davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1921-09-04

ton newspapers played up the
story Of hanginss as front.page fea-
lures. giving column after column
Of details. ma' ##
In some cases. notably those of
Guiteau. Schneider, and Stone, the
papers rushed out extra editions.
NIGHT OF WILD REvEfING
BEFORE GUITEAU DIED.
So, therefore, on the night be-
fore Guiteau paid the penalty for
his crime, many newspaper men.
representing local and out-of.town
publications. through courtesy of
Gen. John 8. Crocker. warden, were
permitted to stay over night at the
Jail. After General Crocker had de.
parted for his home, leaving the Jail
in charge Of Deputy Warden Russ.
the newspaper men sought divertise-
ment from the gloom that pervadss
the big brown structure on the
Eastern branch. "
Decks Of cards were produced and
poker games proceeded In the Of
tices and corridors of the Jail. That
being long before the EolssOad era,
liberal supply Of Joy water and
cigars were brought into the games.
Soon the effect OF the beverages be-
came apparent and sounds OF rev.
elry resounded through the build
ing.
In one corridor "a CUP OF corre-
spondents sang loudly and dis
cordantly the ancient song. "We1l
Hang jeff Davis to Sour Apple
Tree" Another bunch of writer's
In a front office made tho weikin
ring with popular songs of the day.
Still other groups of correspondents,
reporters. and men abou:.town gath.
cred In small congregations. Selating
funny stories.
I had been assigned to cover the
hanging and "the night before" for
The Washington times., 1921-09-04

The effect on Guiteau. who had
been a lifetime abstainer. can be
imagined. The dose restored bis
nervous equilibrium but gave him
q decided jag. General Crocker
had several days before given
Guiteau permission to make a last
statement on the scaffoid, but when
the march Of death began the as.
sassin was SO thoroughly inebriated
he forgot his lines. and while two
stalwart guards supported him on
either side on the way to the
scaffold. he muttered almost in
coherently, lot of jargon.
"oh I'm so glad I'm going to my
Lordy. Where is my Lordy? I'm
coming my Lordy. oo-o-h. I'm %
glad I'm going to my Lordy."
OF course. under such conditions,
he was given the drop almost i'm.
mediately after ne had reached
the trap, where several guards hsd
to support him. ] was standing
by the side Of General Crocker
when he gave the final signal.
Reaching into the rear pocket Of
his PrinceAlbert coat. he drew
form a handkerchief and careless.y
passed It over his lips. That wos
the signal that ended the career Of
the religious fanatic who SHOT
down the Christian President,
James A. Garfield. 4.....a =
JAIL MAY BE MADE
INTO TEMPORARY PRISON,
There is an interesting report
current connected with the future
Of the District Jail. which Is now
under the control of q general au-
perintendent. who also has charge
Of the workhouse and reformatory
at Lorton. Va. and the Washing.
ton Asylum Hospital, soon to be
razed to make room for the million.
dollar Galiinser Municipal Hos
pitai.
According 70 the report the jan
The Washington times., 1921-09-04

is to be made a sort Of clsarins
house for the courts, separated
from the other Institutions. and
placed In charge Of . warden who
will have absolute control. II Is
sale this plan - favored by ,Dis.
trict Commissioner Cuno Rudolph.
Under the proposed plan prison.
ers will be held for the grand jury
and for temporary Incarceration
only. No person viii be sentenced
to serve time In the jail.
According to my experience and
observation since the jail was con-
structed. soldier wardens have beer
highly successful. Gen. John 8.
Crocker, commander OF the famous
Iron Brigade Of the civil war, was
the first soldier.warden. He servej
from 1871 to 1890.
The present deputy superintendent
In charge. Capt. William L. Peak.
who fills the position virtually Of
warden, without the compensation
and emoluments. is veteran OF two
wars. and Is still holding the rank
Of captain in the United States Of.
ficers' reserve corps, He made nm
excellent record In the war with
Spain and the world war.
His command In the late big dis
turbance at the jail was one Of the
best disciplined on record. Like
General Croolxer and other veterans,
The Washington times., 1921-09-04

