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THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 4, 1939.
TO-DAY'S STRANGE STORY OF REAL PEOPLE
THE CASE OF BARBARA FRIETCHIE
By VINCENT TOWNE
"Up rose old Barbara Frietchie, then, Bowed with her four-score years
and ten;
Bravest of all in Frederick town,
She took up the flag the men
hauled down."
So runs Whittier's ballad, according to whose lines this ancient dame of Frederick, Md., set the Union flag in her window sill in defiance of the army of Stonewall Jackson, who after having it shot down threatened with a dog's death anyone of his soldiers who would dare to touch a hair of loyal old lady's "gray head."
the.
Although every American school- boy of a generation ago believed in Barbara Frietchie as implicitly as he believed in George Washington, several authorities now aver that while such a person did really exist at Frederick town during the Civil War, tradition gave to her as it did to Betsy Ross -honour and glory that she did not deserve. And as a result of this chal- lenge a spirited controversy was waged by the press.
Perhaps the most prolific fiction writer of the last century was Mrs. E. D. E. N. Southworth, whose picture sque Georgetown cottage overhung the north bank of the Potomac. Having, 'tis said, heard of Dame Barbara's ex- ploits from a relative of the latter, Mrs. Southworth's vivid imagination saw in it probabilities of a throbbing story and she passed it along to Whit- lier in a letter.
Research proves that one Barbara Hauer, daughter of a German im- migrant to Pennsylvania, was born in Lancaster, Pa., December 3, 1766, and later moved with her family to Fre- derick. On May 6, 1806, when nearly 40 years old, she married John Caspar Frietchie, 14 years her junior, the son of a Tory who had by the laws of Maryland, been "hung, drawn and quartered."
Barbara Frietchie, not having any children of her own, reared her brother-in-law and sister-in-law. Her
MART
She Took Up The Flag The Men Hauled Down.
"TO
one thus
strangely identified with the origin and growth of the Re- public, loyalty necessarily became a deep-seated sentiment," this obituary went on to relate, "and when the Re- bels were expelled from this city, on the memorable 12th of September, this venerable lady, as a last act of de- votion, stood at her front door and waved the glorious Star-Spangled Banner in token of welcome to our deliverers."
the biography of Justice Taney. Vari- ous other authors have published denials based upon information alleg- ed to have been obtained from Bar- bara Frietchie's family and neighbours.
An unnamed member of Jackson's staff, residing at Hagerstown, has been quoted as repudiating the alleged cir- cumstance.
According to one participant in the controversy, the real heroine of Fre- derick's flag incident was a Mrs. In the opinion of some authorities, | Quantreli, who later lived in Wash-
OFFICERS' SACRIFICE
TO REJOIN R.A.F.
An air Vice-Marshal and three Air Commodores on the R.A.F. retired list, who learned to fly before the last war, have at their own request re- linquished their ranks "while re-em- ployed with the Air Force.”
They have been granted the rank of Group Captain.
Their names announced in the Lon- don Gazette are: Air Vice-Marshal Reginald Percy Mills, M.C., A.F.C., Air Commodore Thomas Charles Re- ginald Higgins, Air Commodore An- drew George Board D.S.O., and Air Commodore Francis Knox Haskins, D.S.C.
Air Vice-Marshal Mills, who is fifty-three, qualified as a pilot in 1912, to and went with the 4th Squadron
France in 1914.
Air Commodore
who is Higgins, fifty-nine took his certificate in 1911. He served with the R.F.C. in France.
Air Commodore Board, who is sixty-one, became a qualified pilot even earlier-1910-and saw vice. In France, Macedonia and Egypt.
ser-
Air Commodore Haskins took his He was
this was the real basis for the storyington. The widow of "Stonewail" flying certificate in 1913.
of her taking up the flag that Jackson Jackson, in her memoirs of the gen-Group Captain in charge of Adminis- had ordered shot down from her win- eral, denies that there was any foun-tration. Air Defence of Great Britain, dow.
According to one Engelbrecht, ถ Unionist, who became Mayor of Fre- derick, the incident described by the Quaker poet never took place. He lived directly across the street from the Frietchie cottage and from his win- dow saw Jackson's army pass. There is also a published denial of the story by Samuel Tyler, a lawyer, who wrote
dation for the ballad.
Before his death Whittier, referring to the controversy that his poem had caused, stated that he much regretted having written it, as he had come to doubt the story. It was, he averred, the only story of his for whose truth he could not vouch.
(Copyright, by Watkins Syndicate, Inc).
