davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1927-05-29

belonging to their mother was on the
place Of Mr.. Selby Scaggs, over the
Eastern Branch, went over to see
him, having heard that he was anx-
ious to return home. After an inter-
view with him he thankfully en-
braced the offer to take him to his
old mistress, but officers Cole and
Cline arrested them on the charge of
kidnapping. They were taken to the
first precinct station and kept until
Friday morning, when they were
brought before Justice Gull. Here the
slave was informed that he was free
If he chose to remain so, under the
late act, but he declared that he
wished to go back, and besought the
justice to let his young masters take
him home with them. The justice,
after hearing the evidence, decided
that as the negro was willing and
anxious to return that the charge of
kidnapping was not sustained and dis
missed the parties, the negro return
ing to his old home with the Messrs.
Linthicum after expressing his thanks
for the privilege"
May 27, 1862: New Steamer to AL
exandria-By the advertisement else
where it will be seen that the travel.
ing facilities between Washington
and Alexandria are to be increased
satisfactorily, as the fine steamer
Young America has arrived, and is to
be commanded by Capt. e. A. Ryther.
a gentleman known to everybody and
experienced in steamboating, and who
knows how to accommodate the pub.
lie to a nicety."
"Nuisance--Near the old paper Mill
Bridge on the road from Kalorama to
tvryr n
slaughter houses, the stencil from
which has become intolerable and
caused complaints from residents of
the neighborhood
Property sale-W. s. Holiday has
sold at private sale Col. William
Selden's farm a short distance be-
yond Columbian College, on Four.
teenth street, 76 acres, for $4,000.
Purchaser, s. Phillips Brown. Navy
agent"
This was in The Star, Friday, May
80, 1862:
"The contrabands-The slaves who
have been escaping from their mas
ters in Maryland and Virginia and
who have received the title of the
Contrabands,' are mostly quartered
in Duff Green's Row on Capitol Hill.
where there are at present about
600 Of them Of both sexes and of
every age from babe to old man or
woman of TO- They are quartered
in the two north houses of the row,
the other houses being occupied by
the military. The sexes are being
kept separate except in the case of
families. when they are assigned
separate rooms from the others.
1.-THE Government finds them in
rations of bread. meat, coffee, rice.
ETC., Of the same equality as the
Army ration, but not with clothing,
Evening star., 1927-05-29

wasn't much ammunition, the drum
banging continued necessarily and ar
rows came from everywhere. Pres
emily the little force OF attackers
found themselves outside on the pain
arain.
None Of the Babban Kurmi folks
showed up. and evidently they did not
intend to leave their fastness. for so
yards from the edge of the jungle
patch the arrows were falling short.
The end of it all was that the assault
on Babban Kurmi just petered out;
the place was obviously too strong for
q small force to attack with any hope
Of success. The commander of the es
cort carefully removed the arrow from
his breeches and the party set off on
q weary march back to their village
quarters.
There the commissioner encountered
a runner with urgent orders from his
chief to return to headquarters a
once--So-and-so, sick and invalided
home, must be relieved Immediately.
That finally ended the matter.
The rainy season being well estab'
lished, your humble servant was Or
dered to pacify this troublesome Bah
ban Kurmi and open up the country
generally. Off I went to Basta, where
q company OF native infantry and its
three British officers were sitting,
waiting for the clouds to roll by.
\ X II X
THE political officer at Basta was an
l. old friend of mine, an excellent
fellow with a sense Of humor ITEM
pered by a sense Of his own dignity.
In his spare time he was on the best
of terms with the three soldier men
and the doctor, but in Office hours he
rather 'scrapped" with them.
Me he looked upon mainly as a dis
turber of the peace--his peace-be-
cause the chief had habit Of sending
me to Basta every now and then on
"speeding.up" errands. This political
officer was named Henry-Henry Of
Basta.
Knowing him so we'll, the last thing
I intended to do was to burst in on
him abruptly with the news that the
troops and / were off to Babban
Kurmi, because that move would
make lot of work for Henry-collect.
| ing transport and supplies, arranging
to keep us going with money, taking
over whatever the soldiers and the
doctor left behind. and many other
details.