land in the dominions to any one
with six months war service.
Another splendid organisation, the
w. A. A. C.'s Cwomen's Army Aux
iiiary Corps) can give just as good
an account of themselves. There
were $1,000 of them in the wartime
organization. and about one.tenth of
that number belong to the peace
time organization. which calls itself
the "old Comrades Association"
Their commander-in-chief through
the war was Dame Florence Leach
. who is now the head Of the "Old
Comrades" Dame" il the title
which was bestowed during the war
upon women who had performed dis
tinguished service. 1t In used. like
"Sir," with the first name only. and
is not inherited by the descendants
of the recipient. .-- ~. ...
w. A. A. C's may be found in
every kind Of job in every quarter
Of the globe today. know one who
was an administrator in recruiting,
and who has just returned from q
tour Of the West Indies as secretary
to q Commission. Three are In Ber-
lin with the Inter-Allied Commits
sion. A w. A. A. G. Is private sec
retary to Lady Rawlings out in
India.
Two gardeners" as they called
the girls who dug the graves In
France, have tomato farm on the
island Of Guernsey, and are doing a
flourishins business. The proprie-
tors, who do much of the work
themselves. and superintsnd all of
Il, sent some Of their produce 10
Queen Mary a few weeks ago. This
10 enlisted her interest that she
paid the farm and the two w. A.
A. C.'s q visit when she was in
Guernsey the other day. This, OF
course, 10 q milestone that viii loom
large In the annals Of their labors.
Both these farmers fiances were
killed early In the war, Ike the
The Washington times., 1921-09-04

he understands the psycxcsesy II
handling men and eunorciAs dis.
cipline and obediencs.
CAPTAIN PEAK KNOWS
DETAILS OF HIS JOB.
Managing penal institutions is not
new to Captain Peak. He has been
engaged in prison work eleven years,
including nine years at the Leaven.
worth penitentiary and more than
two years at the District jail.
Since his advent at the local prison
he has instituted numerous reforms.
The gloomy and darkened dungeon
In the basement Of the Jail has been
abolished. The institution has been
beautified inside and out. Flower
gardens bloom in front OF the build.
ing; the guard SHIFT has been changed
from sixteen to eight hours. and con.
ditions generally made more toier-
able for cuiprits who obey the rules
and maintain discipline But there
is no iaxity such as marked former
administration OF the jail.
Captain Peak was born I'm Ken.
tucky. March Z, 1877, and with his
family resides near the jail He is
a member Of several patriotic and
other organizations and stands high
In this community. II IL believed
he win be made warden in immediate
charge Of the jail as a clearing house
~ ,xix,,a
The Washington times., 1921-09-04

that barracks hour after hour that
he decided 10 make every reparation
In his power. At the earliest oppor-
tunity he went to the hospital and
recounted In detail to his boss the
girls achievements. So she was
summoned and told that by her
courage and diligence she had saved
her employer thousands Of pounds
and made II possible for him to keep
his contract with the government.
AS a reward. In future she should
have entire control Of the womca
workers and should sit on the board
Of directors.
The factory owner then had a cot
tage on the grounds renovated and
put at the disposal Of the girl. and
when first met her. in 1917. she
was living in that little matched
house on the bank Of tiny river
with q Y. M. c. A. woman worker
as companion.
( OF course. II II had been in a
novel the girl would have married
her employer, who was a widower.
and lived happily ever after" But.
alas. he passed on. poor man, just
after the armistice. from overwork
and the girl now runs hat shop.
VOLUNTARY AID CORPS
STILL ACTIVELY ENGAGED.
have heard people ask numerous
times in the United States not only
what has become of the women
munition workers, but what has be-
come Of all the v. A. DIS. the w. A.
A. c.. ETC.? So we have had the
curiosity to ask questions about
them and. far from having passed
out Of existence, we find them stili
holding very real place In the
community.
think that any one who saw the
Victory parade in London in July,
1919. remembers with admiration
the splendid showins mMde by these
several war organizations.
The ". A. D's.. which being
The Washington times., 1921-09-04

Az reporter It was my duty to
attend seventeen of the hangings.
including that of Guiteau.
There is no record OF the harrow.
ing spectacle Of the rope breaking
at the District Jail. But d more
grewsome picture was presented
April Q. 1880, when James w. M.
Stone, heavily built colored man
who had murdered his wife. had
been decapitated. The hansnan
had given Stone "too much rope"
for his weight.
{. The first hanging on record at the
jail was that OF jeremiah Hen.
bricks, charged with murder, April
1, 1864. This execution was In the
old jail on the site of the Pension
Office, Fifth and q streets.
The latest execution was that of
William Henry Campbell, murderer,
March IL, 1921.
Wild revelry In the offices of the
jail marked the night before the
execution Of Guiteau. the slayer Of
President Garfield. James Crog-
gon. q venerable reporter of the old
days. had established the custom OF
spending the night before all hang.
ings at the prison.
His reason for 80 doing was to
describe "the prisoners last night
on earth." the menu Of the last
breakfast. and other data for early
copy. In those days the washins-
The Washington times., 1921-09-04

