Evening star., 1924-12-21
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

In The Star
John Chamberlin is well remem-
bered by elder Washingtonians as the
Chamberlin's eroggrs1nT estabI,sbm.pt 4f ah Z
Cluhhouse the corner of Fiji
teenth and streets
which for years was a political CEN
ter. In The Star of December u,
relating TO Mr. Chamberlin's loca-
ton at that point of his afterward
famous institution:
Mr.. John Chamberlin Of New
York-and Long Branch-in buying
the KNAPP house on I street for his
Washington clubhouse seems to have
followed the Greeley injunction 10
go west His location is in the
heart Of upper-rendom, but still the
question rises from the curious:
why did he go so very far west?'
and Saratoga-in proposing to estab-
lish his clubhouse on Capitol Hill,
seems to have a shrewder eye to
biz"
X
In The Star OF December Is, 1874,
is an item to the effect that after re-
Tavlor,s quests of the survivors Of
Aayioi the war with Mexico
Statue. Delegate Mccormick of
Arizona had introduced
in the House a bill appropriating
$4,000 to be applied to the purchase
of an equestrian statue of Gen. Zach
airy Taylor, to be erected at the cor
ner of Fourteenth and Massachusetts
avenue. The bill provided also that
the Secretaries OF State and War
should comprise a commission to Sc
cure an artist and attend the carry
ing out the objects OF the bill. This
measure, like many others OF the
same nature, failed of passage, or
else IL the appropriation was made 1t
Gen. George H. Thomas of Civil War
fame now occupies the site pre-
scribed. and no outdoor statue of
Gen. Zachary Taylor is now in evil
dence in Washington.
= =
In The Star of December Is, 1874,
is an editorial summarizing the news
Charlie Ross of the killing at Bay
ondi Aio 1"'s Ridge, near New
.Kidnapers York City; Of two
WHO Ddu dl-
tempted entry into the house of
Judge Rulett Van Brunt. One of
them before dying confessed that he
and his companion were the abduc-
tors OF Charlie Ross, the little Phila-
delphia boy whose kidnapping dur
ing the previous Summer caused a
national sensation. The Star says:
This is one of the most remark
able cases of retributive justice on
record But few cases upon the
criminal records of the country are
more prominent than the abduction
of Charlie Ross in broad daylight,
and the tragic end Of the chief actors
gives IL a most thrilling interest.
The police and detective force of our
entire country have been entirely and
completely baffied, until Providence
in its own awful ana mysterious way
brings to light the crime and It's per-
petrators 1t Is to be devoutly hoped
that the boy may be returned to his
home, and that the woman. Mosher
(wife of one of the dead burglars1,
may not in a spirit of vengeance be
driven to add a murder to the al
ready revolving crime in which she
has participated"
Tho rotunda of the Capitol has
been the scene of many interesting
assemblages. b u
Tea Party in none probably more
brilliant than that
the Rotunda. which filled the
space on the evening of December
16, 1874, when centennial tea
party" was held there to raise funds
for the centennial exposition IN
Philadelphia in 1875. The Star OF
December II, 1874. says:
There was but one fault to De
found with the tea party last night
and that was that 1t was too much
of a. success The crowd was so
great from the beginning to the end
of. the evening that 1t was almost
impossible to see the tables or, ap-
proach them for refreshments. The
effect of the decorations and toilettes
was not as marked as they would
have been in more open space.
The ladies who undertook the stu
penduous work of organizing and
carrying out such a novel ana won
derful entertainment have certainly
shown great executive ability. They
have proved that they are well Verseo
in the history OF their country and
the glory which belongs to the 1a
original States. Each table was
mostly of minute description and
every lady's dress was in perfect
keeping with the period represented
The powdered hair and face, with
black patches, coquettish caps, prud-
ish kerchiefs and dainty aprons. were
becoming to all. The old Hall
of Representatives was wrapped In g
dim religious light. which added tc
the scenic effect of the marble col
umns and statuary. The Marine Band
in uniform. with their music stands
each of which had candle, which
made the darkness more visible,
supplemented the effect. There was
a -rostrum from which Gen. Hawley,
and afterward Secretary Robson,
addressed the vast throng. II was
TO hear the addresses, for