Apart from that, Henry, being a
sociable soul, given to hospitality and
the nightly rubber Of bridge, would
not willingly sit alone in Basta If he
could by any manner Of means post
pone things.
So dropped in on Henry and spoke
vaguely Of going around the villages
Evening star., 1927-05-29

Kendree Chapel Sabbath school and
| "the children of St. Aloysius. School
picnicked in Berry's woods" The
Star said that fireworks were sent
up from the Smithsonian. Canterbury
and several other places.
pARsON BROWNLOw Of Tennes.
see July /, 1862. lectured at Ford's
Atheneum ito densely crowded au.
dience of the most distinguished citi.
of his lecture three rousing cheers
were given for the speaker. for Ten
nessee and for the Stars and Stripes"
The Star said July II, 1852: 1.-THE
sick and wounded soldiers of Nc.
Clellan's Army on the Peninsula, espe-
cially those remote from post hos.
pitals and hospital boats, are absolute
ly suffering for needed supplies and
for suitable necessaries and delicacieS.
Mrs. Harlan, wife of the Senator from
Iowa, has just returned from the
scenes Of misery and gives most
heartrending account OF the scenes
she has witnessed"
Liberty Hall, Alexandria, Va, was
opened Monday, July IL. 1862, under
the management of Percival, Parker
from the Washington Canterbury"
Advertisement in The Star, July IL,
1862: "Varieties-This new place Of
amusement is now open and has upon
its boards some Of the best performers
to be found. Sixth street, two doors
from the Avenue. Admittance, 10
cents. Fl. c. Purdy, proprietor"
In the commencement of the Mary
land Agricultural College, July II,
1862. students taking part were
Eugene Calvert, John S. Cuttings,
Rudolph Hitz, Addison Randall,
Charles B. Calvert, jr.; William P.
Turpin. William III. Wallis, c. New
man and 8. D. Hall. The graduates
were w. B. Sands and Thomas Frank.
lin. Rev. DR.. Pinkney spoke to the
students. There was grand ball" at
night.
Advertisement in The Star. July 16.
1862: Notice Is given to the general
coach will leave the Accommodation
Carriage Stand, corner Of Fourteenth
and the Avenue, every day in the
season for Columbian College and
Lispenard Hospitals and back, every
second hour from am. to 6 PM
Ladies and gentlemen should not for.
get visiting the Union wounded. Fare
only rs cents. G. w. Bennett. pro
prietor."
July 2f, 1862: "Maison d'Oree--An
enterprising gentleman has recently
fitted up the double house. 402 Thir-
teenth street, between G and H streets.
as q clubhouse after the most APP
proved London and New York fashion.
1t is called after the celebrated similar
establishment In New York, the Maison
d'Oree, of which II 10 w01khy repre-
sentative "a the NationaIN Capital.
Evening star., 1927-05-29

near his station on head.measuring
expedition. Learned folk were always
botherlng for data Of the sort.
had advised the commanding Off
Ger of what was happening, and also
the doctor. They were both fully We
to the necessity of keeping Henry OF
his delay tactics.
spent 10 days padding around In
the wet among the rocks and swamps
and rivers, warned this and that vii
lage to produce so many carriers at
Basta at dawn on the 18th, and gave
orders for supplies in bulk to be deliv-
cred there on the same day at the
same hour.
By way of camouflage, did good
deal Of head.measurihg with a tape.
which mystif1ed the subjects greatly
and would have mystified the scien-
lists even more had they ever seen the
results.
On the 18th about lunch time in the
pouring rain / arrived back In Basta.
After lunch I got on my pony and
we waded across the station to where
Wilfred, who commanded the troops,
lived. Seated with him in the shack
was the medical officer. Wilfred told
me his army was all ready to move off
directly the transport and supplies
arrived, and that he was prepared to
hand over everything else to Henry
at any moment.
So the commander wrote note and
the doctor wrote a note and wrote a
note, all three addressed to Henry,
and telling him everything about
everything. An orderly dashed off
with them, a bugle blew, the two
junior officers arrived. also the native
sergeant.major, the orderly sergeant
and various other people.
