Newport Daily Independent

WAS WASHINGTON'S STAFF
Interesting History of Cane Once Owned by Father of His Country.

One of the things that passed through the Baltimore fire unscathed was a cane once owned by George Washington and now the property of Maj. H. H. Raleigh.

The cane reposed during the fire in the vault of the Merchants' Credit and Collection Bureau at Liberty and German streets, says the New York Sun.

"In Gen. Washington's will," said Maj. Raleigh, "two canes are mentioned. One was bequeathed to Robert Washington, of Choptank, Va., who gave it to Robert Thompson, a relative.

"Later it passed to Miss Kittie Thompson, a sister of Robert Thompson, and finally Peter Grason Washington of New York, who was assistant secretary of the treasury under Guthrie, was the owner of the stick.

"Peter Grason Washington bequeathed the cane to the oldest male heir of Gen. George Washington who was living at the time of his death. The late Mrs. Raleigh was a granddaughter of a Mrs. McPherson, of Washington, D. C., who before her marriage was a Miss Washington. After some contention it was proved that Mrs. Raleigh's brother, whose family name was Edwards, was the person entitled to the possession of the cane. I purchased the relic for my wife, and when she died it became my property."

Although described as a cane, the relic is really a staff. It is of bamboo, about four and a half feet long and just such a stick as Washington might have used in tramping over his broad acres in Mount Vernon. The Washington coat-of-arms adorns its gold head, and it is encircled with a gold band, upon which is inscribed:

"Willed to Robert Washington and by him to descend to Peter Grason Washington, of New York."

As soon as the embers had cooled, Maj. Raleigh hastened to the vault and was much relieved to find after the cane had been removed from the chamois skin case that it had not been scorched.