The times., 1899-02-05
GLOOMY CRYPTS
UNDER THE CAPITOL
Legends Connected With the
Subterranean Halls.
Visited by the Shades of Departed
congressman.
Where Phantoms of Orators of ny
gone Days Meet to Discuss
Old-Time Measures.

Rome has its Sistine vaults, Paris its
catacombs. London its Tower dungeons.
and Washington its Capitol crypts. And
not the least interesting OF these are the
Capitol crypts.
The crypts OF the Capitol are located In
the subterranean chambers in the fourth
subcellar of the building. Here one is
buried in the very bowels of the earth and
far from the light and air OF the distant
surface.
After descending six or seven stone
stairways. each damper and more chilly
than the preceding one, the crypts are
reached. These consist of 4 long row OF
arched vaults. black gloomy. mysterious
and unexplored- string OF narrow
echoing corridors connects the crypts. and
so intricate are the corridors in their
windings and turns that they form per-
feet maze and the visitor can lose him
self within n very few minutes.
Strange tales and eerie legends are at
tached to the crypts. Here in years gone
by visitors have been lost and only found
after they had become skeletons or raving
maniacs. Here ghosts and goblins and
spirits have been heard by mortal ear and
seen by mortal eye. and here the dripping
of blood and the clank OF chains have been
witnessed and echoed.
1t is a kindly old legend which holds
that the spirits of the nlustrious great who
have sat as legislators in the Capitol are
attracted to the building after death. and
through all the years these spirits still sit
and legislate and crate as of old. IL is re-
lated that the House and Senate of the
spirits are located in the crypts and that
nightly sessions are held in the ghostly
corridors and vaults. Some ancient Capitol
employees even relate the details of won
drous sights which they have witnessed in
the crypts. and are willing to back their
| tales by affidavit.
1t is said that John Quincy Adams pre-
sides over the ghostly sessions of spirit
| Legislators This honor has been conferred.
| according to those who have seen things"
! because of the fact that John Quincy
| Adams died in the building while en-
| gagged in his labors.
On almost any night save Sunday say
those who are learned in things pertaining
| to the mysterious crypts OF the Capitol
| any mortal who dares descend to the
crypts may witness history repeating it
| self Here the Senate sits in solemn exec
utive session over the Client Treaty. Here
Webster replies in immortal language to
| Hayne- Here the scene between
| Preston Brooks and Sumner Is
re-enacted. The civil rights bill is fought
out nightly. Blaine and Ben Hill OF
4
\ with oratory again. Matt II. Carpenter OF
Wisconsin makes his fiery and passionate
! appeals to his colleagues. and above all
| the tough old Andrew Johnson reigns with
a rule OF iron.
Here the departed legislators OF CEN
tury enact or defeat proposed legislation
and it is said that they could give their
living successors many points They are
not hampered by the fears OF defeat at the
polls or the terrors of the Congressional
Record" and they always succeed them
selves.
Nor are these the only inhabitants OF the
erypts- 1t is said that the wraiths OF many
women may be seen parading the muzty
dark corridors, wriuging their hands and
wailing. Legend has it that once upon a
time a fair young bride who was visiting
the Capitol with her happy young hu banI
accepted a dare to explore the crypts alone.
The challenge was intended as a joke but
the young bride determined that she
should not be held up to ridicu!e. and. tax
ing a lighted candle. she started on into
the mysterious space of black. Her foot
steps echoed along the hollow arches AMI
she fearingly ran on until she Became be-
wildered in the turns and twists. \ sud-
den draught of air eXtinguished the can
die. and she was left in the blackness CT
the crypts. She was several hundred yards
from her starting place. and when the hor-
ror of her situation dawued uIon her she
was frantic. How long she wandered
around in the darkness is not tod. but it is
related that she was found by a party OF
guides who were hunting for her several
days later. She as dying and was 4 raw
ing maniac.
Fer many years the crypts were a famous
visiting place for honeymoon parties but
the custom has gradually passed. and they
are now closed except to special
parties who obtain passes. The light OF
day has never entered the crypts since the
foundation of the old Capitol was laid
nearly century ago, and the place is
now a mass OF black mold. Some day
when the crypts are lighted and explored
many strange things may be brought TO
light and many legends destroyed, but now.
as for a century. they shelter the
fond spirits of the legislators who have
passed away, and mayhap some shrewd
stenographer may obtain some new light
on the history before the ghost Congress
is relegated to ''innocuous desuetude."