The Washington times., 1906-02-23
WASHINGTONS FOIL
POLE PLANTERS
Spirit of rs Routs DespOil-
ers of Property.
FLAG AND HATCHET USED
George, Senior and Junior, and MIS-
George Leap Into Holes Dug
for Electric Poles.
FLAG AND HATCHET USED

PHILADELPHIA. Feb. 23--If the
Philadelphia Electric Company had
known what II was up against it new
er would have tried to plant electric
light poles in front of the home of DR..
Cupit. at 223 Hansberry street. German
town. on George Washington's Birthday
1t was such a bad choice of date that
the job was hoodoOed in the very be-
ginning.
In the frs; place DR.. Cupit's name is
George Washington Cuptt. In the next
place, his eleven-year-old son is George
Washington Cupit, jr., and the boy 5
favorite toy is a George Washington
hatchet
Again, it being George WashEngton's
Birthday. both George Washington Gu
pit. sr.. and George Washington Cupit,
il, were home later than usual in the
morning, engaged in decorating the
house front with American flags bear
ing the picture OF George Washington.
They were still hanging the George
Washington enblems when the electric
light gang drove up TO the lot and be
gan chopping down the old pole in front
Of the house. a Ia George Washington.
George on His Dignity.
In a twiEkling the spirit OF 70 began
10 surge in the breast OF George Wash
ington Cupit, ST. In less tnan nve
minutes he was an up-tO-date impersOn-
alton OF his distinguished ancestral
namesake. the immortal George.
They may cut down that pole" said
the doctor 10 MS wife, but if they try
10 plant another in It's place. 1 Will let
them know they can't tTample on our
liberties"
SO, when the new pole swung in the
r air and was about To be lowered into
the excavation half prepared for 1t, DT.
CuplJ strobe down the cement walk 10
tne carriage step in front
What are you doing here?' demand
ed the dentist
No answer from the electric light
gang.
Whether you answer or not, I'll warn
You now that you have no permission
70 set a pole In front OF my house, and
That I'll not permit it, sternly declared
the dentist.
At this the boss and his ten men grin
ned. but kept at work
Leaped in the Hole
But before the pole struck ground. DR..
Cupit leapsd into the hole that had been
dug for it. This is kind of tactics not
new 10 the men. h happens quite fire.
QuentIy in these days o. political rsgen-
Grafton. So they kept on shoveiing,
On the angry property owner
Or. Cupit stood by his guns. AS the
Uen dug. he spread his feet apart and
covered the enidTging hole. Finally the
men had To raise the new pole and lay II
ful length on the pavement across the
street Then the wOTknen began 10
swear and revile the dentist. At nrSt
ne talked back. and then he said:
When you acted like men. I treated
YOU as gentlemen; but now that you're
profane, + treat you Ike animals,
whereupon DT- Cupit pushed the men
out of the hole and sat down in it,
At this moment there was a great
connection, and George Washington
Cupit, 1r-, the small boy, came ike q
WhiTlWind down the sidewalk from the
house. In his hand he was swinging the
George Washington hatchet, with which
he threatened TO chop several of the men.
They disarmed him and threw the
hatChet into the wagon.
After the young hopefuTs interruption
of the proceedings, the electric light
gang withdrew for a conference on the
other side OF the street Evidently,
strategy was determined upon. The men
returned and began digging a hole ten
feet from the other hole. but IN front
of the Cupit house just the same.
At this Mrs CUlpit the dentists
piuczy wife. came from the house and
Shall get into that hole?" she asked
her husband
Yes. get into it. and stay in it," an
sWeTed the doctor.
MIS-, george DefleS Men.
Mrs Culpit did as she was told. and
the men were completely nonpIussed
and stopped digging where she stood
But they began another hole, which
George Washington Culpit. jr.. prompt
" plugged with mis- sturdy little body.
BY this time a crowd had gathered
and by the Kisses and the catcalls il was
manifest the crowd was al! on the side
of the Cupits-
Mary, get the American flag" yelled
Dr. Cupit to the servant girl on the
porch. The girl took down the George
Washington birthday decorations and
hung a flag each on the elder Cupit, the
younger CUpit, and Mrs. Cupit,
Still the pole men hung to their work
digging most at the hole Dr. Cupit filled
As they dug, the dentist spread the flag
around and covered more and more
earth. The men did not molest the flag.
Newspaper photographers appeared on
the scene Mrs. Cupit covered her face
with her cloak, but stood firm by the
flag and by the post-hole.
Here's to my husband" said Mrs
Cuptt, from under the cloak, may &c
ever be right, but my husband, right oF
wrongr
The shout that went up at this, togeth-
er with the revilings from the crowd
then a thousand strOng-Ied the men to
some excitement They tried to push
DR.. Cupit out Of his hole, his clothes
were torn and his shin was bruised. but
he stood his ground. This led the po-
lice, heretofore inactive, to take a hand.
Two OF the WOrkmen were arrested
for assault and battery, Joseph Wet
tell, of 610O Market street. and Richard
Henke, of 211 Dorson street,
Noon came and the pole had not
been planted. After the lunch hour.
r. G.. Seixas, the electric company's
superintendent, who is a neishbor Of
DIR. Cupit living at 319 Hansberry
street. came to the front with sugges-
tiOns of compromise. II was finally
agreed that the pole should stand on
live Fsasx 4 rga 1r~r~ s,qT ~
5nG tilS oetWeeh di tne pToPsTIg '.dI OF IT,
home of Mrs. C. T. WegeT, of 520S
Wayne avenue.
But when the pole was about to be
lowered into the new hole, Mrs Wege-
changed her mind and revoked her per-
mission. Her negro hired man, Horace