Evening star., 1944-10-15
Fifty Years Ago
About hundred men and women
were attracted" by a convention of be-


levers in spiritualism,
SpirItuoIists gathered in Washington
Assembled for three days of services
and discussions begin
ming October o, 1894. The Star for that
date explained that most of the men"
were "white-haired veterans" of the
War Between the States who take
great deal Of comfort out of their par
ticular form of faith" Also present.
however, were "a number of young
women collected from all parts
OF the country" and equally enthusiastic
IN pursuit Of ways and means for COM
municating with "the other world"
Prof. H. B. Barrett of New York, with
powerful voice and clad In an i'm
maculate dress suit with a butterfly
lawn tie," called the gathering to order.
America was sung and a Resolutions
Committee was appointed at the be-
ginning of the proceedings.
4
Theodore Roosevelt, civil service
/, commissioner, was opposed to "politi-
cal assessments" even
Contributions when the principal legal
4 Rocket authorities of the Fed
= 81 c eral Government ruled
that they were "all right" In The Star
for October 10, 1894, he was quoted as
saying: THE recent decision Of the
Department of Justice that a letter
sent to Government employe request
Ing him to contribute money for cam
paign purposes did not come within the
provisions Of the law prohibiting the
asking of funds for political reasons
has initiated against the Civil
Service Commission in its efforts to
stop the foul business" Half a cen
tury later the evil thus described still
remains uncorrected. but there Is no
T. R. to complain about it.
Many Americans habitually think of
"the briny Deep as protecting bar
rier rather than q
Realistic highway. Brig. Gen.
View of Ocean John McAllister
Schof1eld, however,
was not "of the company" when, writ
Ing in his annual report as commanding
general Of the Army. he warned that:
The Atlantic Ocean is, under modern
conditions, little more serious an obstacle
to the navies and transports of Europe
than the Japan and Yellow Seas to those
of Japan" The Star of October 12, 1894.
quoting his words of caution, remarked
that the author of them was "a strong
and consistent advocate of an increase
OF the military strength Of the United
States" Dying March 4. 1906, he did
not survive to witness the justification
OF his anxiety in the First World War.
=
The Star for October IL, 1894. like
wise mentioned another famous soldier
as having been chosen
Handicapped commander in chief of
Rut Eomou. the Union Veteran
/ Legion in annual en-
campment assembled at Newark, N. j.,
the previous day. His name was Corpl.
James Tanner, and he was q familiar
and well-beloved character In wash
ington through the better part Of a
long lifetime. At different periods he
was commissioner of pensions and reg
lister Of wills. His celebrity, however
derived from his skill as an orator and
q writer. Few of his contemporaries
equaled him for eloquence; none sur
passed him. He lived to be So, and
let it be noted by boys of the present
generation similarly crippled - went
through 65 years Of constant activity
on artificial feet Wounds received at
Bull Run, August 80, 1862, necessitated
the amputation of both legs four inches
below the knees.
Fashions In mischief change with the
ages, 1t seems. On the first page OF
Hiioeking tober Is, 1894,
In the Old Manner there was printed
report which
read: "A train robbery that viii ever
be memorable In the history of daring
crime was committed last night about
$50 o'clock on the Richmond. Freder-
icksburg q Potomac Railroad, 80
miles from this city between Brooks
Station and Wide Water, Va" Seven
men wearing masks, 1t was alleged,
inundated the traih crew, terrorized
passengers, dynamited the Adams Ex-
press car, uncoupled the engine and
made on In It with thousands Of dollars
In stolen money. 'sThe details Of the
thrilling affair" It was explained, show
that II was planned with consummate