Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-26
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

LIN I'LL VIM
of Pedestrian Weston. who at seventy
years -tramped a long dis
WeSton'S lance between cities. the fol-
NIL lowing paragraph in The
""n' Star of May q, 1852. Is es-
pecially interesting:
''Mr. Ed P. Weston, the we'll known
pedestrian. whose proposal to walk from
this city % Boston. Mass. CATS miles). in
eight consecutive days. has made consid-
cradle talk, entered upon his task on Mon
day evening last. leaving the Capitol
building at five and a half pm, being
thirty minutes beyond his proposed start
ing time. He reached Beltsville at quar-
ter before eight pm. took supper there.
and when seven miles from Baltimore
partook of some more refreshments and
arrived at the Eutaw House, Baltimore.
at three am. on Tuesday. precisely the
scheduled time. although losing. as al
ready stated, one-half hour in the start.
Mr.. c. j. Eaton, who accompanied the
pedestrian in a carriage from this city,
informs us that Mr.. w. made the last
ten miles into Baltimore at better time
than any other portion Of the distance,
and arrived in Baltimore perfectly fresh.
In fact, his pace was so good that Mr..
Eaton was compelled to put his horses on
the trot to keep up with him."
The other day the Philadelphia Ameri-
can League base ball team played
scrub nine. representing the
Base Detroit team. then on strike.
p.u The score was "a to and was
regarded as a reminder Of the
old base ball results. But in point of
fact some of the old-time games were
worse than this for the size of the score.
In The Star Of May 81 1862. is the ac-
count Of game played the day before
between the National and Washington
teams. being the first match game OF the
season and the first that the Washington
team had ever played. The score of g.
to %, in favor of the Nationals, the win
ming team making ten runs in the
third and again in the eighth, nine in the
second and eight In the fourth, the fifth
and the ninth. Some scoring! The fea-
ture or the game, as would be said
nowadays, was the batting of Ned Hibbs.
who made five home runs during the con-
test. Arthur P. German made three
home runs and Whiting three, there be-
ing altogether thirteen home runs in the
game from start to finish.
Some excitement had been caused dur
ing the spring Of 1862 by visit paid by
Count Mercier to Richmond
MerclerS capital of the .Confederacy
VIE some, fearing that it presaged
- the recognition Of the south
tern states by the government at Paris
In The Star OF May %. 1862. is the fol-
lowing explanation of the French minis
ter's trip:
Permission has been given to state
the facts in regard to the French minis
tiers visit to Richmond. which has ex-
cited so much attention In this country
and in Europe. Mr.. Mercier' had no in
structions from his government. nor had
it the least knowledge of his intention to
go to Richmond. Mr.. MERCER. in con-
'versation with Mr.. Seward, expressed his
regret that he could not see Richmond
expectations of the Insurgents Mr.
Seward said he could go without any OBJ
lection from this governQIent-that he
wished every foreign minfdoer would go
and see for himself how hopeless the in
surrectfOn- was. -
Mr. Mercier went unoff1 cially. He
heard and saw for himself. of course, in
no way acting nor speaking for his gov
eminent, or compromising his relations
toward the United States. The PRESIDENT
was previously consulted and approved
OF his going, and when he returned he
called Immediately on the Secretary and
afterward upon the President, and COM
municated to them frankly the impress
IA ha hod oil
no one in Richmond to say anything to
him that he could not be at liberty to
communicate to the Secretary of STATE,
and he neither communicated to the rebei
leaders anything from this government,
nor anything from them to the govern
ment. He held no official commrnica lion
with any one, nor did he permit himself
to receive official attentions. Mr.. Mer-
ciers whole conduct in the transaction
was discreet, loyal and friendly"
An incident occurred in the city on the
2od of May, 1862, that created good deal
Of excitement and further
Fugitive more caused an oyerhauling
c, of the laws relating to the
Slaves redemption Of fugitive slaves
in the District The Star of May % thus
tells the story:
the corner of 7th and the Avenue about
10 o'clock this morning. Messrs. Wise
and Hugely, backed by the owners of the
slaves, attempted to arrest some fugitive
slaves who were following the 10th New
York regiment. The slaves belonged to
loyal owners Of Prince Georges, who had
obtained the necessary writs under the
fugitive slave law. and yesterday the Off
GERS went to the camp of the regiment
out 7th street to take them, but not
withstanding an order had been given
them by the provost marshal for their
delivery, they were refused admission in
the camp There being no other alterna-
tive they attempted this morning to
take the slaves while the regiment was
on the march. but were resisted by some
of the soldiers who declared they could
not get them under any writ. A large
crowd gathered and matters for while
wore a serious aspect. the officers hav-
ing taken hold of two of the fugitives
and some Of the soldiers threatening to
shoot into the crowd and one or two
persons being knocked down. Some of
the officers, however. after seeing the
writs, quelled the excitement and two of
the fugitives were taken off to the jail
until the matter can be investigated; the
regiment again taking up their march
for the steamboat wharf some seven or
eight other fugitives following them