Evening star., 1896-12-12

| reason why the building is not suitable fol
| the purposes of an inaugural ball is found
| in the fact that the serving Of refreshments
would require kitchen facilities which could
out decided injury.
| These many considerations are betne
talked about with lively interest by every
one who is concerned in preserving in theil
| integrity the beauty of the public buildings
| in the city, and especially of that most
| beautiful and modern OF them all, the one
| constructed as q home for all time of the
| library that 1t is designated to make the
| greatest in the world.
| Judge KimbalPs Experiences.
Judge Kimball. who has perhaps had
more experience dealing with cases of van
dalism in the public buildings during recent
years than any other official. thinks the
| inaugural ball should not be held in the
| new library building. So many people who
come here from a distance, he says, have
insane designs to write their names on
| statuary and the pretty marble and works
\ of art that he feels certain the new build
| ing would be terribly disfgured Not only
| do SO many have the desire to write their
| names, but they also desiie to break and
| carry away mementoes from the public
buildings. These acts OF vandalism have
| by no means been csnflHed to the ignorant
class, but, on the contrary, most of the
persons arrested have been persons of in
| telligence. IT, with the ordinary number
| the watchmen are unable to afford the
necessary protection, the judge does not
know to what extent the work Of destruc-
| tion might be carried on with several thou
sand people in the new building.
The Laws Ample.
The laws intended to afford the necessary
protection are deemed ample, there being
| both District and United States statutes to
cover the acts Of vandals. The United
States statute provides against the destruc-
| tion mutilation or injury of any statuary,
monument work of art standing or being
on land not owned by the person so Offend
ing. and provides a penalty OF not more
than ninety days imprisonment and fine
of 500. But most prosecutions are brought
under the District law, an act of July 20,
1902. This reads
"Be 1t enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled. That it
shall not be lawful for any person or per-
sons to destroy, injure, disfigure, cut, chip,
break deface, or cover, or rub with or
otherwise place filth or excrement of any
kind upon any property. public or private,
In the District of Columbia, or any public
or private building. statue. monument.
office. dwelling or structure Of any kind, or
which may be in course of construction, or
the doors. windows. steps, railing, fencing.
balconies. balustrades, stairs, porches, or
halls. or the walls or sides, or the walls of
any inclosure thereof; or to write, mark, or
paint obscene or indecent words or Ian
guage thereon, or to draw, paint, mark. or
write obscene or indecent figures repre-
senting obscene or indecent objects; or to
write, mark draw or paint any other sign,
or figure thereon, without the consent of
the owner or proprietor thereof. or, in case
charge thereof, under a penalty of not more
than $50 for each and every such offense.
The Practice of Writias Names.
In most of the public buildings the prac-
tice of writing names Is carried on to a
great extent and the YandRls invariably
select the handsomest and most costly
stones or walls on which to do this writ
irg. Very few of these violators OF law
have been arrested durilg recent years,
but quite number of peTeons who wanted
to carry away pieces OF the Washington
monument have found their way to the
Police Court. These sSfol6tofss are invar17
ably visitors, and some Of Them were prom
inent citizens at their homes. A New York
lawyer once paid a fines for chipping g
piece of marble from thes shaft, and only
a. few weeks ago visiting minister from
New Jersey fell In the hands of the officers
He was here on his wedding trip. and in
court he blamed his wife for what he had
done. r. E-A
She wanted relic in the form of piece
Of the marble, and the husband obligingly
used his umbrella to disfgure the big shaft.
But he fared no better than offenders who
were supposed to be less intelligent, for
cases of this kind, and fined him SO These
are only two of the many cases in which
well-known people have figured as vandals.
and Judge Kimball, as Wen as the police,
can see no reason why others should not
follow in their footsteps.
In other buildings, especially the National
Museum and the Smithsonian, the men on
guard are kept busy at all times to prevent
away mementoes of their visit to the ma
tional capital.
Vandalism at the White House.
Officers on duty at the White House and
at the Washington monument, as well as
at other public buildings where crowds
congregate, are almost unanimous in the
opinion that constant vigilance is the only
safeguard against vandalism. AS one vet
eran employed put 1t, You have to watch
everybody, and even then you can't always
prevent them from picking up some little
thing as relic and walking off with it,
Col J. M: Wilson, the officer in charge Of
public buildings and grounds, has repeated
ly called attention to the acts of vandal-
ism at the White House and the Washing
ton monument, and has asked for authority
for the employment of more watchmen to
look after the latter structure. He told
Star reporter this afternoon that he couldn't
understand at all why people honest and
well meaning in every otfier respect can
not apparently withstand the temptation
of taking relics and souvenirs from public
buildings without regard to the conse-
ouences.
The colonel was in a hurry when Star
man saw him this afternoon, and said he
had only time to say in general way
that he had done all in his power to pro-
tect the White House and the other pub
lie buildings In his charge from vandalism,
but had never entirely succeeded.
Suffered From Relic Hunters.
The White House and the monument in
particular had suffered from the thought
lessness of relic hunters. The furniture
and curtains in the east room were be-
ing constantly tampered with. Many
pieces had been cut from the hangings, and
it was common praetice for visitors to
try TO unscrew the ornamental nobs on the
chairs and sofas.
Damage to the Monument.
The Washington monument he said, had
also suffered severely from vandalism, in
spite of the efforts to prevent It,
The majority. Of the exquisite memorial
stones have been broken or otherwise dam
aged. All the raised letters on the Nevada
tablet have been taken away and all but
one of the raised letters On the Swiss tab
let. This damage was repaired as well as
possible. Visitors were constantly clip
ping pieces from the Monument outside
and in. Observation-Disclosures the watchmen
could do to prevent it.