davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1911-02-19

wbilc its members gazed on the face OF the
dead one OF them raised the boy alott'
and he. too, looked upon the mortal re-
mains Of the Father Of His Country.
This boy still lives having attained the
ripe old age Of eighty-siX. All the other
members Of that party, being at that time
men OF maturity. have long since died The
boy OF 1887 is the venerable patriarch OF
to-day. John Lane, of Washington. Now
and again he becomes reminiscent and tells
the stories of the men he knew in the
early cos. For then Washington was
but a small town and the residents knew
personally the men who were making the
nations history.
He tells Of the small book store that his
uncle kept on Pennsylvania avenue. There
came Davy Crockett in 1884 and talked loud
ly Of having antagonzed his constituents
and their consequent refusal TO return him
40 Congress.
"My constituents" he heard Crockett
say. may 90 10 hell, and 1 will go 10
Texas"
II is not recorded whether or not the con-
rtituents did as they were bid. but Crockett
went 70 Texas and died gloriously in the
Alamo two years later.
Next door lived Widow German, who
kept a boarding house and to whom a
certain coxcomb who worked in the War
Department owed a board bill of slOo. He
refused to pay il. and. on the advice OF
friends, she went TO Andy Jackson, then
President. about the matter Jackson told
her TO ask the debtor for a 60-day note.
New-York tribune., 1911-02-19
Investigator
Continued from first page.

who find it extremely difficult to attend
to their arduous labors when there is
any chance at all to have a good time
chasing bats and other bugs that fly by
night in large cities.
At Mount Vernon General Washington
devoted himself to plain farming. The
Department of Agriculture had not yet
been organized, and fancy farming had
not been fostered by bucolic scientists.
It is said that he kept 101 cows and had
to buy butter for his table. This shows
that the Washington family must have
been great butter eaters, or that the
Boss was a thrifty person, getting the
top Of the market for his cream and
willing TO buy butter for his own use
from his neighbors, who needed the
money. There are such. Be that as it
may, anybody would be willing to pay
something extra for cream from milk
man like that. Just think how a
microbe would feel IL caught in cream
can marked &c. W.!
Washington was "agin" the tariff--he
New-York tribune., 1911-02-19

7 casket In this the first President had been
placed at the time Of his death. He had
been embalmed in alcohol and sealed tight
| ly in this casket. The leaden casket was
| imperishable and had remained sacred to
its charge.
II was borne solemnly out of the old tomb
and placed in the new sarcophagus, TO be
made ready for Its new resting place. When
it was lowered into this marble covering,
and before the lid of it was put on. the
whole was Viewed by the Congressional
committee. Here for the last time the
world was to come into contact with the
physical Washington Here were men TO
see again what remained of that greatest
of soldiers, patriots and statesmen.
In the top of the leaden casket directly
over the face of the body that 1t inclosed
a piece of g.ass had been fitted into the
lead This glass was cleaned of the accu-
mutations of the past years and bur-
nished bright. that that which was within
might be seen. The Congressman gathered
about and looked through the glass.
Tho alcohol in which Washington had
been embalmed had well performed It's
task. The head remained preserved as In
| life His strong, characterful face was
| turned to one side and those who looked
saw the profile. At one point on the cheek
the flesh had come to the surface or tho
lduid, and here was a single blemish In the
otherwise well preserved face.
The members OF the committee gazed
into the ccfTin. Little Johnnie Lane stood
near BY, somewhat awed One OF the COM
mtteemen lifted him up that he might be
able to see what was within. The strongest
| impression that Johnnie Lane brought away
with him was the hugeness OF the head. 1t
seemed herculean. The face appeared
very much as 1t did in the pictures OF
Washington The boy would have recog-
nIzed It any place. He kept thinking:
! "He must have been monstrous big
man."
This same impression was evidently got
by one other member Of the party who
looked on and who later recorded his
impression. He says that they saw "a
head ard breast of large dimensions which
appeared to have suffered but little from
the effects OF time"
After the party mad all viewed the re-
New-York tribune., 1911-02-19

pie say 1t was because she didn't want
to live at Mount Vernon, but they are
envious. Mount Vernon is not so large
as Yonkers, but it is a very nice town.
OF course, the Mount Vernon the YOnters
people were talking about is the Mount
Vernon in Westchester County, not the
Mount Vernon on the Potomac. Maybe
the girl thought it was the Westchester
Mount Vernon where George lived.
What?
But why rake over TIE past? Wash
ington married the Widow Custis, OF
Virginia, q very estimable lady OF some
means and social position, and they lived
happily ever after. So happily, in fact,
that their names, George and Martha,
have become household words all over
this broad land Of freedom. They do re-
late that Martha sometimes said things
to George that he wouldn't have taken
from any living man, but George was a
gentleman and wouldn't hit lady. And
George never threw it up TO his wife that
she was his second choice. because he
knew she held the cards for any bluff
like that Bachelors. no matter how
popular. can't afford to be sassy with
New-York tribune., 1911-02-19

