Evening star., 1936-05-31
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

Shortly before his marriage, in 1886, to
Miss Frances Folsom Of Buffalo, Presi-
dent Cleveland purchased suburban
residence in the area just north OF where
-. the Washington Cathe-
VANDALISM dral now stands, which
at Red TOP, was later known as
Red Top" Announce
ment to this effect aroused public curl
proceedings. The Star of June 5, 1886,
says:
The family from whom the President
bought his country home and by whom
1t is still occupied, has had a rather
varied experience since the fact OF the
purchase became generally known. They
have a realizing sense of what is meant
by curiosity. and if it is ever asserted
that the American people possess this
equality they believe that they can cite
instances in substantiation of the aSser-
tion A day or two after Mr.. Green, the
owner, had received the deposit as q
guarantee of the purchase of the prop
erty, he was sleeping in his bed, lulled
to rest by the patter of rain upon the
roof, when he was aroused by hearing
an unusual noise in front OF the house.
Then he heard a mans voice shouting,
and, going to the window, he saw in the
uncertain light Of the coming day q
buggy, containing two men, draw up in
front of his door. Somewhat startled by
this unexpected sight and apprehensive
that bad news was to be announced, he
asked what was wanted. The answer
came that it was a newspaper CORE
Spondent, who wanted to sketch the
house. AS he wanted nothing else, and
as this did not interfere with either the
comfort, life or property of the owner,
Mr.. Green closed the window and again
sought Slumber, undiSturbed by the
scratch of the artists pencil.
"Other newspaper men came during
the next and following days. Some
wanted merely to look around, others
wanted diagrams of the interior of the
house. They were rather numerous and
asked a good many questions, but other
wise no harm was done. This was only
the mutterings of the storm-the skir-
mish line thrown out by the army Of
invaders that soon swarmed over the
house, the grounds, the family, and in
fact, everything, with as little regard
as a swarm of grasshoppers in field
of grain, and with very much the same
results. People who had never driven
out into the country before at once
hired carriages and drove out to inspect
the Presidents purchase. They were not
satisfied to view the house from the
roadside, although the view was unob-
structed, but they must drive into the
grounds, around the house, look into
all the windows and step inside the front
door whenever 1t was left open. When it
was shut and locked, they went around
to the kitchen door and went in there.
They all wanted to carry away some
relic Of the place. When the smaller
articles of furniture and ornaments
became exhausted or were locked up,
then they began to chip OF pieces Of
the woodwork. Some, preferring the
trees or shrubbery, pulled them up by
the roots.
'The number of visitors became so
great in few days and the rage for
relics became so violent that the place
seemed to be fated to be stripped clean Of
everything, animate and inanimate. AS
1t was the intention Of the occupants to
and household effects in the new house
they began to consider means of defense.
And finally application was made to the
District authorities for protection and a
mounted policeman was stationed at the
gate. He was not a day too soon, for
on the very next day after his arrival,
which was Sunday, it was estimated that
over 200 people visited the place. For
tunately they were received by the
policeman, who was able to keep them
outside the grounds"