Evening star., 1917-09-09
FIFTY YEARS Ago
IN THE STAR

| September 8. 1857, President Johnson
sons against him
Proclamation by derins or oestruet-
the President. ting ting 'a fa,,hfy1 aay .se e.seu-
ton of the Constitution and the laws.
Tho Star of the next day thus discussed
the matter in the light of tho Prest-
dents conflicts with Congress and
members of his cabinet and officers of
the army:
| Politicians around US are speculating
! upon the origin of the executive proc
lamation. 1t strikes US as natural
sequel of Mr.. Blinkley's recent muddled
budget of excuses for the removal Of
Gen. Sickles. That removal. by the by.
finds no favor whatever in North or
South Carolina. where it is regarded as
a punishment for his efforts to relieve
the masses of the people Of their cur
| rent embarrassments. As Sickles is e1
ofHcio. the only party obnoxious to the
censures OF this proclamation is Gen
Grant. who. 1t is alleged, advised Sick
les to the course resulting in his re-
| moval. Its peans of praise to tho
| much abused Constitution would fall
with Quo eHeCC upon the popular ear
but for the little fact that the country
| has come to believe that what the
President regards as the Constitution,
in this connection, Is simply the right
of the originator of the rebellion and
those striving to aid their present
schemes to return to power throughout
the south upon their own terms. The
truth is, the country gives President
Johnson credit for devotion only to
such clauses or readings of the Con-
IA ha riryh TO
1T. and to cost II over again, not long
hence, the expenditure of as much hu-
man life and treasure as the contest
from 1860 to 'S4 for alleged 'conseitu-
tional rights resulted in. During the
war these parties. the ultra-constitu-
tionalists Of today. were the Constitu-
t1on's sworn enemies, who, with sword
and musket in hand, fought for its de-
championship of the Constitution may
be is to be gathered from their con-
duct toward 1t under the leadership of
Jefferson Davis and Robert Lee. We
confess to little more liking for their
effort to regulate tho admfnistr alton of
the Constitution and laws, under John
son. than for their more open hostility
to the government and the institutions
or American popular liberty as ami
tested when they were robbing. hang
ing and shooting all they could lay
hands on who dared avow themselves
subjects and supporters of the laws and
Constitution Of the United States"
Another plot to break Jail was dis
covered early in September, 1867. as
disclosed in The Star of
Another the 5th. Noting suspicious
Jail Plot actions on the part of
Ao' two horse thieves. one of
whom was w H. King, who had open
ly boasted of his ability to escape.
and. in fact, had escaped. only to be
recaptured, the guards kept close
watch and found that plan to saw
leg irons and window bars was under
discussion. King and another horse
thief-Fitzpatrick-w later noted
without their irons. and general
roundup of the prison proved the pos
session by the prisoners Of numerous
cutting tools. Kings hands were
placed behind his back and handcuffed.
but he broke the bracelets easily.
upon him he slipped them off readily.
Finally the guards procured a set of
navy irons and these held the slippery
chap effectively The Star says:
Warden Huestis and his officers have
as much as they can attend to in
watching the prisoners confined here.
some of whom are daily making ef-
forts to cut through the walls, and the
are not successful. Almost every
round the officers make chisels. knives
and saws are found. and some of the
latter are really ingenious instruments,
teeth of surprising fineness, and it is
only by the vigilance of the officers in
hunting up and securing tools that
more frequent attempts are prevented"
Some years ago a popular comedian
of the American stage made a national
reputation by his perform
Stole ance of stealing a hot cook
stove In the course Of his
oouse. show. This, however, WAS
antedated in the matter of audacious
thievery In The Star OF September 7.
1867, is an item telling Of the theft of
a house. as follows:
yesterday Thomas Riley was be-
fore Justice Walter on the singular
charge Of the larceny of house be-
longing to Mr.. Goodrich. 1t appears
that Riley. with his wife. occupied
dali Green, which was in the street.
and the latter received notice from the
commissioner of the fourth ward to
remove the building. which was a
Yesterday morning Riley took the re-
sponsibility of executing the orders of
the commissioner and loaded it on
wagon, which was started toward Camp |
Berry Goodrich received Information
of the intention of Riley and made |
complaint to Lieut.. Eckloff of the |
fourth ward. urging him to send an
officer as speedily possible because |
he might get it all the way. Officer |
D. NJ. Felt was dispatched with Mr. |
Goodrich and on going to the place |
found the site of the building still |
there. but the house had disappeared.
The officer got on the trail of wagon,
and. following it up, overlook 1t near
the tollgate and arrested Riley, who,
with the team and the house, was
brought to the station, but before en-
tering trial the parties compro-
missed. Riley paying all COSTS
Fifty years ago the Department of
Agriculture was merely bureau of
the Department of the
Interior. but had al
ready begun the work
Researches. of agricultural extern
sion and development which has made
1t one of the most valuable branches of
the American government. In The
Star of September 5, 1867. is the fol-
lowing:
Hon J. w. Stokes, acting commits
sioner of agriculture. has taken steps
to increase the efficiency of that useful
branch of the public service by reports
from competent and intelligent OBJ
- ne S,,k