Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-04
FIFTY YEARS AGO
In THE STAR

Washington was in high state Of excite
ment half a century ago. The aldermen
were confronted with an inn
Contested portant contested election
case growing out of the trou-
bes at the polls the LIST
of June while the trial of those indicted for
participation in the riots on that day was
about to begin. In The Star of July %.
1857. is account of the aldermanic pro-
ceedings. covering space to the then excep-
tional extent of six columns and half. The
contest was instituted by John H. Goddard.
who claimed to have been elected In the
fourth ward whereas on the face Of the re-
turns Matthew G. Emery had been seated
and had served on the board since the cleo
ton. Mr.. Goddard alleged irregularities
In the matter of opening and closing the
polls. and also that numbers of his sup
porters had been denied the right to vote
on the ground that their naturalization
papers were not in proper form. The com
NJ Moore, William T. Dove and Robert
Clark. had been Investigating the charges.
The two first named submitted a majority
report sustaining Mr.. GOddard's claim to
the seat and Mr.. Clark filed minority re-
port to the contrary effect. The meeting
of the aldermen at which these reports
were received was lively one. AS a coun-
ter charge it was alleged on behalf OF Mr..
Emery that numbers Of his friends had
been prevented from voting because the
marines who dispersed the mob were In
possession of the polling place. Finally
the majority report was adopted and MI
Goddard was seated, the final vote being
to T.
The riot cases were called in the criminal
court July 49, with thirteen defendants
pr asent in court. According
Riot to The Stars report, "a large
MI, number of the parties named
in the Indictment are non est
inventus.' meaning that they had not been
captured This trial was one Of the long
est ever held in the District up to that
time ending on the 18th Of August with
disagreement 1t was followed with the
keenest interest by not only the people OF
Washington. but those of Baltimore. mas
much as from the latter city had come the
'.pluguglies" who formed the nucleus OF
throughout the trial. In The Star of July
90 1851 is printed an account of an cpl
sode illustrative Of the high tension. Mr..
Bradley was opening the case Tor the de-
tense. The Star says:
Mr.. Bradley went on to say that the de-
tense appeared in this case under pecul-
lar circumstances; that himself had been
word Of truth was contained in the va
rious accounts given by the newspapers OF
the city.
"A voice-That Is false!
"Mr Bradley. turning to reporter ON
Hardy at the clerks desk-1 heard that
mans voice giving me the lie. 1 call your
honors attention to 1t.
"Mr Radcliffe (another attorney for the
defense)-I think the gentleman Is mistaken
The reporter did not say a word.
mr. Bradley heard him with my own
ears
The reporter Ito the .couro-1 did not ut
ter a word.
Mr. Brad,ey-I saw and heard you.
The reporter say that Is false:
Here there was a sensation in the court
and the judge called Mr.. Bradley to order"
Judging from a paragraph printed in The
Star of July 81. 1851 the consumers of beef
were somewhat in the same
Beef plight then that they have
been in recent years, as re-
CARDS the tendency Of the
trade toward combination. The paragraph
is as follows:
THE combination of the butchers against
the spectators would seem to have been
partially successful as there was quite
downward tendency in the price of beef last
week in the New York market. Yet the
public has no guarantee that the specula-
tors may not get the upper hand this week.
By the way. what has become OF that rose
in the New York papers. of getting sup
ply of fresh beef from the plains Of Vene-
zuela. where cattle are so abundant tat
they are killed Simply for their hides: and
where they can be bought for 81 to 81 per
head and by steam propeller be brought in
about ten days voyage to New York for
$40 to SIS per head. making their cost In the
market $18 or $40 each?; The western folks.
who are interested of course in keeping
prices up. say the project would not work
FOR these reasons: The cattle raised upon
the savannas Of Venezuela never eat hay.
nor can they be made to eat 1t by any de-
gree Of hunger; they are frightened at the
sight of an ear of corn nor Will they drink
water except from 'bubbling brook! They
will die Of thirst and starvation before they
will touch either on board vessel The
attempts to overcome these difficulties with
the wild cattle in the bordering states or
Mexico and in Texas have proven that they
are not transportable In any voyages longer
than they can be kept without food or
water
ITO this the New Workers replied that
some means would be devised to teach the
Venezuelan cattle to eat hay. and If not
they would Just salt down and pack the
beef there and bring it to market here.
This was al satisfactory. but we hear no
more Of the South American cheap beef.
This is too bad. We should like amazingly
to taste Venezuelan beefsteak at ftp
pound.
observation-disclosures relaxed In summer time
chiefly at comparatively near resorts. those
of the north being inacces-
Watering sible for short visits. In The
p,,o.s Star of August 1, 1857. Is
paragraph re,ating to the
neighboring '4waterng places as follows:
The various watering places within strik-
ing distance Of this city are. just now. at
the height of their season. all Of them being
graced with large numbers Of health and
pleasure seeking guests. We hear almost
daily from Old Point, Dr. Banks Hampton
establishment, and Blackistones Pavilion
on the Potomac. and the Fauquier White
Sulphur. the Warren and CapOn Springs.
where all is gaiety unalloyed. These estab-
lishments were never better kept. nor did
they ever before appear to give so general
satisfaction to so large number of WIS.,
itors The letters of our friends and sub
scribers now sojourning at them cause US
to sigh for little relaxation during the
present scalding and frying season from
the interminable labor of a daily journal.
which at Just such a season Is more exact
Ing upon the physical and mental capacities
Of