| Show COLORED WOMANS WO IANS COURAGE Sophia Holmes Who Died In Wash ir i ton the Other Day Left a Bee ord For Tor Genuine Ge ui e Heroism That Is Isa Isa a Credit to th Her Eor or Race Hace Old Sophie Sophia Holmes the most inter interesting Interesting esting colored woman of her day has baa left a little story ory woven around her memory which wh win wID long live and a ar ar record r e rd ef of r er r race may well be proud She In Washington In on Oct 11 mark of die dis distinction where w ere she ehe he had won her Unction as the Aret ret colored woman to tobe tobe tobe be given a life lit position under the United States e was awarded by a special act of congress con reu during administration She wa w at aA that time employed as chat char woman In tn the division divi lon of issues l department a p position to m which she was appointed by president Pre Lincoln open One Op evening In 1863 in sweeping up after atter dosing elo clo t In hours urs she found a chest cheat of bank notes which had been care carel the employees and ande l by left J e out of the Oe Ie vault Not knowing whit what to o So To awi a fearing to call can the watchman of whose ho e honesty she abS was UJ i inot not sure she continued to sweep SWOOP back and forth until it was wa dark darit dar then she dragged the chest as as 55 possible to a place beneath a it table and lay Jay upon the top as sentinel midnight when General It was past Spinner the treasurer n adt hi his night ly Ir j round He had long i mol jp it ll Jit to sleep in the tIie building ni lei r ra a personal survey suney of the den dor ct it at 51 midnight t The n likened ap r whom it was called caned out to him and made e her ber discovery discovers dl known Noted for His Jil pro profanity fan it General Spinner is said to have made good use of his powers upon this occasion and end expressed his wrath in fiery volume The frightened I woman at his command followed trembling to a room abo above abon e where at that unusual hour hou a meeting was called She was absolved ab from all alt blame and aid allowed to return to her i home which she site did rejoicing j Congress acted upon her deed of brav bray bravery bravery ery and valor and subsequently ap appointed appointed appointed pointed her to a life position in the division of issues department to carry packages package of money from one employee to another at the highest salary paid Co o 0 the laborers in the government em employ employ employ ploy which is 60 a month I I This nits position she retained a until her death always carrying herself TV with ith i dignity which won on the respect of all alt alther j I her superior officers On another occasion o she detected a aman am amen men man m n stealing 47 41 OM from the counting room of the treasury and nd paused aused used his arrest and the return of the money Sophia Holmes was born in George Georgetown Georgetown Georgetown town Va and was wa s married to Melchior Holmes whose freedom she purchased with her own earnings n He lost hi hilife his life lUcia in the civil ar I Sophia Sophis Holmes Holme was over ver TO 10 years of age how much fihe e herself was to ta tell teU for as much as lIS she was Was asso acm associated dated with figures she had no memory for tor dates Mr r Sample now treasurer of the i United States requested her ner to sit for tor forthe torI forthe I the accompanying sketch and as she shedid sheI shedid did so she remarked I lm Im m ge in n ready to die now specs it Its s most time cause I 1 Im m getting m my picture sketched I Ive e been honest and an lm rm glad slad to give the world that record EDITH JD A 4 NOBLE |
