Capitol tours are pretty neat, but most tour guides stick to a
basic set of talking points. Here are some of the strangest little-known facts
about the Capitol!
Murder stairs
Through some back hallways near the Hall of Columns you will
come upon a staircase that looks pretty standard for the Capitol. However
these stairs are far from ordinary, and are actually the scene of a brutal
murder! During the late 1880's reporter Charles Kincaid wrote a number of
articles about Congressman William Taulbee of Kentucky. One of these
articles exposed Taulbee’s alleged affair. This rumor ended his
Congressional career but like many former Congressmen, Taulbee decided to
become a Washington lobbyist. The two men ran into each other frequently
in the Capitol, which usually resulted in little spats and arguments.
On February 28, 1890 Taulbee and Kincaid got into a physical fight, of
which Taulbee was the clear winner. After the quarrel Kincaid decided to go home and retrieve his
pistol. That afternoon the two men ran into each other again on this back
stairwell. Seeing as there were no eyewitnesses, Kincaid shot Taulbee.
Taulbee’s blood stained the marble, and these bloodstains can still be seen
today. Taulbee died eleven days later. Kincaid was acquitted since
the jury saw his actions as self-defense.
At the center of the Crypt lies the compass stone, a star-shaped block
that designates where the four quadrants of the district meet.
Directly below the compass stone lies an abandoned tomb. This tomb was built for President George Washington and his wife Martha. The Crypt's flooring was originally designed to be made of glass so that
visitors could view the first President’s tomb. Washington specified in
his will that he was to be buried with his wife at their home in Mount Vernon
instead. The tomb now remains empty.
Constaggini’s Revenge
The Frieze of American History is a painting that encompasses
the Rotunda. The original designs for the Frieze of American
History were miscalculated, so the artist Constaggini was left with 31ft of
empty space. He submitted his designs for this space to Congress, yet
they were denied. Constaggini was obviously upset, so he decided to make his mark on the Frieze. Look closely at the picture. On the tree just above the fern is a face! Constaggini achieved his revenge on Congress by
painting his face into the Frieze.
Enjoy your Capitol tours and make sure to
keep a look out for these for these odd pieces of history!
-Kiera Finelli