the widows they marry.
First in War! First in Peace! First In
the hearts of his Country MEN! That's
G. Washington all over and repeat.
Anybody would know it, though he had
never heard q lot of hoodlums thump 1t
out at a university fest. And why? LIS
ten: At the battle Of Monmouth, n. j.,
where Washington proved that he was
first in war by mopping up the Jersey
earth with the redcoats, now our best
friends in way, he observed an Irish
sergeant Of q Manhattan company bang
ing into the English as only an Irish
man can. He enjoyed it for a while, be-
cause it looked good to him to see the
foes Of his country getting 1t In the Stats
that way, but bimeby the Irishn.an got
to he real crool and 1t was a shame how
he was increasing the mortality list
When II became too much for the
general to stand for he rushed into the
muck. regardless Of his personal safety.
and yanked the sergeant out by the
scruff Of the neck and the seat OF the
pants, for the general was a large and
powerful man, while the Irishman
wasn't bigger than a fried potato. Fort
New-York tribune., 1911-02-19

A New Administrator of Our First Presidents Iesta-
mentary Affairs Has Recently Been Appointed

pire" and rightly believed that by leaving
the money in these lands 1t would increase
in value far faster than through any other
investment that might be made Of IT. So
his administrators left this land untouched
and had Congress pass an act protecting IT
from Jumpers" Then they rested upon
their assumption that It was secured and
died before taking steps TO sell 1t.
But in spite of this act OF Congress this
land was Jumped the present Wash
ington heirs claim-as result Of unbusi-
nesslike methods OF keeping government
records a century ago, and OF general gov
ornment neglect SO the heirs have pro-
sented to Congress a bill "to reimburse the
estate of General George Washington for
certain lands OF his IN the State Of Ohio
lost by conflicting grants made under the
authority of the United States"
A few days ago the House Committee on
Private Land Claims-which has recently
held hearings on this bill-reported In favor
Of the Washington heirs. but recommended
that they be reimbursed for their loss In
an equal area Of government land now va
cant in the public domain But inasmuch
as all the good government land has long
ago been taken up. little remaining but
semi arid and desert lands. the heirs will
not be satisfied with such settlement.
However. the committee report corroborates
their claim that the estate was entitled to
those $3.50 acres in Ohio, and this is a step
forward.
What they demand Is Treasury draft
for S305,00o, plus interest at 6 per cent from
the date Of their claims presentation.
These tracts on the Little Miami. they
say, contained wealth OF the finest oak
and hickory timber which the region af-
forded, and one acre Of the original area is
worth to-day about Il hundred times as
much or moro than any vacant public land
New-York tribune., 1911-02-19
He Is Robert E. Lee, Jr Grandson and Namesake OF I"
Famous Commander of the Confederate Arry

For these tracts were government lands
when George Washington claimed them.
Ever a shrewd speculator he purchased
two land warrants. The entries and sur
veys were recorded in the books of the dis
trct surveyor under General Washinston's
name. But In the winter before his death
tho general received notice that his lands
were in danger on account of the practice.
then growing up. Of jumping" or OF re-
locating government land. lie then wrote
10 the district surveyor In Ohio who as
sured him that his title to the Little Miami
lands was good and undisturbed and
promised 10 notify him Of any attempt TO
attack II. so the general made his will
and died believing these 1850 acres 10 be
safe.
Six wears after his death however. the
deputy surveyor OF the same district made
three entries which covered George Wash
ington's lands completely and exactly. The
generals executors-Bushrod Washington
and Lawrence Lewis, his nephews-got
wind that attempts were being made To
Jump the lands, and a distinguished mes
senger was dispatched TO the register Of
the Land Office with letter asking for the
papers connected with the title TO the tract.
The messenger was none other than John
Marshall, the great Chief Justice Of the SUI
preme Court. And IL was just after this
that the executors petitioned Congress for
the act confirming their title. The act was
passed by the 9th Congress. but was made
general. 80 AS to relieve all persons whose
lands were In the same danger. Yet 1t was
enacted especially to give title TO the Wash.
ington lands. and 1t was then that the gen.
erals executors rested assured that an end
had forever been put To the evil of land
jumping.
Time went on, but the generals es-
tate was never settled, and from genera
New-York tribune., 1911-02-19
/. W.. M, Until the Father of His Country Had Been
Dead Nearly Twoscore Years That John Lane, Then
a Lad of Twelve Gazed Upon His Features.

