Evening star., 1945-03-25

! A reference to his service in Congress,
as forwarded by special correspondent
to the Chicago Tribune, shortly before
his death in 1881, has this to say:
Fernando Wood will be much missed
at the Capitol and in society here. Tall,
erect, without an ounce of superf1uous
flesh, with his coat buttoned up even in
midsummer, and clean shaved with the
exception of white mustache, he had
the look of a field marshal of France.
His features were as immovable and un-
emotional as were those of Tallyrand,
and he would sit placidly in his seat,
while he was the object of virulent de-
nunciation in debate.
His domestic relations, of late, have
not been happy. His first wife was a
daughter of ex-Judge Richardson of
Auburn, N. Y, by whom he had three
sons and two daughters, the latter now
well married. He then married the
daughter of Mrs. Mills, who conceived
the idea that he was obtaining possess
sion of her property, and who a few
years since fell from an upper floor of
the Metropolitan Hotel here while in
toxicated and lived but a few moments.
I'm her will she denounced her SON.
in-law numerically, and her anathemas
had sad effect upon her daughter, who
became subject to fits of melancholia
and is now in an insane hospital. Mr..
Wood invited Mrs. Hiscock, a handsome
and well-bred lady, to preside over his
household and look after his young
children. This troubled Mrs. Grundy,
but he did not care, although he has
since given stag parties rather than
receptions to which ladies would be in
vited. He had pew in the Episcopal
Church of the Epiphany, but seldom at
tended, and he was a Free Mason in
good standing, yet he rarely entered a
lodge room"
Representative Wood died in Hot
Springs, Ark. February 13, 1881. The
following year the Wood house and the
house adjoining, formerly occupied by
Gov. Thomas Swami of Maryland, a
Representative in Congress from 1869
to 1879, then numbered 823-825 Fifteenth
street, became the Chamberlin Hotel,
the proprietor being John F.. Chamber
lin, which was famous among those who
enjoyed sport and sporty things, with
an occasional game of cards, Boston"
being the principal game at that time,
and here pocketfuls of money were often
Won and lost. Chamberlin moved to
this site from 1409-1411 New York ave-
nue., formerly occupied by the WASH
ington Club, originally a private resi-
dence, the grounds connected with 1t ex-
tending on the west side nearly to the
corner of Fifteenth street
The Washington Club
The Washington Club was organized
by number of representative men of
wealth and renown from all parts of
the country, who enlarged and remodeled
the old building at cost said to be
around $4,000. However, when the
financial crisis Of 1877 took place, the
club suffered for the want of patronage
and expired. But while 1t flourished
it was considered one of the most ex-
elusive places in Washington and was
frequented by Presidents, statesmen,
legislators and men of profound learn
ing, and some of the foremost politicians
of that period. Alexander R. Shepard
was one of the presidents Of the club.
In 1878 and later James G. Blaine
occupied No. 821 Fifteenth street, the
third house south of street. He was
Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives. Senator, Secretary of State, and
came close to being elected President
of the United States. Next to Blaine
on the south once resided Gen. William
T. Sherman, and then came the home
Of Maj Gen. Van Fleet.
At the northeast corner of Seven
teenth and streets, where is now the
Army and Navy Club, lived Howell Cobb
OF Georgia while he was Secretary Of
the Treasury in the cabinet of Presi-
dent Buchanan. Later it was turned
into hotel property and was conducted
as Gray's Hotel by John A. Gray, after
ward Mrs. Mary A. Hoeckley kept here
the Mcpherson House and still later 1t
became the La Normandie Hotel.
The site OF the Mclean house, which
stood for many years on street to the
south OF Mcpherson Square, until the
present large ONCE building was erected