horne, of New York, the nth of Februar}^, 1878. The gentleman
arrived at New Haven the day before, apparently in health. His
body was well nourished and he was calm of demeanor. He regis-
tered his name at the Tontine, in the afternoon of the loth, and after
walking about the city, took supper there. In the evening he
walked as far as Broadwav and entered a saloon where two or three
men were playing at a shuffle-board. After looking at the game a
few minutes, 'Mr. Whitehorne asked for a glass of ale. He drank a
very little and setting down the glass, went to the Tontine and at an
early hour retired to bed. At about five o'clock the mornins: follow-



THE HISTORY OF THE STATE HOUSE. 219

ing, two or three persons who happened to be crossing the west
section of the Green, saw a well-dressed man sitting on one of the
lower steps of the State House, at the south end, take from his pock-
et a small glass and a vial. He poured the contents of the vial
into the glass which he raised to his lips. Almost instantly he fell
on his side and when reached by those who had noticed him, the
man was dead. Charles R. Whedon acted as coroner, and there was
a jury of inquest. Telegrams were sent to New York and it was
soon learned that Mr. Whitehorne, who looked like a German, was a
Freemason in good standing and a much respected man, aged about
forty-five years. He was forehanded, owing no debts and had no
enemies. He was proprietor of a large job printing office in which
many presses were kept at work. Of an amiable temper, he had
always been of a home-loving frame of mmd and all his leisure was
spent with his wife and children. He had always been in his right
mind. The jury of inquest found that he died of paralysis of the
heart, caused by taking prussic acid. No motive for the suicide
could be discovered.

A few years previously, a young and intellectual-looking Ger-
man, with light-blue eyes and flax-colored hair, sat on the grass of
the Green between the State House and the Center Church. He
was seen to tear into small pieces a paper which may have been a
letter. These he scattered on the grass. He then fired one shot
from a revolver into his head and died in less than a minute. His
identity was never learned but he had the appearance of having been
a scholar. It was conjectured that in the cases of both men, they
had come to New Haven with suicidal intent.

The conservative spirit of New Haven was finely manifested in
the spring of 1853, when the expediency of distributing what Pro-
fessor Silliman, in a report upon that subject, said were " the sweet
waters of Mill River," throughout the city by means of street mains
was being discussed. The principal argument which had been made
against the introduction of illuminating gas in 1847, namely : that it
would kijl all the trees, was not available, The second dwelling



220 THE HISTORY OF THE STATE HOUSE.

house in New Haven, lighted by the gas, was that of Mayor Henry
Peck, through whose efforts mainly, the improvement in lighting
had been brought about, the first one having been that of Prof. B.
Silliman, Jr., on Hillhouse avenue. When the gas war was fought out
there was no question as to whether it should be introduced by the
city or a private corporation, but the water discussion embraced that
consideration. Many speeches were made and the newspapers were
overloaded with communications touching the proposed substitution
of pipe water for well water. It is related that when the matter was
to be put to a vote at a freemen's meeting in the State House and it
was about to be settled whether the city should embark in the water
business, Mr. Benjamin Noyes, actuated then, as he ever has been,
by a strong feeling of interest in whatever was for the good of New
Haven, desired to make a speech. Not being able to say all that he
wished in the crowded town hall in the basement, and also being
determined to see if the vote Avas fairlv counted, he climbed a tree,
from among the foliage of which he was told by Mayor Skinner to
" come down." Mr. Noyes did come down, but not until he had
made his remarks and satisfied himself that there had been a fair
counting of the vote. There was a city meeting, March 19, 1853, at
which it was voted that polls should be opened the 26th of the
month. At a meeting in Brewster's Hall, corner of Chapel and
Union streets, the evening of the 25th, powerful speeches on the
water question were made by Dr. E. T. Foote, Marcus Merriman,
Charles B. Lines, Ira Merwin, Mayor A. N. Skinner, N. Booth, Mor-
ris Tyler, Oliver F. Winchester, James Brewster, Rev. Dr. Leonard
Bacon, George W. Jones, Isaac Thompson, Ralph Benedict, Stephen
Lawton and James Punderford. Two things were to be settled at
the polls. First : " Shall the city have water at an expense of not
rnore than $325,000 .'' " Second : " Shall the water committee apply
to the legislature for the necessary powers to carry out the project .'' "
The vote on the first point was, "yes" 1,044; " uo " 927. On the
second point, "yes " 1,030 ; " no " 902. Water commissioners were
appomted. There were in Ward No. i, 687 voters ; in Ward 2, 440 ;