The debtor gave the note and forgot II.
never intending to make good. Widow
German brought II to the President, who
indorsed 1t, and the widow discounted 1t
at her bank When the bank presented ii
TO the debtor. saying II had been discount
cd he asked who was big enough fool to
indorse his note. He was told, and i'm
mediately hustled out and got the money
10 redeem it,
Mr.. Lane speaks with relish OF the gar
rulouspess of Daniel Webster, OF the fas-
tidiousness of Henry Clay, or the
great stature of sam Houston. OF the
young lieutenant Jefferson Davis, who one
day brought in from Fort Dearborn, where
Chicago now stands, the three Indian chief
tains. Black Hawk, Prophet and Sun, as
prisoners Finally. he comes to his best
story, that of his trip TO Mount Vernon
with the Congressional committee that
viewed the remains of Washington.
George Washington had long realized
that the vault which held the bodies OF the
dead members Of his family. and was
destined to hold his own was inadequate.
In his last will and testament he had said:
'oThe family vault at Mount Vernon, re-
curing repairs, and being improperly situ-
ated besides, desire that new one OF
brick, and upon larger scale. may be
built at the foot Of which is called the
Vineyard Enclosure, on the ground which
is marked out, in which my remains and
those Of my deceased relatives (now IN the
old Vault, and such other OF my family
as may choose TO be entombed there, may
be deposited"
Nothing was done in the matter. how
ever for thirty years Then 1t was discov-
cred that some vandal had broken into the
old tomb and. in an evident attempt to
steal the bones Of Washington, had borne
off those Of some other member OF the
family. These were, however, got back
and the criminal punished.
New-York tribune., 1911-02-19
Copyright, 1911. by W. A. Du Puyo

the anniversary Of the birth OF
~ WASHINGTON approaches II Is inter-
4 n estng 10 know that there is man
ktiI living in this, the twentieth century
who gazed un the face OF the Father oil
His Country who died in the eighteenth
century-ll2 years ago. TO be correct. This
man who actually saw the countenancc or
George Washington is still in possession OF
his faculties and remembers well how that
great man looked lie rs not merely the
only man alive to-day who ever saw the
frs, Presidents face. but he is the only
man Of present generations who ever had
that privilege He is this generation nearest
tie 10 the actual. physical Washington.
For even this man. John Lane. Of the
CITY OF Washington. was not born until
quarter Of a century after Washington
died. Yet. as stated before, he viewed that
patriarch's face and is the only man Of
the present generation who ever had that
privilege
The occurrence which makes this appar-
unity impossible thing a fact was the open
Ing OF the tomb of Washington seventy
four years ago. At that time the body OF
che great man was moved from one tomb
60 another. A committee Of Congress off,
rdated at the transfer. The coffin was
opened for one brief moment and the COM
mittee's members took last long look at
the face OF the man who had done most
toward establishing the nation which was
already growing great The body had
been competently embalmed and the face
Remained as in life After this one look
the coffin was placed in it's new sarcopha-
rus, hermeically sealed and placed in its
bow abode, where 1t has remained undis-
4urbed ever since
But when this Congressional committee
lpn that October day three-Quarters Of
eentury ago wound its way to Mount Yer
bon there went with IL q bit Of q boy. And
New-York tribune., 1911-02-19
Is Fibs About the Nations Father

unately, the sergeant recognized his su-
perior officer or there is no telling what
other casualty might have occurred at
the battle.
Sir" exclaimed the great Washington,
giving him a shake in his most dignitled
manner, and letting him drop, what In
thunder is the matter with you? Don't
you know you ought to restrain your i'm
petuosity and not make a slaughter
house Of the battlefieldT Which shows
that Washington was. entitled to the
same position in peace as in war. AS to
the same in the hearts Of his country
men, don't the Irish own the country?
Anyway, George is all to the number
one.
Considerably moro might be said Of
Washington, but what's the use? He Is
not here to deny it, and that always
makes biography lopsided.
Hooray for Washington! That's plenty.
WILLIAM J. LAMPTON.
New-York tribune., 1911-02-19
By JOHN nI.FRETH WATKINS.