The company commander gave his
orders, and within five minutes there
arose from the soldiers lines the Babel
of mixed babblement that always does
arise when orders for a short.notice
move are published. Then we took
tea, the horses were brought around,
the rain stopped, the sun shone. and
4 pm. saw us cantering across to in
terview Henry.
We found him in a deck chair, his
fingers fumbling with our three notes.
It was an impressive, a tragic mo-
ment. He just sat there and wagged
his head slowly from side to side.
The commander and the medical
officer waved handing-over certificates
before his dull eyes. urging him to be
up and doing. Come on" they said.
land take over from us and sign these
certificates" / also produced my lit
tie dossier. Henry simply went on
staring; a tear stole into his eye.
The army was scheduled to march
four days to Gassol, a village on the
fiat within a few miles of Babban
Evening star., 1927-05-29

that being procured by subscription
The National Freedmen's Relief AS
sociation find most of the material
| which is cut and made into garments
by such of the female contrabands as
can sew. Their bedding is mostly
found by themselves. some of them
when they arrived in the city bring
ing surprising quantities of bedding
and clothing with them. but when
ment furnishes them with @ straw
bed.
"In the quarters q school is con
Quoted by Messrs. s. L.. Storer (?)
and James Marshall, who instruct
them in the primary branches of
education. They are said to make
quite rapid progress and some are
already reading with proficiency.
About 200 of the contrabands attend
the school and are mostly supplied
with books from parties in the North
who send packages almost weekly.
Besides teaching this school, Messrs.
Sharer (?) and Marshall give a les
son to IL or Is contrabands at the
navy yard at noon each day. The
studies pursued are reading, writing,
arithmetic and geography, in which
studies they are making unexpected
progress. Many Of them are anxious
to emigrate to Liberia, especially
those who are the most advanced,
they not believing in the doctrine
that the white and blacks can live
peaceably on an equality with each
other in this country.
preaching services are held twice
each Sabbath, Messrs. Marshall and
Sharer with ministers of the various
;no ot ae,
officiating. Bishop Payne (colored)
of the African M. E. Church, Prof.
Dwight of New York and Prof.
Cromwell of Liberia have lately con-
Quoted services for them. The con-
trabands take a great interest in the
services and three times a week or
oftener. they hold prayer meetings
among themselves.
"The Government employs many Of
the contrabands, drawing acquisitions
for gangs Of them daily and working
them about the stables, hospitals and
other places. Quite a number have
gone to live with their families In this
city and it is believed that they gen.
orally give satisfaction, although most
Of them, even the women, are field
hands. Persons wishing to make use
of their services can procure them by
proving to the superintendent, Mr..
Duvali, that they are loyal persons.
after which they can select such as
they think will suit them. The num-
ber IS constantly on the increase"
On July 4, 1862, the Sunday school
of Union Chapel spent the day In
Mrs. McCall's wO0ds near Kalorama,"
the Sabbath schools of the Bridge
Street Presbyterian and the Methodist
churches Of Georgetown celebrated
the day in Mrs John III. Kings woods
In an appropriate MANNER" and Nc.
Evening star., 1927-05-29

Kurmi. Travelling light and starting
early, I was there on the evening ol
the 10th, two days ahead Of 1t. That
night I sent out messengers calling
all the chiefs and elders to come and
see me on the morrow, the Babban
Kurmi folks with the rest. said
nothing about the soldiers. My own
people thought the troops were NOV
ing down to headquarters.
TREKKING in from s am. onward
came the kings" More "kings'
than most people think exist on earth
came that day to meet me. BY II
o'clock there were thirty or forty Of
'em, and more coming in every few
minutes. In those parts they are very
partial to kings; every village keeps
one
BY midday there wasn't q village
unrepresented except Babban Kurrni.
To please me. the assembled majeSties
detailed a dozen Of their number, the
more active ones being selected. to
go over to Babban Kurmi and renew
the invitation to that king" and his
councillors to come and Join the pow.
WOW The deputation went of at q
great pace, promising to return before
nightfall.
The afternoon wore on, and was
slipping tea when there came Jogging
up the high street the fieetest Of the
deputation, very dusty and out OF
breath. Babban Kurmi, they assured
me. was hopeless.
