The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-07-30
A Book Thief.
A Providence Preachers Strange Tran
sactions In Rare Volumes.
Providence journal. July 26.l

Providence Journal, July 26.l
Some of the Massachusetts, newspapers hay
ing referred to the more or less painful devel-
opmonts in Boston and this city, seriously af
fecting the character Of the Rev. w. #. Whit
cher, pastor of the Mathewson-street Metho-
dist Episcopal Church. we deem it but justice
to all parties to give the subioined simple
statement of facts. The Rev. Mr. Whitcher Ia
a man who has been greatly esteemed in his
denomination and out of it, as preacher OF
much zeal, eloquence and ability. Many de-
voted friends throughout the conference. will be
deeply shocked and panied that man possess
sing such great possibilities for usefulness
should have been overtaken in such a grievous
fault as to cast blight over his whole future
life. The case seems to be without mitigating
circumstances. The bibliomaniacal passion
which sometimes so strangely warps ones mind
does not lead him to purloin rare books to send
to the auction-room.
AT the examination of the Athenaum libra
ry in September, 1880, it was discovered that a
considerable number of books had been stolen
from the alcove which contains the books Of
local histories. An examination of the list dis
closed the fact that thieving of a certain dis
tinct character was then going on, and that the
perpetrator was no ordinary thief. At the
same time some extraordinary "fnds" were al
l6R6Q 10 nave Db6u IQdu6 III b00 various lunk-
shops in town, all of which excited little suspi-
cion. At last, an alleged extraordinary "fnd'
was reported to have been made in Boston.
This was no less than copy of the "Key to
the Indian Language" by Roger Williams
the first edition. 1913. This excessively rare
book-of which not a dozen copies exist in
America, and the value of which is at least
$100-was alleged to have been found in
basket at door Of a bookstore in Cornhill,
Boston, and therefrom purchased for a dollar.
90 tkn1 aAI. H.
character OF the man who claimed to have made
the purchase.
At last it was discovered that the Historical
Society," library had been robbed of perhaps 10
copies of the case Trevett against Weeden. Gu
riously enough. on the morning after the dis
covery of this robbery copy of this rare tract
was offered for sale. The same evening let
ter came from Boston disclosing the fact that
two books had been stolen from certain book
seller in Boston, and that these same books
were identified at a sale of books by auction in
Boston. These two books were proved to have
been consigned to the auction, with many 9TH
ers, by the Rev. WE. Whitcher of this city.
All these circumstances becoming known here,
suspicious were aroused as to these former
''finds." Inquiry was made at the college Ii
brary to see its copy Of the key to the Indian
Language" when, to the astonishment of the
librarian. it was found to be missing.
These investigations were pursued, and
copy of this exceedingly rare book was found
to have been rebound by one of the Providence
bookbinders, who did the work to the order of
this reverend gentleman. A demand upon
Mr.. Whitcher was thereupon made for the
book, and 1t was produced Two parties exam
ined it most carefully, and identified it beyond
question as the copy which had been taken
from the college, notwithstanding it had been
mutilated and bound in an entirely different
manner from its former binding. Upon this
information the Rev. Mr.. Whitcher surren-
dered the book to the police and it was re-
turned to the college library. Examination of
his library was thereupon made for the puY-
pose of discovering if there were any of the
missing books from the Athenaum library
there. This search resulted in the discovery
and obtaining of 10 volumes Of the missing
books. Every one of these books had at some
time borne the stamp Of the Athen9um upon
its title-page. These stamps had been with
great skill removed, sometimes by cutting out,
sometimes by erasure, and sometimes appar-
emily by means of acids. But still enough was
le # to readily identify the property. The rev.
erendigentleman explained his possession Of
these books by the declaration that he pur-
chased them from various junk shops in the
city where waste paper is sold.
In the course of these investigations it be-
came evident to the investigator that certain
of the files of the city offices had been tam
pered with and psi pers of great value stolen
therefrom. Among other papers so taken are
three bearing the autograph OF Roger Will
liams. These papers formed at one time a
portion Of the town probate records, because in
early years the Town Council was the Probate
Court. To what extent the abstraction of
these papers has been carried on is unknown,
but it is believed to have been carried on to q
large extent.