" TIlLE q grateiul pupiC ia P4'P"'N'
w celebrate next WEDNESDAY ,,.n the n
w 17gth birthday Of George Washing
Ton. the heirs Of the first Presldeht ai'
b,siIy engrossed with the task OF s'riVihs
20 settle his estate.
10 this end there has lately been appoint
90 a new administrator Of his testamehtary
affairs. ana II is fact Of no little interest,"
that this function has been entrusted 10
Robert 4. Lee, jr. the grandson ana name
sake of the late commander in chier ol the
Confederate army.
More than one hundred and eleven and q
half wears have elapsed since the country
founder signed. on July 9, 1899, the last VIII
ocd testament which he had written en-
,,relv with his own hand and erroneously
dated 'fhe year one thousand seven nun
dred and ninety, and Of the INDEPENDENCE OF
the United states the twenty-fourth.' In
this testament he made two other errors
leaving property TO persons under wrong
names, but these slips Of the pen were so
spparent that the court carried out the very
manifest intent Of the Will
Five months and four days after signing
this document the great general was oled
10 death by his physicians, while suffering
from an attack Of quinsy.
The will disposed Of certain land "on the
Western borders" which Washington de-
seribed IN an appended schedule as S0oi
acres in the Northwest Territory and In
the vicinity of Cincinnati, one tract near
the mouth OF the Little Miami, another
seven, and the third ten miles up the same"
These tracts, which he valued In the
schedule at s. per acre, or at a total OF
sl625l. he left 10 twenty-three residuary
legatees. But he advised his executors not
10 sell them until they advanced In value.
Is foresaw tha westward course Of EN-
New-York tribune., 1911-02-19
n Still Lives Who Saw George Washington in the Flesh
The Record Of an Experience Which Makes Of II;
Dweler in the Nations Capital the Only Link with
the Physical Washington Is Here Set Down.

slopes gradually from the dock at thu vs,..
front It's slopes are covered with sr,s...
broken by flower beds and bisected h.,.
and there by ancient hedges. Above an ~.
great trees, some OF which are rernn,,,.
OF the forest primeval out Of which w,sA.
ington hewed his homestead. Some w.,.
planted under his direction and some h,,.
since been put out to take the place Of "a.
triarchs claimed by time.
A little down stream from the path from
the landing to the house is to be found n.
chrine. 1t is no imposing structure. Art.r,
even say harsh things about It. But to n.
American visitor IL Is thing TO be m.
crenced. The back end OF the vault bu,
rows into the hillside. while the front Of
comes to the level OF the path. It's por,.
Is guarded by high iron gate. The n.
grim approaches this gate. treadins sofa,
He looks through its bars and into b.
sepulchre. lie Is surprised to know th,t
the very caskets that hold George sn
Martha Washington are there In the n,oya
OF the tomb, and may be seen from the ON.
side. Yet such Is the case. The mouth n
the tomb stands open, guarded only by d.
iron gate.
Here the remains Of the FIRST LADY "a
gentleman Of the land have lain since thr
october morning Of 1897 when they were %
placed by a committee Of Congress. VITO
were accompanied by a small boy who b
to-day the worlds nearest tie to this Hrs
great American who is still without rlw
in the nations history. Here they h.s.
rested as the generations that have passu
have come TO do them reverence Hss
they will continue TO rest through all tAs
generations that are to come, for tbs
shrine Is a hallowed thing that may be d.
filed by no human hand.
Old John Lane goes occasionally to Noun,
New-York tribune., 1911-02-19

! mains the I'D OF the marble sarcophaeu"
was placed over the leaden casket. no
whole was sealed I'm such way AZ ~
make It alright. II was placed III 'no
new tomb and there has remained eve.
since. There Is no reason TO believe tia'
the body of Washington is not to-day n'
the same condition that It was IN WIZ"
seen by John Lane in 1897. The alcohoi III
the leaden casket at that time co'ere'
the body with the single exception OF
point on the cheek. Since then the air mas
been excluded and evaporation has proo-
ably. as a consequence, been very shght'
Beside the marble sarcophagus OF wash
Ington rests that OF Martha, his wife. ms
is made OF the same Pennsylvania marpie
as Is that OF the father of his country. Both
were chiseled out of the solid marble. Ihe'e
is no seam to either except that where the
lids are attached. These lids are OF lihe
Italian marble, elaborately ornamented Win
the crest of arms OF the United States.
They were cemented on, thus converting
the caskets into one unbroken WHOLE
block of marble with a hollow inside. In
these hollows are sealed this great man and
his consort.
The vault Itself is built on hillside some
200 yards from the old Mount Vernon man
sion This IS perhaps the most sacred
shrine in all America to-day Here come
thousands OF people from all parts OF the
nation and even from abroad. He who
visits the nations capital always goes to
the shrine OF Washington.
The mansion is seen best from the Po-
tomac River. There was never anything in
America that surpassed Mount Vernon as
an example OF the old Colonial architecture.
There was never handsomer site for
country home than that chosen by wash
ington The hill upon which It stands
New-York tribune., 1911-02-19
TOMB OF WASHINGTON, MOUNT VERNON.