Certain Of the young men had come
forth with spears and clubs and chop
pers and had hunted them all the way
back home, shooing them practically
into my presence.
So we pow.wowed without Babban
Kurmi. I said I feared 1t would be
necessary to intercept the troops a,
present on their way from Basta tc
headquarters, and with them to &C
cept the B. K. invitation.
BY this time, without any WORD
from me. the people all knew that the
soldiers had left Basta and were NOV
ing down the road, we'll within call.
told the meeting that IL I did bring
the soldiers nobody present or repre-
sented had anything to fear, but al
would get rich with good money for
supplies and for labor. Cigarettes and
salt and a few boxes Of matches were
then distributed, and the "kings
went happily homeward.
I sent one Of my own people with q
note to the commander Of the troops,
giving him details Of the cross.country
cut from the road and asking him to
arrange his arrival for after dark.
Wilfred and his army arrived at 10
p.m., having come some 10 miles after
an eight-hour daylight rest. It was
Evening star., 1927-05-29

~ RESIDENT LINCOLN, April 16
- 1852, signed the act of Con.
gress freeing negro slaves in
Il the District of Columbia and
directing payment to the
slaves owners. A commission, the
Emancipation Commission, was named,
and with that commission slave own.
ers in the city and county Of Wash.
ington filed their statement Of the
number of slaves, the slaves names
and. their value. The commission set
the sum to be paid the slave owners.
In last Sundays ramble was a long
list of District slave owners, but that
list did not give the names Of all slave
owners in the District. The Rambler
hands you another list, and this does
not end the names of persons in the
city and county Of Washington who
owned slaves in 1862. 1t follows:
Elizabeth S. Bryan, slaves; Col.
W. A Nichols, /; Augustus M. Blair,
6; Mary Augustus Gadsby, l. Ben
jamin c. Card, 8; Courtney Reeves, 3;
Mary Peter, Administrative, 4; Mar
gafet Gets, 2; George Rhodes, A; Will
liam j. Stone, s; Sarah Tolson, /;
Washington Miller, /; John Manning,
Is; Mary NJ. McIntire, 3; Sarah A.
Landreth, 4: Jane Z. Cochrell, /; VIII.
liam Noel. 2: Joseph Bryan, trustee,
3; Joseph Bryan, 1; Melvena II. Bowie,
Z; Henry S. HALEY, 4; Leonard Storm,
/; Walter II. NARROW, 1; p. w. Brown.
ing. /: Mary Z. Banning, /; Noble
Hurdle, l; Ann Cosenn, 4; Gabriel
Cloakley, S; Motley Moreland. G.
Thomas III. Barron, 2; JudSon Scott, /
Mary D. Lear. !; Elizabeth J. Seybolt,
]; William Peters, /; John G. Stone,
!; Anna l.. Stone, /; 4. r. Edelin,. i
Jonathan Ridenour, 2; Mary Fenwick
3; Julia Fenwick, l, and George
Washington Young. 6S. George Wash
ington Young of Nonesuch and Gis
borough. having his home at Gis
borough in 1852. owned more slaves
than any other man or woman in the
District. SO far as the Rambler has
gone in this matter, the person second
to George Washington Young in the
number of slaves was Margaret G
Barber, who owned 33. The Rambler
is so ignorant that he does not know
who Margaret Barber was, nor where
In the District she lived.
Let us continue the list: Mrs. Eliza
beth Brent, 6 slaves: Enoch +. ZelI. l
Ann Brisco, 4; William B. Magrudei
of Montgomery County, / dn the Dis
trict); Peter Wood, ST., /; NJ. Alice
Shulye. /; Nimrod Farr, 4; A. T. Bully
2: John T. Sullivan, :; Elizabeth Win
son, 8: Bailey Brown, 4; Bushrod w
Farr, S. John c. Riley, 2; Henry NJ
Morris, j: Henry Cost, ]; Reuben b
Clarke, 2; William II. Magruder, Q
Emily w. Farquhar. 3; Anna c. Wat
son, I; Susan Tyler, 3; Mary AM
Clark, 16: Benjamin +. Cuttings. 9
Mathew II. Stevens. 2: Robert p. Dun
lop. 3; Catherine A. Maddox, 2; xIiza
beth J. Maddox. l; Susan Ireland.
