Morning journal and courier., 1892-04-19
THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

An Afternoon Visit to the Society,s | Rooms-Thc Relics of old New Ha- l ven-The Little Ship Constitution l Benedict Arno1d's Drug Store, ssEtc.,, There are few places in New Haven at which pleasanter afternoon can be spent than in the rooms of the Historical society in the Insurance building. More interest is daily being taken in the society, and it's new building which is being constructed on Hillhouse avenue will give it practical ly new lease of life. For few years past people generally have not shown the interest in it that was desirable to SO worthy and interesting an institution, but it is now hoped that they are waking up to the importance of preserving the rec ords of times that are past and the great interest which will center around such relics with succeeding generations. The rooms now occupied by the society are pleasantly situated, overlooking the green, and are open to the public every afternoon from until4.
 The emost conspicuous object in the room is the little ship Constitution" which has very interesting history. It was picked up in the English channel in 1765 by Captain Bonticon of the bark "Hawk," bound from Bordeaux to New Haven. It was carried in the procession which cele- brated the ratification of the constitution by this state in 1788. At that time it was named the Constitution. It was also carried in 1918 when psace with England was declared. Again it appeared in the procession in 1888, on the two hundredth anniversary of the settlement of the town. In 1870 it was exhibited in the parole, and on June IT, 1887, it was carried in the Monument day possession. The little ship, which is about five feet in length, is now | the property of the Historical society. The model is that of a British of the Eight eenth century, with blunt bows and stern and strong, heavy lines, indicative of car | rying capacity rather than speed. The ! and all equipments complete.
 When fallen in with by the New Haven ship the little vessel %as S, sailing t the English that the % vessel was @ owned I by some boy, escaped from him and sailed away beyond his re- spn 5 the w in longed to William K; Townshend, lieutenant of Second company of Governors Horse Guard in | Next to this will be noticed in a frame speci- mems of all the postage as stamps issued by the
 
 sented by Hon. N. D. sperry and next to this ara specimens of the fractional currency in use during the and for Phipps cannon, which was many years ou Long wharf. It was used during the war of the
 % to Ra aoee9 2! esE s1 Pnpps ap sesssa' yer o,.4$s sSs'is @ wh5eh were @ bT1%Ss! Vera Cruz by Lieutenant Eld of the United States navy They were presented to the navy by Mis. was thrown from British vessel lying in New Haven harbor, 1779, at a small body of Ameri
 on pc h hsn called Fr l over the hill and fell on the land of samue
 Forbes, whose son, Samuel Forbes, ploughed i | up and presented it to the society.
 | On the opposite wall is colored Autograph O
 the pedigree of General George Washington. A
 the other end of the room there are several relic | of great interest connected with General Rene
 dict Arnold, the patriot traitor. General Arnolt for great many years kept drug store in tn
 and which was also for a number of year @ occupied es,n by Noah j9,, Webster: The old dru
 follows: "B. Arnold, Druggist, Bookseller, etc | from London-Sibi Totique." It seems that tn etc. etc had @ t an occult meaning which h. the thirst | way that Sample Rooms is nowadays. Thi | was used previous to 1T6. Ir the house on Wa vault below in which, it has been suggested smuggIed goods were secreted. His old med
 cine.ch,st is also exhibited; It was at one tim figured py age. The mortar and pestle of 'h drug store are also shown to the visitor.
 old Cook tavern which stood for a great man ! years on the site of the Yale divinity school an
 eary dags 1t Was n 1867 aDd
 supposed at the time to be the oldest building i | New Haven.
 There is also fac-simile copy of the warran ! issued to execute King Charles l. in A. | 1C48, showing the signatures of Gofe, Whale | and Dixweu the regicides who fled to New Have II from Charles IT and after whom the fhorOuef | fares which bear their names were named. ! Sandwich Island war lance is also exhibited ! which was found under the steps of the Cente ! church and supposed to have been brought her
 about 1918, used by some early . missionary le' ! sharks teeth which are supposed to have bee
 key tabernacle marked Reserved for Usher
 which will bring up the memory of those thrillin | revival services.
 .Alarge case of large, heavy, ancient keys
 also on exhibition. The keys of the old New H. ! ven jail and several of the old banks and schoo
 are in this case, which forms @ very interestin ! relic.
 One of the last contributions to the archive | of the society is a skull of an American soldie | prisoner from British ship which came U ] from New York to Milford, where they wei
 landed @ on the 1st of January tnsy 1777 It was pr
 Another interesting, picture is a large colore k ! engraving, handsomely framed, of the executio Nathan I Hale Ifs dying words were: My pon1 on1
 regret is that have only one life to lose for ID | country"
 ). There are also some elegant pieces of Gobel o tapestry brought from Spain and were at thu e time over 15e years old. They are valued @ | thousand of dollars.
 IT Among the other pictures there are some yer 7 fine painting and and g engraving of the the Gree Green vii e ! picture of the original Lancasterian school. y The program of Ford's theater. Washingte i. | D. O., on the night of President Lincoin's assa o | snation is on exhibition.
 8. 1.-The Last Days of Daniel Webster and 'sTt 8 | Pulling Down of the Statue of George III by u n | Sons of Liberty'' are also among some of u IS ! neat pictures.