DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - NEWSPAPERS - The Washington Post, January 21, 1896, pg. 6 ----¤¤¤---- This file is part of the DCGenWeb Archives Project: http://www.usgwarchives.net/dc/dcfiles.htm ********************************************* http://www.usgwarchives.net/dc/dcfiles.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ********************************************* Contributed to The USGenWeb Archives Project by: Jamie M. Perez (jamiemac@flash.net) --------------------------------------------------- The Washington Post, January 21, 1896, pg. 6 REV. DR. THOMAS ARMITAGE DEAD. One of the Most Noted Pulpit Orators of the Metropolis – Other Deaths. New York; Jan. 20.-The Rev. Dr. Thomas Armitage, the noted Baptist clergyman, died to-day at his home in Yonkers, aged seventy-seven years. Thomas Armitage was born in Pontefract, England, August 2, 1819. He came to New York in 1838 and entered the Methodist ministry. In 1848 he joined the Baptist Church, and as a New York pastor attained prominence both as writer and pulpit orator. He interested himself in Bible revision, especially in regard to what he believed to be the correct translation of the Greek word for baptism, and in 1850 became one of the founders of the American Bible Union, of which he was subsequently President. He was for many years pastor of the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, New York City. Denver, Colo., Jan. 20.-Oscar B. Burchard, a real estate dealer in Denver since 1882, is dead. Mr. Burchard was at one time professor of ancient languages in the Normal College at Fredonia. He founded the New York State Educational Journal, and was a well-known magazine writer. He was fifty-two years old. Shawano, Wis., Jan. 20.-Daniel H. Pulcifer, late United States post-office inspector, died suddenly of heart failure last night. The deceased was sixty- three years of age. He served in the Wisconsin Legislature in 1879, and was sergeant-at-arms of the Assembly in 1880. The Washington Post, January 21, 1896, pg. 6 CAPITOL CHAT. (excerpts) An amusing story is told of a Northern Congressman who made a mistake in the identity of a well-known ex-Congressman the other day. There is a janitor whom members frequently mistake for ex-Congressman Sperry, of Connecticut. Yesterday the man on whom the story is told was on his way to the Senate restaurant when he met the janitor, whom he took for Sperry. Being will acquainted with the ex-Congressman, he invited him to take lunch with him. The janitor, feeling highly flattered, accepted the invitation. They went over, and after enjoying the delicacies of the season, the Northern Congressman passed him a 50-cent cigar, which he immediately lit and proceeded to enjoy. They then started back for the House, but before reaching it a page rushed up and said to the pseudo Sperry: “You are wanted up stairs to attend to some sweeping and general cleaning.” The Congressman was so taken back that he was speechless for a minute, but regaining his composure he let out some remarks that filled the air with sulphur and brimstone. The Northern Congressman is not to be blamed for his mistake, for many other members who know Sperry well have frequently, spoken to the janitor for Sperry. * * * * A bill to make Lincoln’s birthday, February 12, a legal holiday, was introduced in the House yesterday by Representative William Alden Smith, of Michigan. Gen. Thomas Ewing Injured. New York, Jan. 20.-Gen. Thomas Ewing, formerly of Columbus, Ohio, was struck by a cable car on the Third avenue line to-day and badly bruised. It was at first thought that the General, who is about seventy years of age, had sustained internal injuries, but an examination at his home satisfied his physicians that he will be able to be out in two or three days. Mr. B. F. Germain’s Good Luck. Mr. Thomas D. Germain, President of the Phoenix Furniture Company, after spending several days in this city, left for Grand Rapids, Mich., last night. He was here settling up legal matters through which Mr. B. F. Germain, lately of the Arno Hotel, acquires a fortune of between $60,000 and $70,000 next May. The Washington Post, January 21, 1896, pg. 7 RARE OLD FAMILY HEIRLOOMS. John Copp Puts His Continental Collection in the National Museum. Mr. John Brinton Copp, of St. Louis, has presented the National Museum with a collection of rare old family heirlooms that have been collected by his ancestors since 1635, and the exhibit now occupies two large cases in a prominent place near the main entrance of the Museum. Mr. Copp’s ancestors lived in Boston, and the collection of curiosities is distinctively a New England one. Mr. Copp formerly kept the relics at his private residence, but as they were so valuable he deemed it would be best to place them where they would have an instructive value to the public. One of the cases is almost filled with old costumes of primitive times, most of which are on the Mother Hubbard order. Three old samples are framed, two of them bearing the date 1755. The third sampler is the family tree of the Copp family. A complete service of blue china, or delfware, is also in the collection, and the rarer “lusterware” of the old New England times is delicately decorated. A punch-bowl of this service bears the date 1635, when it was brought over from England. A collection of old fans, several immense combs, and numbers of other interesting minor trifles complete the exhibit.