Evening star., 1948-12-12

1t Is not unusual IN any large Guy,
such as Washington, when making
excavations, to find the remains OF
what was once q burial plot, long
since forgotten, and II there was
anything such as the returning OF
spirits, and the haunting Of us NOR
tails, our slumbers would certainly
be frequently disturbed.
Just what might be considered to
be the earliest cemetery in the Dis
trict of Columbia the writer would
not be willing to say. So far as the
information goes, he would say that
it might be Pierce's, Holmead's or
Rock Creek. Rock Greek Tor st.
Paul's) was founded In 1719, and the
chances are that burials took place
there around that date, though the
dates upon the tombstones do not
run back nearly 30 far,
The Holmeads came into this
vicinity in 17l8, when James Hol-
mead secured patent for land
nearby, probably the same tract
upon which Anthony Holmead had
his home across from the former
residence of ex-President Hoover,
2300 8 street NV. II this is so, then
it is probable that Holmead's Gem
etery, on the block between Nine
teenth and Twentieth streets and S
street and Florida avenue NV, was
begun about the same time as Rock
Creek, but this Is not certain, for
there seems no positive evidence as
to- just where James Holmead first
resided.
IMcGurk's Grave
In the beginning, Holmead Gem
etery contained but small piece Of
ground, but when the city was laid
out, two public cemeteries were pro-
vided for, one called the Eastern
Cemetery and the other the Western
Cemetery, generally called Holmead'S
For years after the establishing of
the seat of Government here, the
latter was the principal burial
ground of this city.
In the northeast section was in
tered the body Of Patrick McGurk,
the first man executed in the Dis
trict. McGurk, in 1908, lived on r,
between Twelfth and Thirteenth
streets NV. BY trade he was a
bricklayer, and was very much given
to intemperance. Sometimes he
would 20 home intoxicated and
quarrel with his wife. On one occa-
sion he went home in this condition
and beat his wife severely, she at
the time not being in q condition
to survive such brutal treatment
The result was that twin children
were still-born, and Mrs. McGurk
died soon afterward. McGurk was
arrested and committed to the jail
then . two-story building In the
alley between Four-and-a-Half and
Sixth streets and c street and Louisi.
ana avenue. He was tried and con-
victed, the principal evidence against
him being the declarations Of his
wife-for there were no Witnesses
and the case was taken to the Circuit
Court, which caused delay In the
execution of the sentence.
At the time appointed for the
execution a gallows was erected at
the foot Of Capitol Hill, between
Pennsylvania and Maryland ave-
nues. The Capitol Grounds were
not then inclosed, but scattered
over them were a number Of forest
trees, especially on the west por-
ton. Near these trees the gallows
was erected.
Body Moved Twice
In q short time the body was
placed in a CONN, placed in a cart
and conveyed to .Holmead's grave
yard and there buried. This caused
great dissatisfaction among some
of the citizens who had relatives
buried there. Accordingly. q small
number of persons went to the
graveyard, exhumed the remains
and inferred them on the opposite
side of the inclosure, in small
ravine on the land Of the late Col
Michael Nourse. This act coming
to the knowledge Of some Of Nc
Gurk's friends, . party OF them
went out one night, disinterred the
body, conveyed it back and depos-
tied 1t again in the graveyard from
whence 1t had been removed.
This being discovered, great ex-
element arose among those who
had friends buried there and they
determined, at all hazards. that the
body Of the murderer should not
rest there. Taking advantage OF
an opportunity, when the other
party was of guard, they dug a
grave in the next square east OF
Holmead's burial ground, near q
little branch that ran through q
thicket of brushwood and thorns-
perfect quagmire-so as to turn
the water over the grave. and then
buried it again. This occurred in
1904, during the administration Of
President jefferson.
Years afterward, . colored mar
in the employ of the late William
ONeal while engaged In digging
posthole, came across the remains
of the CONN which had contained
the body of McGurk. Subsequently
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