Evening star., 1927-05-29

miles from Baltimore partook Of some
more refreshments and arrived at the
Eutaw House, Baltimore, at am. OF
| Tuesday, precisely on schedule time
! Mr.. G. J. Eaton, who accompanied the
| pedestrian in carriage from this
city, informs us that Mr.. Weston
made the last 10 miles in better time
than any other portion Of the dis.
tance and arrived in Baltimore per.
fectly fresh. In fact, his pace was 80
good that Mr.. Eaton was compelled
to put his horses on the trot to keep
up with him. At IL m. yesterday Mr..
Weston resumed his task, and consid-
cradle interest Is felt in the result of
his movement upon Philadelphia as
he undertakes the remarkable feat of
walking the entire distance in "a con.
secutive hours, including all stops"
The Canterbury was drawing crowds
in the Spring Of 1862. and Dick Par.
ker was a comedian in the Canter.
bury troupe. The Rambler takes this
advertisement from The Star Of May
IL. 1862:
complimentary Benefit to Dick
Parker:
"Richard Parker, Esq, Dear Sir:
We the undersigned desire from rea.
| sons which we will mention, to tender
you complimentary benefit. Your
| career as an artist in your profession
in this city has rendered you popular
J beyond most performers who have
| visited us, and your quiet, gentleman.
| ly demeanor has gained for you hosts
Of friends and admirers, who would
be pleased to testify to you in a suit
able manner their appreciation of
/ your worth.
your conduct in our city has been
a model to the members of your pro-
fession, and in any capacity could not
do otherwise than make you friends.
In this connection we cannot do other.
wise than express our appreciation of
Messrs. Percival s. Co. managers of
the Canterbury for affordng us q
popular style of amusement" (Signed)
Ostheim Bros, Fred M. Houghton, r.
| S. w. Dunham, M. Arnold, p. Lichau,
p. Franklin Jones, w. McKenny,
George r. Dickinson, w. H. Frinck,
Henry f.. Merrick, w. H. Ottman,
| Cyrus Bradle, F. Tenney, Lem Short,
Hermann Myer, Meyer Wettzens, ST.;
w. L. Ketcham, II. Lichau, N. Jones,
John c. Ray, J. M. Hamistow, George
w. McKenney, e. c. George, Peter
l.. Ottman, Byron A. Giberson, j. B.
| Proctor, J. B. Whittier and Joseph F.
, Cozinns. Dick Parker replied through
| The Star, thanked the signers for
| their regard for his talent and sug.
gested that the benefit be given Fri
day evening, May %, 1862.
H X n y
THIS was a news story in The Star,
Saturday, May "a, 1852:
Returned Home-On Thursday
| night two young men named Linthi.
cum of Howard County. Md, who
were in the city, hearing that a slave
Evening star., 1927-05-29
BY CAPT. J. +. J. FITZPATRICK.

~ AMPARA was a real bush
nrovince. Right in the mid
\ die Of it, in a patch OF jungle
y handy to the hills, lay the
village of Babban kurini'
And inside Babban kurmi lived Il can
of savaccs who claimed to he the
toughest in all the countryside.
They lived mainly by robbery they
robbed the other Savages, usuallS
after numbering them: they periodi.
callv swooped down onto the trade
road and plundered the cloth ana salt
merchants who adventured along lt.
The worse the Batban kurmians be.
haved the more they were respected
by their neighbors. so all the otner
little clans within q 30-mile radius tried
70 keen in the good Sraces Of this
tribe Of freehooters, gave them pres
ents and supplied them with informa-
ton.
One day strang thing happened.
A brand new assistant district com
missioner, with an escort of % native
soldiers commanded by pins faced
cas- airy officer fresh out from home,
happened within the orbit of Babban
kurmi.
