Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-01

Royal? Tell me if you wish anything and will
get it for you"
The Master wallach referred to by Mrs.
Royal, later, as Richard Wallach, became Mayor
of Washington, and served as such from August,
1861, to 1887.
THE Sickles trial, when Daniel Sickles. a
member of Congress from New York. shot
and killed Philip Barton Key son Of Francis
Scott Key, for which he was acquitted; the
Surratt trial and the trial of Charles j. Gui-
teau murderer of Garfield are well known
homicide cases tried in the District courts as
is also the dramatic shooting of Andrew Jack
son Burroughs, a clerk in the Treasury De-
partment, by Miss Mary Harris. when it was
alleged he had betrayed her. She was acquitted
and later-to make the story more romantic
married her attorney q foremost member of
the Washington bar.
A homicide case that carries with it another
interesting story was the fatal shooting Of
william G. Whitney in q fashionable downtown
boarding house and rendezvous for Congress
men, by his brother-in-law, James Y. Christ
mas of which The Star of June n, 1881, says:
"The mansion. No. 1886 street. opposite
Franklin Square, which since its occupancy
some years ago by Minister and Nine. Catacazy
has been known the Catacazy house, was
on Saturday evening the scene of q startling
tragedy The house is now kept as boarding
house by the Misses narrower. Among their
guests have been Mrs. Myra Clarke Gaines, the
celebrated claimant; her son. Mr.. William G..
whitney, with his wife and three children, and
her son-in-Iaw, Mr.. James z. Christmas, and
his three children. nl-feeling which arose be-
tween whitney and Christmas resulted Satur-
day evening In q personal encounter, in which
Whitney was shot and almost instantly killed.
"a few minutes before O'Clock that evening,
Just after the bell had been rung for dinner
and as Christmas was calamity attending Mrs.
Dr.. Wheat, q very venerable lady, down the
narrow stairway leading from the main hall
TO the basement or dining room floor, whitney
entered the front door. 1t appears that he at
once started in pursuit of Christmas. The
latter hurried down the steps, and Mrs wheat,
observing that there was danger OF = personal
encounter, the hostility Of the men being
known. escaped from the scene into the dining
room. The next instant the report Of pistol
and the sound Of . falling body were heard.
When the people OF the house came to the spot
stairs dying. Christmas stood nearby in the
passage and stated calmly that he had been
forced to shoot Whitney in self-defense.
whitney died within few minutes after the
shot was fred without uttering q word.
Christmas asked servant TO SO for police
man, and when an officer arrived surrendered
himself and the revolver with which he had
fired the fatal shot to him. Christmas was
taken to the fifth precinct station, where he
remained during the night. BY advice of his
counsel, Col W. A. Cook, he declined to make
any statement of the affair to reporters.
"WHITNEY, who was about As years of age
and inclined to stoutness was a son of
Mrs. Gaines by her first husband. Christmas
who is about so years of age, is native of
Warrington, N. c.. and married Mrs Gaines
daughter. Rhoda Whitney. Mrs. Whitney died
at Warrington in the Autumn of 1879, and in
the following May Mrs. Gaines and her son
and Son-in-law, with their families, became
boarders at the Misses HarroverS.
1T appears that Mrs Gaines furnished the
two men with money, with which they en-
barked together in the 'curled hair business,
having an office at No. tbs Fifteenth street.
Last Spring they disagreed and the partner
ship dissolved. Mr.. whitney continued in
the business, becoming a member of the firm
of H. A. Linger & Co. Recently Whitney pub
hshed notice informing the public that j. Y.
Christmas Is not allowed under' any cirettnn-