glass cases pfth
she doors always locked In dozens ~
places are 20 De seen framed notices call
ing attention 20 an aet OF congress vsbieh
provides a penalty az s. o0a fine and A
years Imprisonment FOR tho stealing -
anything from either museum. In splfo
81 All thege Precautions and yvarrfoes
however. scarcely "a year passes THAT tbera
are nor hair aoEe0 thcfts discovered
snd whenever one can Pc traced "a viear-
our prosecution and fun puuis ment fsi.
lows
President Cleveland has been greatly
cenSured hy many people because, IA. has
closed all the gstes TO the magnificent
selnl-eirculEr grounds 20 the SOUTH ~ tha
waite House. and has excludes sha r,t,h
bic from chem except on oc-a~.aor w.,
ire Marine Rand has given concerts
Therein No other president ever fs8 .hf-
ant fhe lowlieet citizen ~ the nation
might 81 al times 80 Within tha hsas,
ef the magnificent svcarnorss at ANY hour
~ the tav. wiuter or summer and es.to,.
FseN ~ one * the prcttiesf nf marks
"ifh 80 green lawns fountains an3 waRrr
,,'sas that any nation has EivcH - gladden.
TIE eye 81 rs niece houo-ef citizen
u Is perhaps uot geusraIfv koew.~ v-,,-
Mr.. cleveland came - close th, gate.
@ad make these Public lawns ana walks
private 0Hcs II VS. fua 20 one ~ fhe-o
SELF same NRudsls ale TIRE Slime "A hen tstfIs
haiA was being fvun3lesi ehaut in "A
wicker hatv carrlaxr hy Rer saffbf,sl
nurse Mauy ladies s-su'a So, % th.. Nt-,f,s
House grounds 50 tire afternoon I'm th.
0af@ ~ cstcaire q sfEht ~ che t.r..s tts
ha@s aad there waE 40 erorf 90 check
thas apo0 adenlrattau uatH one 8a,- .
woman. wao had several ttfurz ssfr.-.,3
TIE nnst Narm pr1tss far tha hetssfs ara
tftshtnnes of tstie RC:h. stternptrsf az "a
r'7nent when 20 nuYs-'s back vss
fafaed to r.ip fFam the Infants heaa "a
}aex ~ ner siIA~a hsfr
Thai settled %. Fra-a tAst 4sV =, .tts
f3ss sf@unae have heen CLOSED ire ssrasf-
dents p 71i-N takes l.s as.fGrt d. ssfst.ts
taefo are ROW aA assaY r5ir>rs as ,-htssf.,
aH& 49, macy usissesncr as eaar. ara
ntrNez- AZ aDRrtatfsf Wffh o. A.,-,h ss4,.,i.i
st&sd ss good a show of getting sn 60 fhs
rear - tae WAITE House noN a~ a usei'
dsr*ses' weesuan STA pai~ 90 s-.a-e~s
tRne eH1id So &c es1aeu2as of ssc-. 80 a e--ss
~aa3alsesa cteilsstead ar8 a.s-asas~s e.,-
VISITORS "a IRIS -sv Ts.a yR..t.....--...
rssowrnent p0sesshiv svws-x r.sra sss- s-,
ssefHar SfFsfsNHre Na>atrss % "a ss-- -.,s b. 4.