THE HISTORY OF THE STATE HOUSE. 221

Ward 3, 712 ; and in Ward 4, 1,210, the city being at the time divided
into four wards by the intersection of Chapel and Church streets.
But the vote did not settle the controversy, which was carried on in
a riotous and tumultuary fashion at freemen's meetings, from time to
time. The matter got into the courts and finally a private corpora-
tion secured the business of furnishing water to New Haven. With-
in the past five years there has been an agitation of the question
whether the city should bliy out the water company. A ballot set-
tled the matter in favor of having the company supply the water.
But the city can still take possession of the company's plant
should the people decide upon the expediency ^f so doing.

The Center Church bell which for many years had done good ser-
vice, not only on Sundays and occasions of public rejoicing and
mourning, gave out a queer sound, October 30, 1853. There had
been an alarm for fire the Saturday night before and violent ringing
had cracked it and destroyed its metallic melody for all future time.
It was cast in New Haven and had been re-cast once or twice. The
fire, on which its last energies were spent, was in a barn, near the
Gregory place, in the western part of the city.

There was an important gathering of distinguished and learned
men at Representatives' hall in the State House, in August, 1853,
where the Institute of Instruction held its sessions. This body of
educators, actuated doubtless by the purest motives, put a dagger
into the hearts of all school boys, when they acted upon a resolution
offered by a delegate, in the following words :

" Resolved, That it is the sense of this Institute, that keys to arithmetic and
algebra, in the hands of pupils or teachers, tend to make superficial scholars, and
that thorough instruction and the highest good of our common schools require
our unqualified disapproval of their use."

Here was a blow struck at the business of the booksellers, which,
in the light of comparatively recent decisions of courts, rendered the
gentlemen of the Institute liable to prosecution for boycotting. It
is not possible to tell how many different societies, associations,



222 THE HISTORY OF THE STATE HOUSE.

organizations, and groups of men have been photographed while in
position for the purpose, on the soutli steps of the State House.
There have been photographs taken there, of various classes of
college students, of the police force, of almost every kind of asso-
ciation with a New Haven record. The very last photograph of a
group, taken with the State House for a background, was that of a
company of Knights Templar and Freemasons, and the last open
air meeting on the steps was that of Safety Temple of Honor, Sun-
day, June 3, 1889, presided over by Arthur W. Judd, and addressed
by Dr. Charles Vishno. The last prayer of many thousands offered
there for public hearing, was one by Rev. James W. Denton, who
was present on the last occasion mentioned. The first meetings in
behalf of organized labor were held on the same steps, by a number
of striking printers. They employed speakers to make known the
justice of their cause and printed a small sheet in newspaper form,
whicii was, after a time, succeeded by the New Haven Union. The
Morning News was originated by striking printers. On the same
steps, about forty years ago, there appeared on a Sunday afternoon,
two Mormon missionaries, who addressed the people for a few suc-
cessive Sundays, but without making converts. A few years ago,
religious meetings were held every Sunday on the steps. Superin-
tendent Starkweather of the Hospital, being their conductor. The
singing of hymns by the choirs, on these occasions, was oftentimes
excellent, and large numbers of people who were not known to enter
a house of worship, assisted in the exercises. The managers of these
meetings were earnest in their efforts to do good in a dying world.
So, too, were various temperance lecturers who held forth there from
time to time ; and later, the organization of Good Samaritans had
speaking there as well as on the band stand on the east section of
the Green. At some of these religious meetings, John G. North
was a speaker, his remarks being generally addressed to young peo-
ple, and he had a happy faculty of illustrating his points by telling
a story or an anecdote, with a pertinent application to the subject or
text. Ever since he was a young business man in New Haven, this



