Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-09-03
INDIVIDUALITY OF GEORGETOWN
by FREDERIC j. HkSFIN>

lantern; for this leading American CITY
had no street lamps. IT'S police force
consisted OF a number Of night watch
called out AIS Welt at every hour.
called out "all's Well Al every hour.
Marriage was "A very formal matter
in those days, The young man made
his proposals not TO his chosen one. but
TO her father. II is suspected that this
rule has been broken. but from the
time Of the bctrothal everything was
done according 10 formula For one
month before her marriage day. the
bride did not so out and saw no men
except her afiianccd. The wedding al
ways took place on Wednesday
morning. ON Thursday morning the
groom gave "A dinner for all his male
friends the women being ris!dly ,ex-
Guided. and on Friday the bride SINH
larry entertained her friends. on sat.
ur!ay there was general entertain.
men, and on sunday the entire we'd
'inS party went TO church. This form
OF procedure was invariably followed
for long period.
Georgetown reached the hcyday OF
~ glory soon after the founding Of
Washington. The capital was then
nothing but Il swamp. and the bril-
liant society which gathered about II
found Il home in the older city. This
infusion OF diplomats from all parts
OF tho world and politicians from allJ
parts OF the country into the quiet, lifef
~. the old Maryland city gave rise tos
n"Hy romantic events. 1t was at thisi
'ii0N mat the Russian mhassador. Del
h"d!sco. fell in love with little
Georgetown girl Of humble parentaEe
n.yHe6 Williams. Although he was an
old man. and the Girl but sixteen years
ola and very slightly educated, the
niriomat insisted upon marrying her
lhe Georgetown girl however. proved
wholly equal TO the situation When
AGED ell,
" went 20 Russia alone. was splendidly
received at court and spent the rest
OF her life in Europe
Hind Its Sinister Side
There were also sinister phases OF
this curiously mixed society which
gathered III Georgetown. few miles
away in Maryland. near Bladensburs.
was dueiins ground made famous by
numerous fata! conflicts, and by the
fact that one OF the last American
duels took place there. The encounter
was between Jonathan Ciley. a Dem
ocratic Congressman from Maine. and
William j Graves. Wing from Ken
tucky. Its cause was as unimport-
ant as Is usual in this case OF dueIs
Ciliey had alleged In a speech that a
journalist named Webb had accented
bride. Graves brought Cilley chal-
lcnse from webb: but Cilley refused
to fight tho newspaperman on the
-''"'' 'Hht Ht WAS no Rentleman.'
Graves got over this difficulty by
challenging Cilley himself this appar-
emily being required by the ethics OF
the situation, although there was no
real quarrel between Graves and Ci-r
Icy This was in February, 1898 The
weapons used were rifles at eighty
yards-a most unusual sort of a duel
Alter each shot the seconds asked the
combatants II they were satisfied. but
Ciiicy refused to yield At the third
round he fell mortally wounded; It
was after this event that the duelink
act was passed, making it crime 10
carry or accept challenge in the Dis
trict Of Columbia.
These exciting days in old George
town passed with the upbuilding OF
washington. The requirement of for.
eien governments that their represent
tatiNeS live in the city took away the
diplomats, and a little later the same
rule was made II apply to Congress-
men and Senators. With the Civil War
came hard times. Most of the beople
who dwelt in Georgetown were South
ern sympa thizcrs; many of them left
their homes during the war and re-
turned TO them after having lost all
their wealth More than one proud
mansion became boarding house
But the bitter feelings that grew out
Of the war healed with time, and old
Georgetown finally became what she
is to-day, part of Washington and
one of It's most attractive residential
districts.