Today we are fortunate to be able to turn on our television sets and view the wonders of the world. But in 1821, few Fredericktonians had ever seen an elephant. That changed on November 3, when an Indian elephant was exhibited here.

The advertisement in The Frederick Town Herald of November 3, 1821, advised that "Tippo Saib, the great and wonderful Male Elephant, just arrived from Calcutta in the ship Bengal, will be exhibited, for a few days only, at Mr. George Baer's carriage house, one door from the Episcopal Church." This had to be in the first block of North Court Street because All Saints had constructed a new church there in 1814.

The ad went on to say that the animal weighed between 3 and 4 tons and "is considered one of the greatest hunting elephants ever imported from India."

There was other hype for the appearance, including the claim that the elephant could uncork a bottle of "porter" and drink the contents without breaking the glass.

Appearing at the same time at Baer's stable was "The Bear of Education," who, the ad claimed, "would astonish the audience by a number of interesting questions, such as spelling, telling the time of day by a watch, will add, multiply, subtract and divide." He would also perform card tricks and other feats "too tedious to mention."

King David's Cymbals was on hand to provide background music for the exhibition. Admission was "25 cents - Children of 12 years and under half price." (I wonder how they divided 25 cents in half.)

November 10

When two deputy sheriffs went to the home of William A. Stultz on a muggy August morning in 1922, little did they know that shortly they would be involved in an incident, which led to the last execution at the Frederick County Jail.

Deputy Sheriffs Charles W. Smith and Allen Bartgis went to Stultz' home, at the corner of Bentz and Fourth Streets, on August 9, 1922, to take possession of Stultz' car in payment for a $30 civil judgment, the result of non-payment of rent.

Smith informed Stultz that he and Bartgis were seizing the car. Stultz objected strenuously, perhaps because he had three stills in his house and feared a search of his property.

He grabbed a shotgun, and opened fire on the deputies, wounding both with buckshot.

A call went out immediately to city police for assistance. Frederick Officers John H. Adams, Martin J. Walsh and James P. Painter answered.

Adams went to the front door and called out to Stultz. Receiving no answer, he kicked in the door, and he and Walsh entered. Stultz opened fire, hitting Adams in the neck. The officer staggered into the street and fell, mortally wounded. Stultz surrendered a hour later after several more shots were exchanged.

In a one-day trial in Rockville on August 29, he was convicted of the murder of Officer Adams. He was sentenced to hang by a 3-judge panel consisting of Hammond Urner, Glenn H. Worthington and Edward C. Peter.

At 6:30 a.m., November 10, 1922, Stultz became the last person hanged at the Frederick County Jail. He went to the gallows still blaming everyone but himself for his actions, including the police officers.

He was survived by his estranged wife and two children and was buried in the family plot in Manchester.

On January 1, 1923, a new state law became effective, mandating all executions be conducted at the state penitentiary in Baltimore.

November 17

For nearly three years after the death of Frederick's "First Citizen," his friends and associates planned a memorial to the man who gave so much to his community. On November 17, 1941, 14 bells were placed in the Baker Memorial Tower and Carillon in Frederick's Baker Park.

When Joseph Dill Baker died in October 1938, Frederick lost a generous benefactor. For years he had given of himself and his fortune to the betterment of his community. So it was not unexpected that a group of his friends would come together to establish a suitable and lasting memorial to our "First Citizen."

It was decided that a tower, topped by a carillon, would be built in Baker Park, which had been named for Mr. Baker and his wife in August 1927.

On April 2, 1941, Mr. Baker's birthday, ground was broken for the tower. It is 70 feet tall and 16 feet wide at its base, and is made of Baltimore County granite. The 14 original bells were cast by Meneely & Co., of New York. They weighed an aggregate 15,000 pounds.

Culler Construction built the tower and R. Brooke Maxwell planned the landscaping. For years, weekly concerts were played and the quarter hours were chimed between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

At the dedication ceremonies, held November 30, the first song was played by Henry T. Wade, music professor at Hood College. It was Mr. Baker's favorite hymn - "Abide With Me."

On the largest bell, and on a plaque bolted to the base of the tower, is inscribed: "This tower and carillon have been erected by his friends in loving memory of Joseph Dill Baker, 1854-1938, whose life was a benediction to this community."

In the years since 1941, more bells have been added to the tower. And in 1995 the old bells were refurbished and dedicated anew.

November 23

Less than a month after the British Stamp Act of 1765 took effect, the 12 judges of the Frederick County Circuit Court refused publicly to comply with its provisions. And thus was born Repudiation Day.

On March 22, 1765, the British Parliament passed the Stamp Act which provided that all official and legal documents must be written on stamped paper, which was to be sold by British agents at prices which constituted a tax. It was to be effective November 1.

In August the stamp distributor was burned in effigy by the citizens of Frederick Town. When November arrived the agents of The Crown were not immediately ready to do business. And when the court convened on November 15, John Darnell, clerk of the court, refused to issue any documents with the stamps, fearing personal harm if he did so.

The court ordered Darnell to use unstamped paper, and when he refused, had him arrested and put in jail.

A few days later the judges issued an order which said that "all proceedings shall be valid and effectual without the use of stamps."

This was the first official defiance of The Stamp Act in America and is commemorated on a plaque at the county courthouse.

These 12 immortal judges were Joseph Smith, David Lynn, Charles Jones, Samuel Beall, Joseph Beall, Peter Bainbridge, Thomas Price, Andrew Heugh, William Blair, William Luckett, James Dickson and Thomas Beatty.

In early December there was an elaborate funeral for The Stamp Act including a coffin with an inscription which said it had died "of a mortal stab received from the genius of liberty in Frederick County Court."

While we celebrate November 23 as Repudiation Day every year, there is historic evidence that the court's order was issued earlier.