The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-02-06
HALF A MILLION STAMPS.
The Work OF a Montana Collec-
tor Whose Fame Is World
Wide.
Els Labors Help to Maintain n
Home for Orphans In
SWitz erland.
An Antiquarian At lsoxeman who Voted
for Andrew Jackson si1Ly-Lwo
Years Ago.

Everybody in Bozeman knows John y.
Boge {, whose fame Rs b stamp collector
has gone alb DAD. Mr.. BoRsrt, although
n man well along in years, is still very nc
tive and hearty. says the Courier. About
two years ago tho old gentleman received a
letter from an old acquaintance in the EN-
Ilre state. stating that he was engaged In
sending stamps to an orpnun's home in
Locle, Switze land, and that the stamps
were sold for the benefit of the orphans.
Mr.. BoRert became Interested and began to
send stamps to the institution about twenty
months sgo. The managing director of the
home forwarded Mr.. Hogsrt a photograph
OF the building and OF himself. He also
sent thanks for the packages of stamps and
stated that the stamps were placed on plain
white cHrds eight by ten inches and pre-
sented to visitors. who made the home
presents OF sums of money. 1he home at
present oontains slightly eight q, phan girls
n boys-and all arc illegitinlsts child
rem. The Institution is a very old one. and
is one of the leading charities of Switzer-
land. The building is one OF immense
size. The children at the age of twelve u o
farmed out and others tnke their place.
Mr.. Bogert has SO far sent about $50. 600 old
postage stamps to tho home, ami he has a
huge package OF 100. 600 more nearly .eady
for shipment, making 500. 900 in all.
He has sent them far more stamps than
any one else, and the director has informed
him that his stamps su port, week i'll and
week out. no less than nine or ten children.
The veteran collector receives STAN, 9 by
ayArv mail Ihav nra fnp urn dad IN him
principally by women in different pa ts of
the state. Bozeman business men and
Galiatin valley ladies save him thousands
in the course of a 'ear. 1t has become a
regular mania with many Of the women,
and it 10 now no uneoM mon spectacle to see
u well-dressei lady Joking up old envel-
o. es flom the floor OF the Bozennn post
office. she will tear the stamp from it and
then throw the envelope back on the foo (.
1t ia safe to wager $50 that MIR. Bogert gets
that stamp.
In tho courss of the past year Mr.. Bogert
has received big packages of stamps f ON
the states of Alabama. kentucky, Mary
land. North Dakota and Minnesota. He has
evsn received q few from China. MIR.
Bogert has 80 far collected over 1.00o Col
umbinn stamps. ia has forwarded ton
hfty-ceAt stamps, one ninety-csnt stamp
and one dollar stamp.
Mr.. Bogert has always been something of
an antiquarian. He has many an odd cur
los ty IN his rooms. Among Others is an
Old spnr that went with saladin in his at
tack on Jerusalem with tho Knights of the
Holy Cross. 1t WAS sent to M
BoRert by an admiral of the Eng
lish navy. He has also a clock in
his office which be remembers seeing
his father wind up sevsnty yeHrs ago the
7th of September. 1892, on the banks of
the Hackensack, in New Jersey. IL is an
heirloom in his family from his mothers
slice and belonged to his Rreat-great- grand
father. At his death it will go to his son,
j. V. Bogeit. if living; if not to his daugh-
ts". Ms. A. b. Place.
Mr.. Bogerts grandfather for a long time
filled the important %oaition of assessor OF
the eight ward OF Now York, citv, All office
second only to TINT of mayor of the city.
1t was while filling this position that thia
gentleman insisted that John b. should 90
to the polls and vote, although he lacked
the required age. The grandfather took
the young man to the voting place and saw
him cast his first vote in 1881. whtn not
quite 20 years of age. TO Andlew Jackson.