The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-25

pigeon Message.
have been a religious baby for she recog-
nized the statue Immediately and made a
peremptory demand for it. L want my
Jesus, she shrieked. and bless my eyes.
if the whole family didn't suggest that she
be allowed to hold it for a little while to
keep her quiet. | couldn't see any reason
for submitting to her demands, running
the risk Of having the statue broken, SO
| declined to accept their views. Then
there was pandemonium. The child yelled
and screamed like a demon. The women
in her train made remarks about the iu-
ability OF some people to pacity children,
| and well. lost the job of taking the
photograph"
What impressed me most in visit to
the Capitol the other day." said stran-
ger who, under the escort of a member OF
Congress. was viewing the interior of that
great building. was one figure in the old
House of Representatives, now, l hear.
called Statuary Hall. There are some fine
statues in that chamber, | presume,
though L am not posing as Judge of that
class of artistic work. but to my mind the
finest Of all. both in design and execution.
is the clock representing History Record
ing the Flight OF Time l feel almost hui
INFLATED to say that / had not heard of
this clock before-for ii must have fame
attached 10 it-but l never had and /
wonder that the thousands of people who
had looked at it only for the purpose of
finding out what time of day it was had
not detected it's grandeur as a work OF
art. The chariot. the pose OF the Muse
with tablet in hand. and the beautiful idea
of the wheel upon which the hours are
recorded. make this figure. in my estima-
ton, superior to any other inanimate
work under the great dome of the ma
tion's legislative hail.
Every now and then We hear said a
man who fought in the civil war from
the first battle at Bull Run to the surren-
der of AppomattoX, of the passing away
OF the veterans. When l say veterans. -
he said. u mean the men of both armies
Well, Of course the vets are passing away.
They can't stay on the face of the Garth
until the Angel Gabriel sounds reyeille on
resurrection morning. but we are hold
ing our own with the rest of mankind no
were here thirty-ive years ago, and my be-
lief is that should there be a convention
called of all the men who fought through
out the biggest war the world ever knew
there couldn't be hall built large enough
anywhere to hold them. The average age
he sad. was not over twenty-eight years
and lots of US are holding our own. We're
scattered all over this country from Maine
to California. There is no small eontin-
gent Of men, who were on both sides. IN
the Government departments here. in
Washington. Congress has its fair share
of u.s.. scores of us are shining lights in
the courts OF justice throughout the land.
No few are practicing physicians, newspa-
N mi Twill and In fas.f
gagged in all branches of business Many
are in the pulpits Of the land and there is
no trade. business, or profession that has
not fair representation OF the veterans
of the civil war. But they are not dying
out faster than those who were not en-
gagged in the struggle and who were living
during that period
One of the oldest inhabitants was talk
ing recently with number OF gentlemen
some OF the most interesting
events that the Government had under !
gone since the close OF the Civil War. The |
discussions naturally referred to the as
sassination of President Lincoln and tie |
trial and execution of Tire conspirators. |
Some one in the party commented upon the !
fact that John Surratt was the only enc OF |
the entire party directly accused Of par
in the crime who had escaped !
the penalty met by the others. This the |
Did citizen gave an explanation OF accord
ing, as he said. to the best lights before
him.
There is a general opinion he remark
ed. that Surratt escaped scot free be-
cause of disagreement of the jury. His
tOrians have made it so. and so | presume
it must stand as a fact. but" he said.
with an emphasis ON the but. the DIS
agreement of the jury was only indirectly
the cause of Su!fc::'s escape. When a
jury disagrees. especially in a capital ease.
the accused man is generally a subject !
for second trial. So it was in Surratt's /
case and he would have been tried again |
but for the fact that Lawyer Bradley. his /
counsel handed up to Judge Wylie who
was the presiding judge, an unrepealed /
Maryland statute-and the Maryland stat |
utes prevailed in this District-requiring
that an Indictment for crime should be pr,
sented within two years after the commits
sion of the offence. The statute Is under /
date of 1898. This had not been d ne in 4
Surratts case
The jury had disagreed in the case al
luded to- as was represented by the gentle /
man who related the incident. and a new /
Indictment was about TO be framed. The |
case was occupying the attention of the
court and it was in the dusk of a Septem-
Der evening when Counselor Bradley found /
the unrepealed law and read it 10 Judge
Wyie. who calling for the book became |
satisfied that under the civil laws in op-
grafton in the District of Columbia. an in |
ictment could not stand against the ac-
used. and promptly dismissed the case.
That seems to have been the main cause
IF the abandonment of the charges against
Surratt. though the direct cause was the
liss greement of the jury. 1t might be well
# some more explicit statement on this
matter should be given out