LONDON GANG LEADER KILLED, DUMPED
GANG CHIEFTAIN “CHICK” Lawrence, 37-years-old leader of one of the half-dozen "razor squads" battling for mastery of London's East End underworld, is dead-killed in a fight with a rival gang.
husband, after serving as a prosperous glovemaker, died November 10, 1849, when he was in his 70th year and his widow in her 84th year. She survived him 13 years, dying on December 18, Greed for control of "protection" when one gang trespasses on another 1862, aged 96. The alleged flag episode rackets, by which these gangs have gang's pin-table
preserves that the had occurred only, three months pre-built up a system of terrorism and trouble begins. viously.
extortion in certain districts, is at the root of the rivalry which has now flared into open war.
According to her obituary, publish- ed in a Frederick paper at the time of her funeral, the real Barbara Frietchie had moved to that town when a child and had remembered the signing of the Declaration of Independence as well as the scenes of the Revolution and the War of 1812.
GIVE YOUR BLOOD
MORE IRON!
►
was
"Chick," whose real name Charles Edgar Lawrence, of Westgate- street, Hackney, was found early one morning with his skull broken in а courtyard off Flower and Dean-street, Spitalfields, E.
Police, rushing to the courtyard during the night to help a woman who was attacked and beaten about the head, must have passed close to his body.
It was found a few hours later by a baker, Barnett Rinkoff, on his rounds. The woman, Mrs. Emily Murty, 45, is now in hospital with head injuries. Her attacker escaped.
of
"BOWERY" BANDS Police believe that the killing Lawrence has brought the gang war- fare to a head.
There are about half a dozen now
in the East End, and rivalry has in-
A "Daily Mail" reporter was given details of several "protection rac- kets" which provide easy money for gangs.
The the "pickings" are worth while can be judged from the fact that the son of one of London's most notor- ious gangsters is being educated at a famous public school.
CAR MYSTERY
The possibility, that Lawrence may not have been killed in the courtyard but brought there after the crime is suggested by the story of Mr. Silver- man, who lives in Ruth House, Flower and Dean-street.
She told a reporter:
"I suffer from insomnia and often pace up and down the room when I cannot sleep. Early on Sunday morn- ing a car pulled up outside my win- dow and from the voices I judged there were at least two men in it.
Vitality and health largely depend upon the amount of iron in your blood, If your blood hasn't enough iron you will be easily tired. listless have no "pep". And until you give creased during the last few weeks. Un-yard. After about 15 minutes they your blood more iron, your condition der the cover of the black-out there have been razor fights in the streets.
cannot become better.
known
of
the
To get back your "pep" and strength, make up the shortage of iron in your
"Chick's" henchmen were blood by taking Dr. Williams' Pink as the "Lawrence Gang." Pills, the old, reliable iron tonic. This Other gangs follow the style remedy contains iron in a form which the Bowery bands, aping their methods is readily assimilated and quickly and even their names. One of absorbed into the blood.
most feared men is known as "the Dodger," another is nicknamed "the Dead Man." Some of them use razors,
others knuckle-dusters.
Day by day as Dr. Williams' Pink Pills add more iron to the blood so day by day you feel its increasing benefit. Vitality and "pep" return, minor aliments disappear and joyous
A medical examination of the body health and strength are established. of "Chick” Lawrence showed that he Start this helpful treatment now. had been brutally treated. all chemists.
OR. WILLIAMS' ENRICH YOUR PINK BLOOD WITH
IRON PILLS
Of
There has lately been bitter rivalry among them for control of the pin- table "racket."
Attendants of some of the pin-table saloons are terrorised by gangsters in- to "fixing" the tables. And it
is
"They seemed to be arguing. Then they got out and went into the court-
came back, and I heard one say,
Quickly, turn left.'
"The car then drove off at a fast pace towards Commercial-street."
Yesterday police visited a number of clubs in the East End.
Supt. Percy Worth, one of Scotland Yard's "Big Five," is in charge of the
casc.
U-BOAT SURVIVORS
LANDED
London, To-day, The Admiralty announced this evening that a number of U-boat prisoners were landed on Saturday night at a Scottish port as a result of recent riaval operations.--British Wireless:
before his retirement in 1934,
SALE OF WORK
The Salvation Army's Home for Women and Girls and the Ebenezer Industrial Home for Blind Girls, Pokfulam, are holding તુ Sale of Work to-day and to-morrow, be- tween 11 am. and 6.30 p.m. at the
International Women's Club, Glouces- ter Building, first floor.
10-20
(Rolunted by The Rell Hyndicate, Inc.)
There are two times in a man's life when he thoroughly appre- clates woman-before and after marriage.
ATTENTION
A. R. P.
WORKERS
SEE-
THE WARNING
·P. L. MANNOCK--Dely Néraid
"FAR MORE EXCITING THAN ANY RECENT FICTIONAL WAR TALE"
AʻURITIÉN NAVONAL
PICTURE
* WEDNESDAY.
QUEEN'S & ALHAMBRA
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