Evening star., 1934-02-11

to the Declaration Of Independence to deny the
right of suffrage to females.
Mr.. Crane said most men opposed female
suffrage on the ground that it unsexed them,
while at the same time they would lie in bed
and permit their wives to split wood to get
breakfast with.
"It was stated that President Johnson had
been questioned by a lady member in regard
to his views female suffrage and replied that
he would not veto a bill passed by Congress
having that object In view
Mrs. Griffin Mrs. Archibald Mrs. OBrien
(white) and Mrs. Judson (colored) were ap-
pointed a committee to wait upon Senator
Wade and tender him the presidency of the
association"
In 1871. when District legislation was up
for action in the House of Representatives,
George w. Julian of Indiana moved to strike
out the word male" but this voted down,
similar attempt made when the col
ored suffrage bill was before Congress four
years later.
THE second National Woman Suffrage Con-
] vention opened in the Lincoln Hall building
on January 19, 1870, and planned by Miss
Anthony, who told arranged the con-
ventions for so years without a break. For
number of years the conventions of this organ
ization were held in this building, which was
erected during the years 1868 and 1869 by the
local branch of the Young Mems Christian
Association, mainly through the efforts of Rev.
DR.. George Hall, general secretary of that or
ganization, A. S. Pratt being among the local
citizens who contributed literally to the prof.
ect. The building was erected by Joseph s.
Collins, Washington contractor, and from the
first it known as Lincoln Hall.
The site selected for the hall was. and had
been for q long time, occupied by the Preten-
tious home of Hudson Taylor. one OF WASH
ington's early booksellers. The house stood
back from the street, we are told and had
quite large garden with some fine old trees
growing on it," one Of which beautiful ash.
was sold to Samuel Kirby when the grounds
were being cleared. Being a cahinetmaker.
Mr.. Kirby made the wood into furniture.
This became one of the principal halls In
the city and not only was it the headquarters
for a number of years of the Y. M. c. A, but
the Grand Army of the Republic also met here
and had its Offices In the main hall lee
tured such noted men as Henry Ward Beecher,
T. De Witt Talmadge and Frederick Douglass,
and the celebrated diva, Christine Nilsson, sang
here in concert. Labor conventions met here,
and it was here, on October S, 1881. that the
project for erecting Garfield Hospital was
launched.
In 1884 the main hall in the building was
rented to Daniel Herzog of Baltimore, who
opened in that year what became known as
Herzog's Ninth Street Opera House. The at
fractions included nearly everything theat-
rical-comedy, tragedy burlesque drama melo-
drama, and all kinds Of musical shows. It
was not long, however before Herzog was
succeeded in the management of the house by
Joseph K. Strasburger, with ]. M. Davis as
treasurer.
IT WAS while Mr.. Strasburger was managing
J the theater that it caught fire, early on the
morning of December S. 1886, and was COM
pletely destroyed, leaving only the bare walls
of the once superb Lincoln Hall
This was one of the many spectacular fires
in Washington's history, and could be seen for
many miles around. The weather was freez-
ing and the ground was covered with snow.
Though the entire Fire Department was soon
on the ground it found itself helpless and
unable to get stream to reach the top of
the building 1t just simply burned itself out
The fire started at $3.50 o'clock Sunday morn
ing and was not declared officially out until
4:45 pm. the same day.
THE Silver King had just vacated the
theater and Dads Girl" was scheduled for
the week Of December g.. So close did the