The Washington times., 1905-11-04
MARSHAL AFTER RENT
FOR HALLS OF ANCIENTS
Tenant Willing to Pay, But Owing tC
Complications Does Not Know
Who Is Proper Landlord.

The $500 years of peaceful slumber of
an Egyptian prince. who gave up the
ghost 1,o0o years before the dawn of
Christianity, was rudely broken yes
terday at the Halls OF the Ancients by
deputy United States marshal. who in
formed the royal sleeper he must pay
his room rent or find Some other place
to rest his stony hea6
The mummy said not a word. but
with CLASSY stare and without a
culver of an eyelash. which seemed
plainly TO say do your worst poor mortal,
the relic of the dead dyrasty of Egypt
relapsed into calm everlasting sleep.
Was Star Attraction.
The dead Egyptian king, by the way.
has for a long time been the star at
traction at the Hall of the Ancients and
would probably have remained in peace
ful quiet forever so many years IL the
owners of the great show house did not
need the rent. 1t was for the purpose
of collecting some of the stuff which 1t
IS said by some, is the root of all evil.
that a deputy United States marshal
visited the place.
The rent was not forthcoming and the
officer of the law under an order of the
District Supreme Court took possession
not only of the building, but also its
contents
The building is occupied by Dr. Frank
lin Webster Smith, who IS ready and
willing to pay the rent, but on account
OF pending litigation concerning the
property, does not know to whom TO
pay IT. IL is said however, he will inn
mediately take steps to have the rent
properly receipted for and continue in
possession of the property, his lease for
which has still three years 10 run
Owned by Syndicate.
The property was attached at the in
stance of the receivers of a Maryland
syndicate, which owns the land upon
which the building of the Hall of the
Ancients is erected
The property is also subject to a trust
for s65. 900. II this is not paid by No
yember 16. the building will be sold at
public auction.
Open Free Tomorrow.
Washington will be treated with a
rare entertainment tomorrow when the
Halls OF the Ancients, 1872 New York
avenue northwest, will be opened TO the
general public free OF charge. In the
opinion Of the originator of these halls,
Franklin ". Smith. the people Of this
city have not generally accepted the Op-
portunity to view at short range jrst
how the ancIents lived. and that much
instruction is to be had from a visit to
the homes OF the ancient Romans,
Egyptians, and Assyrians. which he has
produced in his Halls of the Ancients.
Mr.. Smith will give a number Of Illus
| trative talks from the rostrum Of the
Roman COURT which is reproduced in
these halls, on -the restoration OF archi-
tectural grandeur in ancient Rome, and
viii also outline his plans for the foTma-
ton OF the National Society for the Ag-
grandizement of Washington.
The Halls Of the Ancients contain
faithful reproductions of the palaces of
the Caesars on the Palatine Hill, Rome,
the interiors of a number of ancient
Roman houses the ruined porticoes OF
Palmyra models and statuets, a sec
tion of Biblical archaeology. etc. all of
hich have been collected by Mr.. Smith
after years Of travel and research in the
Old World