Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-18
CRANkS AND THEIR LETTERS.
Inventors of Fighting Balloons and
Writers to the War Secretary.

A few days ago there was an article in THE
STAR relative to the ''cranl1 letters received at
the War department from people in various
parts of the country. Reference was made to
one man in North Carolina who spends his
postage stamps in a correspoadence-in red
lnk-wlth the department. Another contribu-
ton was received from this source yesterday
morning. The envelope was decorated as usual
with representations of soldiers and guns and
was addressed to the department of uniforms.
The epistle is almost illegibe on account of its
bad writing well its incoherence. The
first part of the letter is unintelligible argon
that has n seeming reference to the tariff and
a mass of dates that have no apparent historical
meaning. Toward the end the writer grows
more sane, and 1t then becomes evident that
he lmagines himself prosecuted by everybody
In his country, including sheriff judges, police
men, colored women, white women, colored
men and boys. He concludes with an appeal
Tor "25,OOO soldiers with guns and uniforms to
protect him. If they are not sent. he adds
there will be bloodshed. From former letters
from hlm-and the ''crank file is full of them
it would seem that he suffers somewhat from
being chased and pelted by small boys.
WANTS HIS CASE EXPEDITED.
In the same mail with this rather remarkable
letter was one from a man in New Orleans who
has been a correspondent of the department
for some time. The letter is addressed to the
Secretary of War. and is as follows:
please instruct or cause to be instructed the
commander-in-chiefo Of the Atlantic coast, also
the criminal district court, section b. city of
New Orleans. parish of Orleans. concerning a
memorandum case pending against me in said
court, January 10, 1890. / sincerely desire that
said case should be disposed of entirely, and
that any person or persons attempting to recall
no in oil
court shall be punished according to the rules
OF high treason or unbridled conspiracy
against the government, furthermore. that the
bonds given In my behalf at the criminal dis
trlct Court by Mr.. = shall be cancelled on
the 10Th of January, 1890, and said bondsman
never to be tormented therefor again; any per-
son or persons acting otherwise shall be Sc
verely punished. A chief of II nation or ma
tons, the target OF parties or partisans, should
receive a sufficient salary to protect him
against want. secret boycotting, indirect inter-
ference and competition in business. In acting
promptly on the aforesaid orders you will
obllSe very much.
A BALLOON CRANK.
still more pertinacious crank correspond
ent Is an inmate of the Columbus, Ohio, insane
asylum, who imagines himself to be the in
ventor of a war balloon He has sent several
letters and large bundle OF drawings on heavy
paper. His sketches are rudey drawn in col
ored inks and gilt paint, representing gaudily
decorated balloon of enormous size carrying a
large that is immediately surrounded by a
SIN aller balloon. The car is filled with incom-
prehenslble machinery that Is supposed 10 fire
bombs and other highly destructive material
downwardS upon hapless individuals or things
that might chance to be below. One of the
many drawings shows gallant mau-of-war
that had been sailing proudly along, ali uncon-
sciOus of danger, being blown in fragments by
descending shell. Three or four more are
falling and, on the whole, it looks bad for the
ship. The inventor signs himself Alfred
Mueller, elocutionist." and insists upon repeat
ing on every drawing that 1.-The war balloon
moves right and left and upward and down.
ward by compressed air."