The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1941-07-03
By ROXANA WHITE


Annapolis
The State of Maryland may still owe
part of the architects bill for its State
House dome, said to be the largest
one built of wood in the world.
A paper found among the effects of
the late Dr. Gordon Claude, by his
son, William Tell Claude, indicates
that part Of the debt to Joseph Clark,
the designer, is still outstanding.
The paper, dated Annapolis, Janu-
airy 10, 1929, is Endorsed Copy of
Mary S. Magees Memorial to the
Honorable General Assembly Of Mary
land" and sets forth that Mary s
Magee is "the only surviving orphan
of Joseph Clark, architect of the State
House, Church and College in this
city"
Soft Words First
After complimenting the justice
liberality and benevolence of ''youl
honorable body, Mrs. Magee's petit
ton continues: ....... 49,. ......
"Your memorialist with all due def
erence respectfully ventures to lay
before you her very peculiarly dis
tressing situation, and implores from
your generosity and humanity some
small pecuniary assistance.
"Your memorialist INDUCES the
hope that it will be some feeble claim
on the attention of your honorable
body when It's known that she is q
native of this city, her father having
formerly been citizen Of this place
nearly twenty years. He left here in
1894, at which time there was bal
ance due him by the State of Mary
land of 1900 pounds Maryland cur
rency.
con leaving here he went to Wash
ington city and by transacting bust
ness there for the firm of Morris Mich
olson and Greenleaf he lost by THEN
failure the sum Of $4,000 in one
year, which loss together with some
severe domestic Affections, among
which was the death Of his eldest son
Horatio Clark, so deeply affected his
health that he was advised by botf
friends and physicians to try a voy.
age to Europe for it's restoration.
To England For His Health
"In compliance with this advice he
left Baltimore for London, England
in May, 1897, and returned in the lat
ter part of October the same year
Previous to his sailing for Europe hel
father had substantiated this claim
against the State and left it to be
transacted by an attorney, but during
his absence Mr.. Luther Martin (ther
Attorney GeneraD, who had long beer
at personal enmity with her father
bars the claim by pleading the act Of
limitation.
"On the return of her father he pub
licly charged Mr. Martin in the
papers of having been more governed
by private pique against him thar
zeal in performing his duty to the
State. This produced a newspaper wal
which lasted nearly the whole winter
and in April, 1898, her father dice
and was buried in Baltimore with Ma
sonic honors, several hundred of the
Fraternity walking in procession tt
his funeral.
"The father Of your memorialist was
Deputy Grand Master of the Crane
Lodge of Maryland at the time oul
immortal Washington was Grand Mas
ter and by the request of and at thu
right hand of his Honorable Crane
Master delivered the Masonic oratiol
at the laying of the cornerstone Of tn,
Capitol in Washington city"
After more fowery compliments t,
the members of the Assembly, Mrs
Magee ventures to hope that they will
not entirely disregard the pleading o
his isolated orphan who has by Ions
confederation of misfortues and sc
we're Affections both bodily and mental
become reduced to the painful neces