Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-11
Of Washington Draw a Large
Crowd of NotabIeS to
Their Sale,
AND BRING GOOD PRICES.
A Reminder of the Father of His
Country as a Distiller
DRAWS $40 FROM AN ENTHUSIAST
While Another Puts Up S31O for an Auto
graph Letter.
OVER $4,000 SPENT THE FIRST DAY
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.I

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPArcH.I
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 10-There was
notable gathering of autograph collectors,
book lovers and literateurs in the auction
rooms of Thomas Birch & Sons, at o'clock
this evening when Stan V. Henkels, the
noted booG-auctioneer, began the sale of
the valuable and extraordinary collection
of the effects of the great Washington and
of his executor and nephew, Lawrence
Lewis, and grand-nephew, Lorenzo Lewis.
No one was admitted to the sale who did
not carry a catalogue, which cost 81. A
dollar was also asked for reserved seat,
but The proceeds of the sale of seats will be
donated to the Mount Vernon Society and
Washington Morristown Association.
Among the buyers present from Philadel-
phia were William S. Baker, the great
authority upon Washington Ferdinand j.
Dreer, the noted autograph collector Brin-
ton Cox, a descendent of Nellie Parke Gus
tis Charles L. Gildeburn, the Librarian of
the AthenIum and the great authority upon
PENNSYLVANIA and New York Imprints
Simon Gratz, Charles Roberts, member OF
Councils from the Ninth ward Frederick
d. Stone. the Librarian of the Historical
Society OF Pennsylvania; Francis Y. Reuss,
the Recording Secretary of the American
Catholic Historical Society and great
autograph collector; c. P. Bement, Judge
Mitchell. Judge Samuel w. Pennypacker,
whose library of Americans is worth re-
viewing, John c. Browne and John W.
Jordan.
Notablcs From other Cities.
Many ladies were also in attendance.
There were also many prominent bidders
from outside the city. Among them, who
either attended or were represented, we're
George H. Moore, in the interest of the
Lennox Library, New York; Judge Melien
Chamberlain, of the Boston Public Library;
William F. Poole, Newberry Library,
Chicago; Bravton Ives, C. c. Poinde1ter, OF
Richmond, representing the State Library
of Virginia. Two ladies from Baltimore
were ln.attendaace, representing the Mount
Vernon Society, and Joseph Sabin, repre-
senting the Morristown, \. J. Association.
Catalogues were also sent to and bids re-
ceived nom several members of the nobility
of England. 1t is a matter of regret that
the whole collection could not have been
purchased by the United States Govern
ment. Judging from the first days ex-
perience, the proceeds of the sale will be
very large, as over s., 900 was realized. As
a rule, the bidding was most spirited,
and there were several rather ex-
citing contests for the right of
ownership. But not a few of the
most valuable autographs were secured by
Joseph Sateri. The first item of the sale
was the letters testamentarv granted to
Lawrence Lewis and George Speptoe Wash
ington as executors of the estate of General
George Washington, drawn up and signed
by John Hewitt Register of Wills, Wash
ington county, District of Columbia, No
vember Is, 1902 This was purchased by
Mir. Chapman and fetched $50.
ALetter Brings $50.
The third article of the sale was long
autograph letter of Washington's, written
10 Lawrence Lewis, dated Mount Vernon,
20th September, 1899 This was bought by
Mr.. Aldrich for $40. The wrapper in
which the above letter Was enclosed, which
was addressed by Washington, has the fol-
lowing manuscript note upon it: Free,
George Washington. In the reverse
Washington has written: II have Just re-
ceIved an account of the death of nv
brother, which is the occasion of my sealing
with black" This was sold to MIR. Aldrich
for SIS.
Another autograph letter of Washington
to Major Lewis, daled Philadelphia De-
cem5er 2, 1898, in which Washington men
tions the trouble he had in making a selec-
tion of officers for the II regiments, ETC.,
cost its buyer S1S5. The very valuable doc
ument, list of the negroes belonging to
George Washington in his own right and by
marriage, also those hired from Mrs.
French, closely written, by Washington
himself, and being twice signed by him, was
purchased for $40.
Washington's ledger, kept by his secre-
tary Tobias Lear at the time Washington
ran the Mount Vernon distillerv and fishery
in The gear 1899. a large folio in which
there are two vouchers In the handwriting
of Washington, was bought by Mr.. Reed
and cost $40. Throughout this work there
are many interesting items. In one, Will
lam A. Washington is charged with 219
gallons of whisky, S127 Is. Another
tells US that Mrs. Sarah Chichester
purchased 1000 herring, 500. One of the
most valuable articles iu the sale was Wash
ington's private memorandum book from
September q, 1894, to September, 1877, con-
sisting OF 90 closely written pages in the
handwriting of Washington. The posses
sion of this book, after some sharp bidding.
was at last granted to Mr.. Aldrich for $500.
Another memorandum book, September /,
1871, to December 3, 1893. consisting o. 81
closely written pages by Washington, was
sold also 10 MIR. Aldrch for S40O.
A Memorandum of Surveys for $3.50.
The next article upon the catalogue was
Washington's memorandum of SURVEYS
made from March Il, 1770, to August IS
177S, and from April to April 20, 1893. This
book was written by Washington, and to
the last survey entered he has affixed his
signature. The breach which occurs be-
tween 17T2 and 1779 was covered by his
service To his country. The present owner
of this volume is Mr.. Sabin. who paid $3.50
for it. Everyone seemed to be waiting for
the carved mahogany piano stool, once
owned by Nellie Custis, to be placed upon
the block, and when it was at last knocked
down it cost tine ladies of the Mount Yer
non Society S132
A fine OLD French marble mantel clock.
which had been extensively advertised as
belonging to Washington, sold for Sl05 to
the Mount Vernon Society. Doubt was ex-
pressed at the sale by Mr. Lewis whether
the clock ever belonged to Washington. or
it would doubtless nave fetched large
sum.
Three items not down on the catalogue.
having been overlooked when the articles
were sent here from Audley, were brought
to this city Monday by Mr.. Lewis and sold
last night. There were two of Washiugton's
ledcers and number of lottery tickets ouce
owned bv Washington. The articles were
sold for S195, S220 and $50 respectively. The
sale will be continued tomorrow and Fri
day.