Evening star., 1946-11-24
Fifty Years Ago
Does ANYBODY still remember Mr.

AoSo aAyDo0J ctaA1 Icu1CAlDSI NILS.
Mary Isabelle Barr Sampson? The Star
Of November Z, 1866, re-
Mrs. Sompson ported her death at her
Dies home, 914 S street, ex-
planning that she had
been teacher in the District schools
for ~ years and declaring that: "she
was looked upon as personal friend
by hundreds Of boys" who had been her
pupils. Her father, James Russell Barr,
at one time was president of the Board
Of Aldermen; her husband was Lieut..
Alfred M. Sampson. an officer who, 1t
seems, long had predeceased her.
- = II
The streets of washington were dam
gerous half century ago. According
to The Star for Novem-
PeFiIs Of the ber 10, 1896: Miss Daisy
Highways Murdock. q clerk In the
Treasury Department,
was riding her bicycle on Connecticut
avenue near L street yesterday after
noon, when her skirt caught in the
sprocket wheel, and she was thrown to
the ground. Her knee and arm were
painfully bruised. and it required the
efforts Of several bystanders to release
her skirt from the teeth of the
sprocket" Meanwhile, Miss Lille Hen
shaw, 608 Third street, was struck by q
bicyclist" and removed to her home,
where 1t was found that she had re-
ceived number of severe bruises about
the body" and Miss Abigail Plant, an
aged lady, was knocked down and pain
fully injured by an unknown bicyclist
near the corner Of Twenty-third street
and Pennsylvania avenue" and sus-
tanned cut on the forehead, besides q
painfully bruised hip" so that necessar-
lily "she was carried to her home, 172I
Virginia avenue, In carriage" Unless
something drastic were done to stop the
recklessness, somebody, 1t was indicated,
was certain to be killed outright and
irretrievably.
In The Star on November II, 1896,
there appeared q considerable number
Of small news items
News which technically were
OF the Town known as CONDENSED
locals" From them, it
may be learned that Prof. Louis Amateis,
sculptor, had won prize for design
for an allegorical statue Of Texas to be
erected at Galveston; William II. Low
dermilk. bookdealer, had been victim
lied by young negotiator Of worthless
checks to the amount of $5.12; Paul
Cromelein was lecturing before the Car
roll Institute on the graphophone and
its practical workings; DR.. Francis M.
Nesmith had succeeded DR.. A. L. Stavely
as superintendent and chief resident
surgeon at Garfield Hospital; the Rev.
DR.. George H. McGrew of New York
was to be the speaker at meeting Of
the Brotherhood Of st. Andrew at st.
Johns Church; Edwin A. Newman,
president of the Lakeland Democratic
Club, had announced his intention "to
continue an aggressive campaign in be-
half Of free coinage; John Moyel was
entertaining committee engaged In
considering whether or not to form q
new chapter Of the Royal Arch Masons
and Mrs. Margaret B. Platt, Mrs. Emma
r. Shelton, Mrs. Maria Merrick and
Miss Martha v. Moore Of the District
WCTU were on their way to st. Louis
for . national convention.
~ &c
The Star Of November 23, 1896,
chronicled the self destruction of Rob-
ert A. Whitehead.
Curiosity Shop" weary Of life and
Suicide respondent" He had
been something of
q figure around Washington. and many
collectors knew him we'll" The ~Old
Curiosity Shop" which he owned, It
was explained, was veritable store
house Of odd and curious relics" Mr..
Whitehead "had in his possession in
Vulnerable articles Of historic interest
connected with the Revolution, the
Civil War and the life and death Of
President Lincoln : 80 old-fashioned
portraits, files Of the local papers Of
wartime, copies Of famous proclama-
tions : old weapons, all with some
history surrounding them" But "his
life was not q very cheerful one" He
lived in d boarding house. became in
terested In spiritualism and finally
atnok cood aiy,n before n lookinr glass !.