Evening star., 1915-09-12


eracy returned to their
Actor Bangs professional work and
undertook to appear in
OAAoe' northern cities as be-
fore the conflict One of these was
Frank c. Bangs, who had been a IA
vorite actor in ante-bellum days. In
The Star of September Z. 1865, is a
news item with reference to an un-
pleasant incident that occurred at one
Of the local theaters on the occasion
Of Mr.. Bangs temperance, Mr.. Bangs
having printed in that issue of The
Star a personal card explanatory of
his status and expressing purpose
to discharge honestly his oath of al
legiance to the federal government.
The Star said:
LAS our readers well know, we have
sympathized with the feeling of in
dignation entertained by loyal men at
the unblushing parade of disloyal SEN
timents by blatant, unrepentant re-
turned rebels, who show a persistent
spirit of hatred against the govern
ment. To such men we feel that no
moral countenance is due: but quite
a man like Mr.. Bangs, who, though
guilty of the great error of taking
part in the rebellion. did so openly
and bravely (not lingering in Wash
rebels did) and who in the same spirit
frankly acknowledges his mistake and
heartily and finally gives his fealty
to the government Of the United States
and means henceforth to prove good
and loyal citizen. He asks NOW only
support a helpless family dependent
upon him by thespractice of the pro-
fession> through which by natural quail
ifications and by long years of labori-
Gus training he is best fitted. Is it
generous. is it American, to refuse him
this poor privilege?"
Although steam fire engines were
being introduced in Washington and
some advance was being
A Fine New made toward establish
u D., ing a paid department,
Aose heel. the volunteer fireman
was still large factor in local affairs
September Z, 1865, is the following
item:
THE new hose carriage of the North
ern Liberties Association, with which
they are to appear in the f1remen's
procession in Philadelphia in October,
arrived yesterday in charge of a dele
cation of six officers and members of
the Fairmount Engine Company of that
city and was at once taken to Rain
n1er's restaurant, on G street, where it
is housed for the present. The car
Youngs factory, built under the super
intendence of Chief Engineer Lyle,
being very neat but not gaudy. The
wheels are of polished and vanished
hickory, as is also the spool, while
various parts of the woodwork are
and gilded and the ironwork being
painted black or polished. The only
ornaments about it are over the front,
a representation of the setting sun,
fine oil painting representing the vet
eran active firemen, Uncle Jake Trip1er
of the United States Company of Phila-
delphia, holding a medallion portrait of
the late President Lincoln. 1t is fitted
with a tongue and rope (the latter of
red. white and blue) to be drawn by
hand, and also with tongue for horses.
1t will be drawn in the procession by
the two fine stations, Johnny and Ned,
belonging to Mr.. J. c. Howard of this
city, and it will go to Philadelphia on
the 14th of October with the associa-
ton. The Fairmount boys are in
charge of the members of the associa-
tion. who yesterday were showing them
the picnic of the Hibernia at Ana
lostan."
The Wirz trial continued half CEN
tury ago with the taking of testimony
for the prosecution. In
Wirz Asks for The Star of September
n, 8, 1865, Is a news item
OleI6ymeA. telling of Wirz's ap-
parent indisposition at the morning
session of the court, resting his head
on his hands on the table alongside of
his counsel throughout the reading of the
minutes. The judge advocate, Col. Chip
man, read to the court the following
letter from Wirz:
to address you these lines, but, not
knowing to whom to appeal, l am now
prisoner since the 7th day of May,
1865. 1 have been deprived of all the
chances to receive the consultations of
religion; consultations ever necessary
to anybody, and more truly to a man
charged with crimes so heinous. SO
terrible that the mere thought of them
makes me shudder. Although l know
myself full well that am wrongfully
knowing God knows my innocence,
still l need some encouragement from
others not to sink under the heavy
burden which Is placed upon me. Tn
der these circumstances 1 most respect
fully ask that permission be granted
to Reverend Fathers Wheeler and Ham
ilton to visit me and to administer to
me such spiritual comfort as my un1or-
tunate position requires. They are both
men of integrity and will not profit the
occasion to see me to do anything but
what their duty as ministers of the
pospel will permit"
The two clergymen mentioned by
Wirz had been chaplains at Anderson
VILE in 1864 and were in Washington
under summons as witnesses for the
defense.
In The Star of September 9, 1865, is
the following extract from the Fortress
Monroe correspondence of
Davis Cell the Philadelphia Inquirer
-, respecting the imprison
CnanSeu. ment there of Jefferson
Davis, the former president of the Con-
federacy, who was awaiting trial on
charge of high treason:
Jeff Davis is to live in a casemate no
longer, but is to have light and airy
room, twenty feet square, in Carroli
Hall. with one large, window looking
out on the promenade ground OF the
fort. This change in the quarters is
made after mature deliberation. 1t has
been a subject of correspondence be-
tween Mai. Gen. Miles and the war De-
partment for several days: With the
intense sultry weather of september
the casemate in which Davis has been
hitherto confined has become very
damp, the condensed vapor trlckling
from wall and ceiling Gen. Miles and