Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-11
GHOSTS At THE CAPITOL

Do you believe in ghosts? Do you wish to
collect a rich and rare stock of fiesh-creep-
ing spook stories? II so, HE yourself to
that great white building on the hill known
as the Capitol. give one of the blue-coated
guides an extra tip and he will take you
through the mazes Of that wonderful build
ing and regale you with enough dark tales
to last you lifetime. Or, IL they do not
satisfy you, pick acquaintance with one of
the seedy. hungry-loeking individuals you
will find at the foot of the grand staircase.
who ten to one is professional guide
also. and ask him to point out to you all
the haunted houses In the city and tell
you their weird histories. And either Of
these gentlemen will tell you what they
believe to be the plain. unvarnished truth.
The Capitol police have strange things to
tell about the uncanny doings in the vault
ed corridors after nightfall. The ghosts
they tell about are not simple, everyday
visitors from the land of the unseen, but
the shades OF distinguished men in the
nations history. The majestic spiritual ego
OF John Quincy Adams, once President Of
the United States; of Vice President Henry
wilson, Massachusetts statesman, and
OF Gen. John A. Logan, famous in field and
forum. are said to haunt by night the echo
ing halls where legislators tread by day.
When the redoubtable Andrew jackson
was fnaugurated, March 4, 1879, Adams re-
tired TOT a short while to private life. 1t
was not until February q, 1913, that he
DIED. He was at that time a Representa-
tlVe and his passing away was tragic
During session Of the House he suddenly
sl1pped from his seat to the floor. Apo-
plexy. the doctors said. He was borne to
room near by. where not many hours
later he died, with but few murmured
words.
If moe MT Love- .e... A.. -
that there was whispering among the
omcials who took care of the Capitol build
ing AFTER dark that some one like unto the
oead Adams was seen nightly to pass out
VI tne speakers room, in which the ex-
PRESIDENT had died, into the House cham.
Der, which is now statuary hail. and wan
Ger about among the seats. 1t would pause
beside the chair occupied by Adams, then
gradually fade away into nothngness
After the seats were removed and statues
placed in the hall the change apparently
disconnected the distinguished ghost, for.
according to the best authorities, those who
Claimed to have seen the whole proceeding,
the shade of the statesman wandered
around and aroun1 the chamber, and final
~ passed out without apparently having
1ound his former place of daily occupation
BUT later small bronze tablet was in
serted in the floor, through the good Offices
OF somebody who felt sorry for the ghost,
upon the spot where John Quincy Adams
chalr used 10 stand and then it is said the
dence Of being once again at peace This
particular shade was seen on February u
last, and Is not expected again until that
date. - >'"s
what purported to be the ghost Of the
beloved Vice President is said to move ard
nave its ethereal being in the Vice Presi-
dents room, the marble room. where the
senators receive their callers, and in the
corrIoofs whereabouts. 1t was while in
the first named apartment that Mr., Wilson
was also suddenly visited by the angel
OF death. November 10. 1875, who remained
WIN WIN MIN until November -. when he died,
ailer three severe shocks of apoplexy
Ihe apparition supposed to represent this
poor man is occasionally declared to mani
TEST itself suddenly, as If evoluted out Of
the approach of mortal
The spirit Of Black Joe Logan is said to
make It's appearance at exactly twenty
minutes after II o'clock midnight. The
e ee,ii was at one time chairman of the
committee on military affairs, and out of
thls committee room he energies, taking
care to close the door after him, and Clides
swiftly swiftly down the corridor, to disappear
the most substantial OF all the CaniInI
ghosts, for there are numbers of persons
READY TO attest having witnessed his mvs-
ferrous passage through the gloomy hall.
but II does not take the actual appear-
ance of these shades to make the Csnitol
pace or grewsomeness and awe at night
IN the stiffness that pervades a door shut
ING at one end of the long building may be
iaintly heard at the other, and a step In
the rotunda will come back from all sides
with startling echoing. 1t is one of the
stories that'every night there is a sound in
one scrubbfng the marble floor and The
noise or water being thrown down on n 10
plainly audible Capitol officials tell of an
aged negro who used to be one of the
ago, and who, they say, performs his early
morning duties of washing up Just a few
hours before daybreak~ each day. This
snosuy INDIVIDUAL is the unseen terror of
al the negro iaborers who clean UP around
the Capitol, and they will not work with
out plenty Of hight on the subject.
II would give timid person the fright of
his life to walk across statuary hall at
midnight and in the dark In no place in
the vast building are the echoes SO strange
or so ghostly. There are a number of what
are called echo stones. by stepping upon
which and speaking one is astounded 70
hear his voice coming up apparently he.
neath his feet. 1t is a trick the guides have
or startling their customers by stepping he
nind some Pillar and. just at the moment
when the unwary tourist stands on a Ger.
tain stone, giving voice to a harsh and
sepuichral whisper that will reverberate in
gnostly accent close in his ear.
But the crypt Is the place 1ost suggestive
OF the powers Of darkness. Its influence
Is such upon nervous temperaments that II
would be serious matter with MANY to
venture to spend a night there alone. The
~. 10 loiu, as an instance, That once a
newly married CongreSsman's wife made
during her first visit to Washington, a trip
through the crypt with a number Of
friends. She became separated from her
friends In the gloom and lost her way.
When the party missed her search was
made and then given up upon the general
belief that the young woman must have
wandered out and gone home before them.
Next morning the party searched again,
and finally the Congressman's bride was
found In most secluded and dark cor
ridor, insensible. They never learned what
she experienced, because she was a raying
maniac. She afterward recovered, but she
was never asked to tell the story of that
Hateful night in the crypt. No ray of
natural light, no fresh air. has ever en-
tered into this crypt. 1t was once suggest
ed as the place for the last tomb of the
father OF his country, but the idea was
given up as Ridiculous