THE HISTORY OF THE STATE HOUSE. 223

gentleman has been interested in the welfare of children, and
although not as strong physically as he used to be, his love for chil-
dren is as lively a sentiment in his heart, as ever. During: a session
of the Legislature a few years before the breaking out of the war,
there was a personal collision in the porch of the State House, be-
tween Col. James Montgomery Woodward and David J. Peck. The
friends of the latter gentleman were pushing him for the major-
generalship of the Connecticut militia. Colonel Woodward, editor of
the whig newspaper, wrote some editorials adverse to the selection
of Mr. Peck for the position. No braver or more competent New
Havener held a commission in the Union armv than Mr. Peck's
brother Frank, and his death in the service of his country was
greatly mourned by all who knew of his manly traits of character.
David J. Peck, who died while a judge of the city court, was a man
of brilliant mind and more than average culture. He made a voyage
to the Orient, with Admiral Gregory, and was chosen to be one of
the two clerks of the County Court, the other being Alfred H. Terry,
who, until accepting the call of his country, discharged with accept-
ance to the Bar, the duties of the office. There have been a number
of interesting and well patronized poultry shows at the State House,
the north portico being enclosed with boards in order to make more
space for the exhibits. These were remarkable for the display of all
kinds of pigeons and pet animals. When the State House was
built, there were two or three citizens who adhered to the continental
fashion in their clothing. Deacon Beers, who lived on Elm street,
wore knee breeches, tied at the knee with a neat black ribbon.
Chief-Justice David Daggett was the last man in New Haven to
wear top-boots, the tops being of colored leather, and Rev. Harry
Croswell was the last man who wore boots of that kind, the tops
being of black leather.

In the warm political contest between the Know-Nothings and
Democrats, in 1856, Samuel Ingham, of Essex, received 32,704 votes ;
William T. Minor, 26,108 ; Welles, 6,740 and Rockwell, 1,251. The
Legislature had to elect, Minor receiving 135 votes and Ingham 116.



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THE HISTORY OF THE ST A IE HOUSE.



225



Albert Day was elected Lieutenant-Governor. Then came the six
weeks' fight over the election of a senator to represent the State in
Congress. Isaac Toucey, James Dixon, Francis Gillette, Roger S.
Baldwin, ex-Governor Holley and Samuel Ingham were fhe principal
candidates, Mr. Dixon being finally elected. It is refreshing to
recall the political condition of things during the " dark lantern "
days, when the Know-Nothing party believed that no man born
on foreign soil could be trusted to hold any office in the gift of the
people. When this American movement was started, the whig
leaders were startled and worried. They took counsel together and
decided that it was for the interest of the party that they should join
one' or more of the secret lodges of Know-Nothings. Some of iheni
were refused admission, and were obliged to go to Fair Haven and
join the organization there. The notices for meetings of the
associations or lodges were printed in newspapers in such phrase-
ology that the uninitiated could have no knowledge of what was
meant. In a newspaper, generally amid the reading matter or at
the top of a column, would appear a single line, like a motto of no
particular significance, and this was the notification of the time and
place of meeting. The principal idea among the members of the
Know-Nothings or American party was understood to be, that the
liberties under a republican form of government were in danger of
becoming lost or subject to the decrees of the Roman Catholic
Church. The wildest and most untruthful things were said. One
gentleman named Smith, who afterward became an office-holder of
the United States Government, used to say, and apparently with
candor, that he believed the Catholics in New Haven were suffi-
ciently powerful and numerous to rise in a single night and
murder every Protestant in the city, thus repeating the fearful
tragedy of St. Bartholomew's eve. This feeling of apprehension
was fostered by waggish folks, who enjoyed stirring up timid people
by stories of dark things seen and heard. One evening a small
package of white powder was found in the pantry of a family living
in the south part of the city and there was a writing on the package
15



226 THE lilS'IORV OB THE STATE HOUSE.

to the effect that it was poison for administering to Protestant
heretics. A great fuss was made and it was finally ascertained that
the hired girl in the family, becoming disgusted with what she had
heard, determined to play a practical joke. On being examined, the
white pow^der was found to be sugar. In some streets, letters were
dropped and afterward found and read, disclosing abominable plots
to burn all the dwellings and other buildings owned by Protestants.
None were traced to any source, and it soon came to be understood
that they were written in fun and to arouse the fears of Protestants.
The whole American party in the country was dissolved when its
principles were attacked and ridiculed by that eminent politician,
William H. Seward.

