Evening star., 1946-07-14
Fifty Years Ago
The season at Cape May. said The

fully three weeks earlier
Cope Moy than in former years.
Boomino and the famous old re-
sort has taken a bound
toward prosperity and popularity that
has quickened the enterprising tenden-
cies of its progressive citizens to an
unheard-of degree. - Cape May has
more people who are prominent socially
than any resort on the coast -" They
and usually spend full hour in the in
viting surf or strolling on the smooth,
hard beach. ' But there are others,
and plenty OF them, who pay no heed to
the time limit set by fashion, and who
can be found disporting in the surf at
all hours Of the day. Among the cot
tagers attending was Mrs. Diana NJ.
Kearney, widow Of "the eminent Union
general, Philip Kearney, who lost his
life while accommodating after the Battle
of Chantilly." She recently had cele-
brated her 18th birthday anniversary at
the beach
The famous proceedings to determine
the legitimacy OF will alleged to have
been drawn by Joseph
Holt Will Cose Holt came to an end
Terminated? in Judge Bradleys
court on June IS, 1896,
and The Star for the following day
discussed the jurys verdict to the tune
of a column and a half Of small type.
Despite the fact that the document In
question bore the signatures of President
Grant and Gen. William T. Sherman
and his wife as witnesses and that
deposition by Mrs. Grant supporting
its authenticity was known to exist, the
decision was that it was forgery. Such
a finding, however, does not close the
litigation as The Star writer viewed
the matter. The Orphans Court, the
Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court
remained available to the caveatees.
Meanwhile, Judge Holt - successfully
Postmaster General, Secretary of War
and Judge advocate general-"was not
the sort of man to die without providing
for the distribution OF his property
according to his wishes" There must
have been genuine will. What became
of it was the question.
n Xxx
"One of the most prominent figures
about the Capital" disappeared when
Col, Joseph c.
Col. MeKibbin McKibbin died at
Of Marshall Holl his home at
Marshall Hall on
July /, 1896. The Star for the following
day told how he was "a familiar sight
to thousands" His courteous and rather
stately manner had about it something
that was chivalrous and reminiscent of
other days" The colonels costume was
notable. He wore broadcloth, wide
trimmed hat, spotless linens. Born at
Chambersburg. Pa, in 1924, he had been
educated at Princeton, served with
credit and distinction" in the Union
Army in the Civil War, been a member
of Congress and in later life general
contractor in the District of Columbia.
But the major influence in his life
appears to have been his experience as
a Forty-niner in California. The "at.
mosphere" of the pioneer West remained
with him. Even in his black broadcloth
he looked" frontiersman. He had
purchased the old Marshall Hall prop
erty in partnership with Capt Blake
with whom he was associated in the
business Of conveying tourists to Mount
Vernon and had made his residence
there during the last eight years OF his
career. Death came in the glise
of welcome relief from suffering" at the
end of long and tedious illness.
An editorial in The Star for July 7,
1896, read in part: People who may
inhabit urban
Overhead Wires America 50 years
Condemned hence will wonder at
the tolerance OF the
city dwellers Of today, who permit life
to be hourly threatened by overhead
electric wires. 1t Is probable that the
proportion Of overhead wires is smaller
in Washington than in any other large
city on this continent, but that there
are too many such dangers even here
was proven yesterday when seemingly
innocent wire killed a little boy. That
other persons did not suffer like fate
is surprising, for it is stated that the
wire had been down for several days
-. The maintenance OF current-laden
wires in exposed places is against public
policy; it should not be tolerated in any
community that has sense enough to re-
member the first law Of nature"