Col vi 80 JSN NoAS
'It is my shop. Don't you like
it," she replied
Then she told me quite simply
that when the war was over she
tried vainly to realize her dream
of factory run by women, but she
couldn't make anyone see It, and
finally gave up in despair. But"
she continued, II couldn't 60 home
to just golf and tenEis again, SO l
tried this, shop where the coun-
try people may buy at reason
able rates. And it is success"
This is her story:
At the openign Of hostilities In
1914 blond-haired, well-born
Scotch girl in the twenties came to
London and engaged as a munition
worker. Her education and train.
ing enabled her to forge ahead and
before many months had passed
she became an assistant supervisor.
WOMAN WAS CONFRONTED
BY A DIFFICULT TASK.
When the ministry Of munitions
was IN search Of a woman welfare
worker to take charge of 1900
women In high explosive factory
her chief recommended her for the
position. It was q difficult task at
FIRST AZ the owner Of the works.
very fine man Notwithstanding
was q woman hater and deeply pre-
, Ssdiced against putting women in
responsible places. r|,
The first months were most dis
couraging al. although the girl won
the devotion and respect Of the
The Washington times., 1921-09-04
VETERAN REPORTER TELLS OF HISTORIC GALLONS AT D.
WHICH MAY SOON BE ABOLISHED FOR THE ELEC!

Plans to Abolish Old Oak ScaffOld Recalls Incl
dent at Grim Prison ON the Eastern Branch
/. That Thrilled Readers of Past Generations
First Execution Took Place ON April 1, 1864,
=. When Jail Stood ON Site of Present Pension
4 Office, at Fourth and G. Streets Northwest.
The Washington times., 1921-09-04
BY Capt. j. w. Mitchell.
CThs oldest active newspaperman
In Washington.)

-
In Washington.)
- r 10 proposed to Junk" the Dis
trict scaffold. -
I am informed petitions are
Being circulated urging Congress to
abolish hanging here--not the death
penalty, for It is proposed to substi-
tute for the rope and gibbet the
more modern death chair or gas
that win result in instant and pain
less death. ..t ..s., tta,
X A bill already Is pending to sub
stitute electricity for the moose In
the District. II the petitioners,
headed by q determined group of
women. succeed. the grizzly old oak
scaffold at the Washington jail will
be demolished.
The venerable engine OF death is
historical. It has stood grimly in
its present position in the northeast
corridor OF the District jail about
forty years.
MOOSE DECAPITATED MAN
II sNGED IN 1880.
one of Its first victims was
Charles J. Guiteau. the assassin of
President Garfield. Since that
event thirty-eight murderers and as
sailants have been dropped into
eternity from the old oaken plat.
form. ss
The Washington times., 1921-09-04

Wild Reyelry Marked Night Before Charles
Guiteau, Assassin OF President Garfield, Was
xecuted-NeWspaper Men and Correspond
ents Made Merry with Liquors and Card
Games-The Slayer, Lifetime Abstainer,
Was Given Drfnk'of Brandy and Was Tnebri-
ated when Led to Sca6Old.
The Washington times., 1921-09-04
WOMEN WAR WORKERS OF ENGLAND HAVE TAKEN UP BURDE
OF PEACE TIME DRUDGERY PATIENTLY, SAYS MRS. HAIR