There were three murders committed in this county on the same
day, and the trial of the " Wakemanites," as they were called, in the
County Court, commencing April i6, 1856, brought to the knowledge
of the public the existence of a queer company of religious fanatics.
None of the persons who had anything to do with the strange crime
were possessed of much knowledge or discernment, but they were
very much in earnest. These persons met at the house of Rhoda
VVakeman, in the western part of the city, and they discussed and
strengthened each other in a belief in some singular nonsense.
They had prayers and singing and other observances, and after a
time a man named Matihews was persuaded that he was haunted
by " the man of sin." At a meeting one night, Matthew^s consented
that it was better he should die rather than live and give " the man
of sin " power to destroy his sister, and by consequence all the rest
of the world. Matthew's consented to his owui death. The others
bound his limbs. One of them stuck a fork in him, and he was also
knocked on the head with a club of witch hazel. After he was dead,
or perhaps before, his body was tumbled into the cellar of the house,
where in a few days it was accidentally discovered. Miss Thankful
Hersey, a neat, quiet old maid, a partly demented man known as
*' Sammy " Sly and Rhoda, were acquitted of the charge of murder,
on the ground of insanity. Sammy Sly lived some years in the



'/HE HISTORY 01 THE STATE HoOsE. 22''

( ouniy jail, where he died. He spent most of his time in reading
liis Bible and his knees had become swollen and calloused by kneel-
ing in frequent prayer on the stone floor of his cell. Miss Hersey,
who was simple-minded, had the good fortune to engage the sympa-
thies of a wealthy gentleman living on Whitney avenue. He gave a
large bond to the court for her safe keeping, and she was taken into
his family, where she did plain sewing when she liked, and she lived
peacefully for some years, A colored man named Jackson, arrested
with the others, escaped trial, Editor James F. Babcock making con-
siderable effort in his behalf. Charles Sanford, a vouno- man in bad
health and having every appearance of being far gone with con-
sumption, was also a Wakemanite. He lived in Woodbridge, and on
the same day of the murder of Matthews, he took an axe, while in a
frenzy, and murdered Ichabod Umberfield, at the foot of Carrington's
hill. He waited in the road until Mr. Enoch Sperry, father of N. B.
Sperry, of New Haven, passed that way in a sleigh. Sanford killed
him by a blow of the axe on the back part of his head. Two juries
of inquest with twelve men on each were summoned. The jury in
the case of the death of Mr. Sperry had Nathan P. Thomas for fore-
man, and the foreman in the Umberfield inquest was Thomas
Darling. The officers had some trouble in getting twenty-four jury-
men the same day, in the little hamlet where the tragedy occurred.
Sanford was verv crazv and did not live long. There was confined
for a long time in the county jail a man who made his appearance
one day in the town of Guilford, and going into a farm-lot, he killed
a pair of oxen. No one knew who he was, and he could give no
account of himself further than that he recollected having once lived
in a house painted white, w^hich stood near a river. He must have
been missed from somebody's family, but whose, could not be
learned.

The first State fair in New Haven was held in October, 1854.
Some of the exhibits were in the Orphan Asylum, corner of Elm and
Beers street. The next one was in 1856, in Hamilton Park, and the
venerable Thomas G. Pitman, a foreman for many years in the office



