Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-08
OLD BRICK CAPITOL
FACING LAST DAYS
Building, Subject of Weird
Stories, to Be Replaced by
Modern Structures.
BY GRETCHEN s. SMITH.

The wall of ghosts and the clanking
of chains will probably be heard on
Capitol Hill in about two weeks, when
the Old Brick Capitol, until a few
months ago headquarters for the Ma
tional Women's party. will be RACED to
make way for mere modern buildings.
No structure in Washington is so
woven around with historical and &C.
cult legends than the old brick man
sion which will shortly look its last
upon the Capitol and the Senate wing
directly facing it. Originally tavern
stood on the site where soon after the
British burned the Capitol in 1872 a
large brick building was erected to pro-
vide temporary offices for the Nations
legislative body. Some prominent citi-
pens purchased the property after It
had given its services TO the Govern
ment for a period of three or four
years. The Brick Capitol led q re-
tired existence for a number of years
and then emerged into the light OF
prominence again, when it was confis-
Gated for use as Jail during the Civil
War.
Weird Stories Circulated.
1t is from this time. or perhaps short
" after the conclusion Of the Civil War
that weird tales were circulated about
strange noises and queer "goings on" III
the Old Brick Capitol. In it were con-
fined such persons as Belle Boyd. the
Confederate spy: Mrs. Surratt, hanged
for the assassination of Lincoln, and
Gen. Wirtz of Andersonyille Prison
fame Whether the rumorS are accepted
as truth or not, there are those to testi-
fy to creepy experiences. Miss Fanny
Wolfson, a member of the National
womans Party, and for many years a
resident of the Old Brick Capitol during
its service as headquarters of her or
ganization, contends. through persona
experience, that beyond doubt strange
things have happened in the old build
ing One of the legends Is that much
of the silver and loot. claimed by his
enemies to have been confiscated by
Gen. Ben Butler during his occupation
of New Orleans. lies hidden in the base
ment of the Brick Capitol.
Miss Wolfson claims that this tale has
existed for many years and further adds
that whenever persons have gone into
the dark old basement in search of the
treasure, the lights Immediately go out.
Both in the days of gas light ana in
these modern cnes of electricity. persons
searching for the hidden loot have sud
denly found themselves in the dark.
Frequently lights will be seen in the
Cellar Anu WIFI al ACotOtAN
starts below to put them out, The lights
are no longer there, SO the legend goes.
Plans Drawn on Wall.
It is said that after Belle Baker was
taken prisoner by the Union Army and
placed in the old Capitol, then serving
as a Jail, she drew upon the wall in
code the plans for one of Gen. Grants
campaigns. which she had obtained
shortly before she was apprehendsd.
Another Confederate spy, who was
serving in the Jail under the disguise
of Union soldier, recognized her code
Immediately, tore of the strip of wall
paper upon which she had made her
drawings and carried them to the Con-
federate Army. 1t was through Belle
Bakers message, We are told, that Gen.
Grant met with one of the most crush
ing defeats of the war.
In the yard of the building are the
graves of two Confederate soldiers who
are said to have been shot as spies and
buried in the places where they fell.