Evening star., 1923-11-04
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

Perhaps some are now living who
recall the pugilistic exploits Of
The Benecia Boy"
Death Of the a popular American
u.p fighter of the past.
Benecta Boy. whose death is thus
recorded in The Star Of October 81.
1873:
"a telegram announces the death
of John c. Heenan. the Benecia Boy.
The deceased was a New Yorker and
went to California at an early age,
where he, worked at q trade. He
fought a prize fight there and took
tho name Of the Benecia Boy from
the town OF Benecia, which was
named after the daughter of Gen.
Agramonte, who lies buried on Its
topmost hill. He first became notori-
GUS by his fight with John Morrisey,
afterward fought Tom sayres for the
championship OF England. but the
fight was a drawn one. Afterward
he was beaten by Tom King, owing.
1t was alleged. to his being drugged
before the fight. from the effects of
of his magnificent physique. he has
been for some time suffering from
consumption and had gone west for
his health. but without receiving any
benefit from the trip. Heenan was
married S. sS%e Isssss years asO to popular
i
Lectures were the mainstay of pub
lie entertainment half a century ago.
but 1t would seem from
A Plea for the following in The
-, Star of October 27, 1873.
Aec'ufos' that Washington had
fallen upon hard times in this respect:
I'VE do not learn that any steps
have yet been taken to furnish our
community with lectures during the
coming winter. except those to be
given by Prof. Agassiz. The dis
courses of the latter will, of course.
be appreciated and will furnish an
Intellectual treat seldom enjoyed In
Washington. 1t Is to be presumed
that other lectures will be given dur
ing the winter under different aus
have charge of tho matter will ex-
ercise due discretion and prompt
Judgment In their selection Of Ices
turers. Lecture lists frequently In
clude the names of persons who are
A lecturer should be able either to
instruct or 10 Rmuse the public, and
when he can do neither should re-
tire. Let US have lecturers who. IL
they cannot tell us something new.
can at least descant on commonplace
matters in such a manner as to In
terest their hearers"
+
The once popular song, "a Hot Time
in the Old Town Tonight" had not
been written fifty years ago by many
years, indeed. But Wash
"A Pillar ington had q hot time OF
sits own on one occasion
o1 E1re' which furnished most
unusual item OF police reporting. as
thus shown In the columns OF The
Star Of October so. 1879:
"This morning Policeman Dyson of
the sixth precinct reported to the sta
ton that there was a lamp post on
ire' on the corner OF 7th and I
streets. This strange announcement
rather staggered his companions and
Lieut.. Eckloff. after q critical inspec.
Il he was not drunk. asked him what
he meant, when, turning about. he
presented to the gaze Of his -ques-
TONER q streak Of singed overcoat
extending from collar TO tail, while
1t the same time q series of squiryns
Of his person, with ruefui counte-
nance, convinced those present that
ho had been uncomfortably warmed
up. Lieut. Eckloff, with others, pro-
ceeded to the place indicated and
o0nd the iron lamp post nearly red
hot. On further Investigation. II was
discovered that hole had been
irilyed through one side to the In
terror and. looking through this hole,
} blaze OF FIRE was seen rushing up
through the hollow part Of the post
with q busting sound, Attached to
The lamp post was q letter box. which
was also quite hot. 1t appears tnat
The underground Joint At the toot
If the post had sprung q leak from
he carelsssness Of the laborers IN
digging on the street improvement
and that the gas escaping through
the post had by some means become
tgnited, possibly by some lounEer
lghting his pipe by striking 9 match
IN the post. Policeman Dyson says
hat after he got singed leaning up
,Eainst It his curiosity led him to
<eep an eye on others, ana he had
he satisfaction OF seeing several
men approach the post for q COM
.ortable lean or talk and suddenly
lance about and snap their hngers
With pain. One tnebriated indi-
,iduaI, on touching II. Jumped about
vice his length and went headlong
ntc the gutter. Lieut.. Ecklo3 noti-
led the gas company and men were