The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-03-10
Miscellaneous.
RICHARD ADAMS LOCKE, THE AUTHOR
OF THF GREAT "M0ON HOAX"

Richard Adams Locke, who threw
the country into terrible excitement
T6Gint neirttlt6hhi lt6hhirtXSihyG Vi af? ~ the per-
Hoax" died at his residence on StateH
Island, at the age OF seventy one. In
l-35 Moses y. Beach moved to New
York amtI purchased the Sun o! It's orig
inal proprictors. The un had been cs-
tablishcd short time previous, but
It had fingered along upon the verge OF
a collapse until Mr.. Beach took it in
hard and placed it fairly on the road to
success. lie engaged rs editor Mr.,
Locke, then II young man Of literary
tastes, but unknown to tamc. For a
few months after Locke took charge OF
the paper, it failed to create any marked
sensation, and in ALI probability would
have proved as unsuccessful IN the end
under lis new management rs under
the old, if Locke had not forced itupon
the universal notice of the public 10y
trr most ingenious and successful hoax
ever pfrrctrutod. one day in August,
1885, the first htll. towards placing the
gigantic fraud before the public was ia
| Ken. \ predatory article appeared in
the editorial columns OF tho sun, an
uouncing that the eminent English as
! troncmcr, Sir John lIclschcl, had re-
Gently made some remarkable astro'
nomical discovery by means Of mon
stCr telescope, at the Cape Of Good
Hone, the information Of the Sun being
derived from an advance copy OF hdIh'
burg J0WHoi Cf Science. This prcpart'
tory announcement answered the m
! tended purpose, and served to attract
the attention Of the public, to whom
none of the marvellous details had Il,
vet been given. Expectation was on
tip.toe, and Whcn, a few days alter, tH'
republication of the bogus article from
the Ediuburg JoWad of Science wa
commenced, the wonderful story Wa
devourod with the greatest eagerness
The hoax bore the following head:
"GREAT
ASTRONOMICAL Dis COVEEIES
LATELY MADE
ny SIR JOHN lIERSCHEL, IL, D., T. Il
s., &C.,
ATTUE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.
The hoax was admirably Introduce
by dissertation upon the labors OF tn
Hcrschcls, father and son, and by al
,, elaborate description Of an immrns
telescope erected by the latter at tn
Cane of Good Hope, the marycllou
magnifying powers of (which Were com
mented upon in such manner rs
prepare the mind Of the reader 70
what was TO follow. There was also
somewhat elaborate and gravely writ
ten dissertation upon the Investigation
and discoveries Of the astronomer wit
e. regard to the moon, which was like til
p. rest orthe hoax sufficiently scientific
4 It's style to throw the unwary oil the
guard.
The supposed wonderful discoveri'
d i'm the moon commenced on the nigl
It of January 10, 1885, about half past
O'Clock. Basaltic rock of green's
- hue WAS first seen, and as the field
vision changed formations similar
those of the island of Stafia came In
view, covered in some places with go
peous red flowers. A lunar forest nel
appeared, many Of the trees being u
like any ever seen on earth, with h
exception of few which reseADl
F,ngiish yews. Then followed Vario
landscapes, all CT which Mr., Locke q
scfIbsi with much minutenes3, kee
- INK sufficiently near to eatta Il
: to excite the Suspicion Of his reedC
and at the Same time stimulate tn,
~, curiosity BY narrating g variety Of vc
81 dore suol. a. our osr,R doe not posse
?, A fsg lunar animals were said to ha
-i~ been seen on the arst night Of their