sweethearts and husbands of 20
many others.
There is much nonsense talked
about women's work preventing
marriage. We find here that In
every organization there have been
the normal number OF marriages
taking into consideration tAs
scarcity Of men. The losses OF tk>
war are apparent. however. In many
ways. The fact that 30 many of
the younger generation OF men are
gone has thrown many girls into
active work and training toward
their own support who otherwise
would contemplate marriage and
home as their natural destiny.
They are apparent, too. in some
of the minor customs Of social life,
a. in the fact that invitations to
balis are issued nowadays to tho
girls with the understanding that
they are to bring one or more men
with them--thus releasing the host
ess from the difficult task Of pro.
viding parties for her guests. Many
hostesses complain OF this as bring
ing to their houses a lot Of men
whom they have never seen and Of
whom they know nothing. But girls
must have partners IL a ball is to
be success, and this seems to bs
the only way to provide them.
BRITISH WOMEN GAVE
HELP TO OUR BOYS.
over a door In one Of the offices
where the w. A. A. C.'s worked with
the American army. at Bourges was
the sign Steady" in large bold let
ters. It was their wetchword. 1t
made such an impression on the
American men that I remember see
ing essays written about 1t In A. e.
r. publications.
Dame Florence likes to tell Of the
exceptional treatment accorded the
w. A. A. C.'s by our boys. She says
there was not one casualty or case Of
misconduct either at Bourges. Tours,
or Paris where the girls worked In
such numbers. In her office hangs
an engraved parchment signed by
one OF our general officers giving
the most flattering credit TO the w.
A. A. C.'s for their work WIN the
American s. o. 8. at Tours.
Among the peace-time activities,
they have started camp on the
Thames for w. A. A. C.'s In need
of rest and recreation. It Ia near
windsor Castle. and when we WIS.,
tied them one afternoon we could
see the battlements and towers Of
that great building over the tree
tops. ...
There II q most extraordinary
spirit of democracy among these
women. as well as those of other
organizations, who are drawn-as
have said-from every class. II In
one Of the new elements In English
life. particularly significant in a
country wnere class dlstlnction na&
always played 30 vital a part.
( In their relation to each other
they are, indeed, comrades, and diff
ferences of station, education, and
occupation are utterly ignored.
Most Of them have folded their
uniforms away for their children
and grandchildren to wonder over in
the years to come. Those uniforms
are not part of the panoply Of war
and destruction, but the livery OF un-
selfish service, and with them their
children viii inherit new spirit
one Of service to the common cause
which Ia. after all. the great hope
Of the future.
In next weeks installment Mrs
Hartman win discuss the problem,
"What are the English women going
The Washington times., 1921-09-04

About 10 per cent OF the de-
tachment are still active; the rest
are all on the reserve list ready
to be called on at any time that
they are needed ..,...
The detachment is actually the
line behind the army Among the
reserves a great many trained as
The Washington times., 1921-09-04
Detachment of the " D. marching in Victory Parade in
London. Arrow indicates Lady Ampthin, commanding
the " A. DIS. .s..r e|~ ."r .-..".

nurses. many went TO live in the
dominions, large numbers married
and some returned to q life Of
leisure. .a.. ..at. .... ,.'
Numerous v. A. Ds. took ad-
vantage of the governments offer
to give free passage and q grant OF
The Washington times., 1921-09-04

The Evening Critic. published In
Ninth street between e and +
streets northwest, few doors north
of the notorious "Buzzard's Roost."
The night experiences at the prison
formed the most interesting feature
of my story.
1t was said, although I did not
witness this occurrence, that one
tipsy gent mounted to the platform
Of the scaftold during the night and
was proceeding to deliver a speech
when he was hauled down by jail
guard.
MANY OF THE WATCHERS
HAD BEEN FOR BREAKFAST.
Bright and early the next morning
an old colored man who bad boon
The Washington times., 1921-09-04

translated means Voluntary Aid
Detachment to the territorial army,
was formed in 1909, and its scope
much broadened to meet the war
emergency Of 1914. Its personnel
was drawn from all classes--no-
billty, gentry, shop girls, teachers
and servants, who were all treated
The Washington times., 1921-09-04

as equals once they wore the uni
form, and were nurses aids.
Lady Ampthill, considered by
many as the foremost woman in
terested in women's work in Eng
land, has been the ". A. DIS exec
utive head and fairy godmother
since It sincepuon.
The Washington times., 1921-09-04
Women War Workers Now "BuSy AS Bees"
Building UP the Far Distant Colonies

1yl grant in British Africa reward for
service: t#
"Marisa Mainaga Fort Hail District.
ts "Kenya Colony 1921.
write before this but It is difficult to
snatch to do lead a busy life.
imagine Just sisters and left
England Castle other settlers
My sisters and feel quite estab
shed now bandas built hus
elder sister put
help Of es-i a fine piece of work
girls little them.
arid anlets; them
pretty graceful, q
take their land about here
now and we
glad that have not got to rough
now We first ~.
"wages being glad but whether
do
hand; but much
high. their
for it,"
The Washington times., 1921-09-04
DEMOCRATIC SPIRIT.
RESULT OF CONFLICT
SEEN ON ALL SIDES