They sat down in the nearest thing
TO a village the neighborhood boasted
it was the dry season. ana tents OH
the outskirts of that odoriferous war
ran did them well enouEh-and
the commissioner went to work to tell
everybody about the government ana
law and order and paying taxes ana
the desire of the government that
every person should he secure in the
peaceful enjoyment Il what was ms:
Thereupon certain of those whc had
most recently lost relations and stock
and gear to the men of Babban Kurml
were encouraged to come forward ana
give testimony. The commissioner
and the escort commander said 1t was
very abominable and must be stopped;
they would stop 1t. And a messenger
was sent 10 call the chief and elders
of Babban Kurmi to come along and
explain themselves instantly.
Now. the messenger was very
poor man. and life being about all
that ne possessed, he did not purpose
TO lose it. He hid himself in a dip
where there was some long grass
stayed there for "a hours. and then
returned at top speed with a great
Evening star., 1927-05-29

8; Martha r. Hall. 1; Eliza Duvall. g.
Rinaldo J. Bowen, 2: John M. Bell, 2;
Thomas and Mary A. Purcell. !; Mar
garet A. Wood, s: Christopher Gram
mer, executor, /; Henderson Fowler. q
Rachel Harrison, g.; Ann Pickrell. z;
Theodore Bailey, I; John II. c. Coffin,
6; Ann Carroll, 2; Joseph Harding, !;
Edward owen. 8; William r. Riley. 3;
Thomas w. Riley, s: Harriet White.
81; Mary T. C. Purcell, !; Samuel BY
ington. i: William II. Champion, !;
Sally K. Pearce, l; jeremiah Stevens.
/; George Mechlin, l; Helen T. Stew.
art. .: Mary Jones. 1; John H. Mankin,
/: Robert l.. Mcpherson. /; Sarah B
Adams, /: William L. Hole. B.; Baker
w. johnson, i; Mary E. Blake. 2;
Theodore Theckels. /; Richard South.
ern. 1; Mary Hasson, 1; Nancy Parker,
2; Catherine Thompson, 6; William
Tucker, /: John A. Smith, IA; Alfred
Fl. Boucher, /; James T. Boiseau. !;
George H. Harbin. /; L. E. Ofutt; l;
Henry p. C. Wilson, 6; Matilda Coyle.
S: Mary c. Kraft, /: Fanny P. T. BrQ'
naugh, 1: Sophia Ridgeley, 2; Ann M.
Hurley, /; George e. Moore. 2; Violet
A. Abel, executrix, 5; Henry nj. Del
linger, /; Mrs. Sarah T. Simpson. l;
Annie Il. Taylor. /; Elenore Knott. !;
Charles s. Middleton, /; Nancy ALI
mott, /, and the Sisters OF the Vista
ton, Georgetown, II. The names OF
the slaves Of the sisters were Ignatius,
Mary Elizabeth, Mary, Charles. Igna'
titus. jr.: Jane, Cevelia and Josephine
Tilghman. BENJAMIN Maheney, Fran.
els Weldon and Josephine Dixon.
Lyde Griffith, 2 slaves; George w.
and John S. Hopkins, executors, 10;
James G. Mcguire, S; Philip Mackey,
s; Richard w. Carter, /: William T.
Colquhoun, /: John Robinson. /; Rob
ert s. Patterson, i; Charles Fl. Mann,
/; Seth Hyatt. a, and Henry Warning
ton, !.
IF you are Of an old District family
it is likely that you saw the name
of one of your kin in the list of Dis
trict slave owners. Some or You nave
told the neighbOrs that your grand.
father was large slave holder, and
1t shocks you to read that he owned
but one or two. The hgures are lor
1852, and 1t may have been 1852 or
1859 that your grandfather owned a
legion Of slaves. The Rambler hopes
you will wipe your glasses. refill the
pipe and read few news antiques
from The Evening Star of 1862. This
Is from The Star, Wednesday. May 81,
1862:
"Mr. Edward p. Weston, the well
known pedestrian, whose proposal to
walk from this city to Boston--4'S
miles--in eight consecutive days, has
made considerable talk, entered upon
his undertaking on Monday last. leav'
ing the Capitol Building at $50 PM,
being 30 minutes beyond his proposed
starting time, 5 pm. He reached
Beltsville at a quarter before pm,
toek supper there, and WAen seven