Evening star., 1927-11-03
BARBARA FR|TCH|E
STORY REFUTED
Oldest Inhabitants Told Fred
erick Woman Could Not
Have Waved Flag.

Refutation of the historical stor,
OF Barbara Fritchie and her poet
sung waving of the American flas
from her window as Gen. stone.
wall' Jackson, Confederate officer
marched through Frederick. Md.
with his troops, and historical data
on the establishment of public mar
kets in the District of Columbia
constituted the chief "reminiscences
of the Association of Oldest Inhabit
ants meeting last night in the Unior
Engine House, Nineteenth and H
streets.
While John Clagett Proctor read
his paper on the three authenticity
recorded reasons" why Dame Frit-
schie" could not have waved the
American flag that memorable Sep
tember 10, 1862, and while Altemus
e. Harmon, newly elected member of
the association. presented his ac-
count of the market founding. other
members were seeking information
concerning the possible existence and
whereabouts of photogra phs of early
Washington. DR. William Tindall
asked his fellow association members
&c they knew where he could find a
picture of the building which stood
on the site now occupied by the
District Building Washington Top
ham inquired of the members for a
picture of the old Chronicler Build
ing which formerly stood on the
near Ninth street.
Early Pictures Sought.
& Fired by these quests for pictures.
James F. Duhamel. chairman of the
ASSOCIATIONS building and archives
committee. urged the association to
present any and all pictures OF early
washington to the association for
proper cataloging and preservation.
S Mr.. Proctor's treatise on Barbara
Fritichie was inspired. he told the
association. by accounts of a "Bar.
hara Fritchie Operetta" in Baltimore.
where, according to certain news
paper articles. Mr. Proctor says the
'original flag which the real Barbara
Fritchie waved on September 10.
1852, in the teeth of 'Stonewalr Jack
sons army at Frederick. Nd" and
which, it is claimed was brought
from Frederick to Baltimore under
military escort of the National Guard
OF Maryland. accompanied by Bar
bara's great-grandniece," is waved by
the star of the performance.
y Remarking that Barnum once said
that the people like to be hum
bugged" and declaring that the story
OF Barbara Fritchie already had been
disproved thoroughly. Mr.. Proctor
said there were three reasons why
the famous woman of Frederick
could not have waved the flag.
a. Gives Three Reasons.
''These are"-Mr. Proctor read from
his paper-"Barbara at that time
was bed ridden and had been so for
quite while. and it would have been
impossible for her to have waved a
nag. At the time of the reported
Incident, her age Is given as 96. and
she died the following December.
only three months later, no doubt,
from old age This should surely be
enough TO disprove the story. but
further: 1t was not light when Jack
son left Frederick. as evidenced by
the following note left at the door OF
DR.. Ross. Presbyterian minister of
the time:
Regret not being permitted to
see DR.. and Mrs. Ross, but could not
expect to have that pleasure at 50 un-
seasonable an hour.
tSigned) - T. J. JACKSON
"' September 10. 1862, Sis am
s'The third reason that brands the
incident myth is that Jackson s
army did not march by Barbara's