228 THE HISTORY OF THE STATE HOUSE.

(^f the Jourtial auT Courier and siill in employment wi.li ihe same
newspaper, look a premium for an exhibit. The annual State fair is
an institution likely to be maintained, the last one ha\ing been
held at Meriden this year. It was not a success owing to unfavor-
able weathei. There is very little of the old-fashioned feeling left,
which formerly actuated Connecticut farmers in the establishment of
agricultural fairs. Mere buyers and sellers of farm products, place
on exhibition whatever they happen to have bought for sale, no mat-
ter whether raised in this State or elsewhere, and owing to a short-
sightedness in the management of modern fairs, these exhibits are as
likely to be awarded medals or other prizes as those shown by our
own cultivators. It was this mistake which discouraged exhibitors
at the interesting fruit and flower shows which were once held in the
Slate House. The agent and not the inventor or maker of a plough
or mowing machine, took the prize, and it was to the advantage of
the agent in advertising his business. Among the ladies, embroid-
eries and fine needlework and knitting had to compete with work
made by the aid of the sewing machine or knitting machine, and no
manufacturer ever relinquished his prize to the workmen by whose
â– >\<\\\ and labor it became possible for him to receive the award.
But there have been years when on the Green, larofe wagons from
Bethany and towns near New Haven, made a very attractive appear-
ance, trimmed with evergreens and adorned inside and outside with
specimens of golden corn, big squashes and strings of red pe[)pers and
other vegetables, the most charming exhibit of all being the healthv
and lively daughters of the people who rode in the wagons, wearing
holiday attire. And there were few finer sights of a big fair than the
long line of famous red cattle from the Woodbridge hills, the sweet
breath of morning in pearly shimmer on their broad, cool noses.
What' large, intelligent and lustrous eyes had those cattle of the
Connecticut hill-sides I

One of the most singular uses to which the S'ate House was put,
was for the holding of a pig-pen and pig. The pen was located
about the miildle of the first floor above the basement, and patrons



THE HISTORY OF THE STATE HOUSE. 22g

of the fair of the Universalists were offered a prize for correct guess-
ing of its weight, lliis was the last fair held in the building and
was made a success through the energy of John McCarthy, who
made all the arrangements. The fair was held in ihc winter of 1888-9
and there was dancing every evening during its continuance. When
the contractor's men were demolishing the upper part of the building,
they found and removed to the Green, three plaster-of-paris statues,
each representing a female, wiih her head and shoulders covered by
drapery. Each statue represented the woman as having one foot
pressing to ihe ground a viper or some other sort of snake. Some-
body had found in the basement a tin sign on which was the legend
" Lager Beer." This was set in front of the three statues. One
citizen of a historical turn of mind, suggested that the three figures
were plaster goddesses having in charge the hopes and interests of
the Pilgrim Fathers. Another thought they were intended to com-
memorate that peculiar affliction, by the vulgar denominated "jim
jams." ]\lr. T. D. Read, though not exactly a classical scholar,
viewed the line proportions of these inanimate works of an unknown
artist's hand and felt sure they were goddesses. After they had
been sufficiently admired, they w^ere tumbled into one of the carts of
rubbish and taken away by the contractor.

The Boston Advertisci- in August, 1889, editorially expressed some
of the views of those citizens of New Haven, who would have pre-
vented the removal of the State House had they been able. The
article upon the subject read as follows :

"That old State House is a priceless memento of a glorious past.
It is a perpetual reminder that New Haven was originally an inde-
pendent colony, and that, for nearly two centuries and a half it
shared with Hartford the honor of being a state capital. \A'ithin
those walls were uttered words whose echoes reached the continent
and beyond the sea. Its style of architecture suggests the classic
learning which, from the beginning, has been more faithfully taught
in that locality than anywhere else in the new world. Those Doric
columns are not more noble in their stately simplicity than is the



230 THE HISTORY OF THE STATE HOUSE.

character of mind and morals that Yale College has, during many
generations, stiiven, not unsuccessfully, to fashion ; so that her sons
have been among ihe chief pillars of our Republic. Tens of thou-
sands of men and women throughout the land, who are now in
middle or advanced age, remember, with all the pleasure that
attaches to youthful impressions, the picture of the capitol building
at New Haven, Conn., which was in so many school books forty or
fifty years ago. To tear down that building would be to obliterate
one of the chief milestones on the path of time."

But the New Haven Register^ in re-printing the article, commented
upon it, and a part of its editorial published August 18, 1889, con-
tained this :

" It will be news to most New Haveners to be told that the State
House is a ' priceless memento of the glorious past.' It is not, nor
has it ever been priceless. It is a memento of New Haven's folly in