Uniforms of Stirring Times Folded Away fof
3 Children and Grandchildren to Wonder Over In
d Years to Come Owners Now Busy Trying TO
Earn Enough for Living Organization for the
~ War Period Has Left Imprint ON the Land
Which Gives Great Hope for the Future.
IN remarkable Red Cross
oorke the Federal In
Relations matters
affecting the stats of her the Atlantic This the second
svtice Of the series ~
ee BY MRS. BORDEN HARTMAN.
EkvTyHE MAD HATTER'-This sign board swinging in
front of modest house street, Exeter,
ss rested attention and also our progress.
Lets go in,' we exclaimed in unison.
So anxious to discover what original individual pre-
sided there passed through the embowered door
way to inspect the Hats and Jumpers for all sorts Of
occasions" youngish with slight athletic fig
ure clothed in of her advanced to inter-
rogate to our wants.
rubbed my eyes twice in effort to recall the set
ting in which had this girl before Somehow she
brought of deafening noise feeling of
whelming admiration to my mind
Then suddenly knew-"Why Miss D, what
earth are you doing here?" / asked. -..
The Washington times., 1921-09-04

furnishing meals for Guiteau, did a
rushing business supplying the rev.
ellers with breakfast and beer from
a nearby brewery. r.
An unwritten feature Of the exc
cution was related to me by the
late DR.. Tilden, Of the Army Medical
Museum. who represented the Gov
ernment at the hanging. It occurred
a half hour before Guiteau was es-
corted to the scaffold.
The Jail was surrounded by a de-
tail Of United States regular SOL
diers. Ohen the troops were march
ed into the building and halted In
the big central corridor, the tramp
OF feet and the crash OF their rifles
as they came to order arms on
the stone flooring, caused vibrant
echoes to penetrate the cells and
corridors. r..-...
Guiteau, who had been exceeding
ly nervous since he arose from his
iron cot, crumpled into chair at
Ine bOuIlu anu was III q sthtc VI near
collapse when DR.. Macwilliams, the
jail physician, and Or. Tolden were
hastily summoned.
Warden Crocker, anxious to carry
out the death penalty as smoothly
as possible. also was present.
Gentlemen" he said to the doc
tors, "this man must be restored at
once to prevent a scene on the scaf.
fold"
DIR. Tilden asked the jail physi-
clan II he had any liquor in the Jail
apothecary shop.
BIG DRINK OF BRANDY
GIVEN TO DOOMED MAN.
"I have some brandy" DR.. Mac
Williams replied, and proceeding to
the medicine room, returned with
quart bottle Of brandy. A goblet
full OF the liquid was administered
to the assassin few minutes be-
fore General Crocker read the daath
warrant
The Washington times., 1921-09-04

women hands, the men were rough
and suriy to her--the night super
intendent. especially. being impos-
sible to piacate and induce to be CO.
operative.
On Christmas Eve. the year that
there was a dire need for high e..
plosives at the front. the owner and
manager was dangerously III In a
hospital. The men came to the girl
superintendent and said: I'VE are
going to stop work tonight, bring
In beer and enjoy ourselves. We
want the women to join u.s.
"No," said the girl, mot II I know
II. My women are going 10 stick
to their jobs and work through their
shift as usual" -
All that cold night and into the
gray dawn, while the men became
more and more drunk and noisy,
jeering at the women for their 10y.
atty to their employer, the girl
walked back and forth through the
middle of the long factory. She
would stop every little while to say
a word Of encouragement to indi-
viduai girls and she would counter
any attempts on the part of the
men to get to the women's side of
the building. ... ..t......
The result was that in the morn.
ing the output of the women not
only equaled but exceeded the nor.
NAL ov,o,,nf O ..........
The Washington times., 1921-09-04
NIGHT sUPERINTENDENT
WON OVER TO WOMEN.

The girls arch enemy. the night
superintendent. was so overcome by
the dramatic spectacle Of that young
heroic figure trudging the length of
The Washington times., 1921-09-04

In next weeks installment Mrs.
Hartman win discuss the problem,
what are the English women going
The Washington times., 1921-09-04

ocordins 70 the report the jan
The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1921-12-17
Mr.. Stuart Again
Heads State Fair

At the annual meeting of the
Vermont State Fair commission at
White River Junction Thursday
President Charles l.. Stuart of
Lyndonville presided. and reports
were made by various departments
The following officers were elected
President, c. l.. Stuart; vice pres
ident, +. w. Bickford of Bradford; !;
secretary and assistant treasurer,
f. L. Davis of Hartford; treasurer
G.. E. Mann of Quechee.
President Stuart appointed the
following executive committee: C.
l.. Stewart, F. w. Bickford, G.. E.
Mann, Prof. Thomas Bradlee and
Commissioner Of Agriculture E. S.
Brigham. Secretary Davis reported
this was the most successful year
in point of attendance, paid ad-
missions and number of exhib: is.
He recently returned from Chi
cago where he attended a meeting
of the International Association of
Fairs. Only four exhibitions show
ed gains in 1921 over the previous
year and Vermont was one of the
four and stood second in per cent
gained in attendance and admis-
sions.
The dates for the 1922 fair are
September II to -, inclusive.