Vernon to visit this shrine. for he u a
and strong and q friend to tho open oou'
try. But tho Journeys Of man OF eisnc
six are mostly in fancy. and his msma'
peoples the old haunts with q gathers
that would be hard to match In moSs
times. Then his mind wanders to his v'e'
OF Washington, and he repeats to himsl
that strongest impression OF his youtnf1
experience. an impression upon the e9
rectness of which time has SET Its y
proval, for he says:
Washington must have been nos
strous big man."
WILLIAM ATHERTON DU PuL
New-York tribune., 1911-02-19

tlon 10 geneia,.Cn acH admlnlsua AWE
appointed.
If Congress pays tho full amou''
Washington claim. $4,000, the greater .ss
tent to which any individual heH ,s
profit would be- IL is estimated ifo'"
to 5000 which would fan 10 youhs ~,
an whom. with true Virginia cnNs"',
heirs will not mention because Vl u'e
licity which might thus be given TO n.,, ,.SS,
yate affairs She would proht 10 .n's "a
gree only by virtue OF the fact th@' ..,,
the only child of a father who was 80 .,,,r
child. The individual shares OF ue ,.s
heirs would be insignificant. even '" ~
maximum basis of settlement. s"'. IA.
Washingtons have never been prohe ~ A
late certain domestic doctrines N,s,u.
now living successor of the hrst r''
has vigorously espoused
The largest group of heirs no" ss s,, a,
in one locality live at Charlesto"h' .. Il
Other colonies of Washington hehS ,,,.tp-
Westmoreland County, Va. ana !" n.
kee. III. Numerous Descendants , .
generals half-brother Augustine w. I'm.
'oions at Wdhtielc' "'' -. NOUbs
dred miles down tho Potomac. pew" arg
Vernon. They occupy six OF sew" uhics
covering the original plantation ."
George Washington was born ~
The lands along the little Miami ,,h,cs
small fraction of the to'as /" ~. stp.
those now striving TO settle up "" . %.
erals estate find to have been in IN .
accountable manner lost to IT, -. xars-
his viii $1,000 or io,cOo acres on Wv 80
wha River. IN West Virginia. ~,
acres In Kentucky. near LoulsVlne ..,,stcs
upon this Kanawha tract that ..tursI
is said to have discovered the mrs, "'.rsbeS
gas well known to America. lie
1t as u burning spring.
Copyright. Ieli. by John Elfrs'h "ss
New-York tribune., 1911-02-19

Union and $50 acres In Franklin townships.
All OF these farms are within about twenty
miles of Cincinnati
But the Washington heirs do not seek TO
dispossess the innocent holders OF these
lands. They simply ask Congress to re-
imburse them for their loss. as 1t has been
done In similar cases where the govern
ment. through its negligence. has allowed
first one person to enter public lands and
then another to settle upon the same area
New-York tribune., 1911-02-19

In the public domain Dlsinterested apprais-
ers sent to look over the tracts report that
some Of this land. which the general valued
at IS an acre, has moro than confirmed his
prediction OF growing values. and reported
that within these III years much OF this
land has increased In value 1900 per cent.
Some Of 1t is now worth 500. some $50 and
some less than 800 an acre. and they make
a conservative estimate It is claimed. Of
500 an aero for the whole area
New-York tribune., 1911-02-19

non. Everything was in readiness FOR the
opening Of the tomb. The new tomb. which
has since been sarcastically described as "a
glaring red building somewhat between n
coachhouse and a cage" was ready for oc-
cupancy. Tho old tomb was ready to be
entered. The marble sarcophagus that was
to surround the old coffin was prepared.
The tomb Of Washington was entered and
an attempt was made 10 bring out his cof-
fin. It was found, however. that the wood
Of 1t was so rotten that 1t fell to pieces.
Inside Of the wood was found the leaden
New-York tribune., 1911-02-19
THE FORMULA.

,willis-so the play will appeal to
classes?
Gillis-Yes, indeed. It's three-quarw'
full of up-to-date slang, to catch the youf'
people, and one-quarter full Of old, reliea'
cuss words, to get the old feilows.-Puck