The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-08-08

II happened that no member OF the nrm
was In, so Arthur q. Wyer, foreman OF
the composing room, took II upon him.
self to answer the summons, and get, a.
he expected, an order for printing.
Wyer himself halls from Nantucket,
and the surprise and recognition was
mutual In spite of the assumed name.
Mr.: Lncoln's suspicious OF Casey
Brothers were somewhat lesssned, for 1t
was hard to believe that anything sour
rilous about him could emanate from an
establishment that employed q man who
knew him personally. However, he made
inquiries, and the conversation shifted
from the circulars to some editorials
that had appeared in the Republican Sun
of this city. An affidavit was shown from
the manager of that paper to tho effect
that the objectionable paragraphs had
been written by man named Wyer.
But they didn't reflect on Mr.. Coffin or
Mr.. Lincoln. They were relative to Mr..
Arthur III. Gardner, editor Of the Nam
tucket Journal, publication that had
contained several articles In defence of
Mr.. Allen Coffin, written by Mr.. Allen
Coffin.
All knowledge of the circulars was
stoutly denied by Wyer and also by
Casey, the proprietor OF the establish
ment, who was interviewed later in the
day. Then Coffin, alias Lincoln, sought
legal advice and presented his case to
himself lawyer by profession, but has
done but little In actual practice for the
past % or 80 years, so preferred to en-
trust his interests to other talents.
Lawyer Magill was interviewed this
forenoon. He said that he had not seen
the circulars. but had been consulted
with particular reference to the editorials
which he considers as possibly libelous
enough for action. His client, he con-
tinued, will ferret out the mystery OF
publication, and suit may be brought
later on. He did not know that the man
he was dealing with was travelling under
an assumed name, and there was some
CONSERVATION at the hotel this morning
when IL was learned that there Is an alias
on the book. Still, the clerk said Lincoln,
or whatever his name IL, appears to be
perfectly harmless.
signed by Mr.. Coffin, except possibly his
own popularity, which may have been
Calling to his unknown prosecutors. He
Is probably the best known man in his
town, and has been for many years be-
fore the people as candidate for some
thing.
At one time his name was whispered
as possibility for the Lieutenant-Gov-
ernor's place on the Prohibition ticket OF
Massachusetts,, and he has been even
nearer than that TO Office, for during one
campaign he was the choice OF the Pro-
hibitionists for Attorney-General. Aside
from these two attempts at fame, MIR.
Collins aspirations have all been OF
more local character. He wanted to be
State Senator at one time, and many
stirring eulogies appeared in the Nan
tucket Journal, relative to his qualitica-
tions But as a would-be Senator and
Attorney-General, Mr.. Coffin's efforts
nave been spasmodic-as a candidate for
the lower brsaach of the State Legislature,
and for every local Office I'm the power of
the town TO give he has been ever faith
full TO his never-satisfied ambition. Never
but once has he been appreciated. This
exception TO long rule came when, by
unanimous vote of his townsmen, he
was chosen field driver. And no man
ever combined the qualities of field
driver with those OF an afterdinner
speaker as well as Mr.. Coffin has done.
He has often been called the Depew OF
Nantucket.
His individuality is strong-in no sense
of the word is he like other men. Many
years of failure at the polls have tended
to make him cynical, even doubtful OF
the ultimate success OF the Prohibition
party at large, and several years ago he
attempted to become as one with the
local Democracy for the purpose OF re-
forming IL, but he was denied.
Since then he has been candidate on
every ticket in turn, although always
Prohibitionist at heart. He Is OF the
elect IL not elected.
As to his cynIcism, which has kept
equal pace with his greatness, IL was
displayed yesterday in an interview with
one Of the Providence publishers when
he said "selfishness is the basic prin-
ciple Of all human activity, and when
man is kind to his neighbor, he is so,
only because the memory Of having per-
formed a kind deed gives satisfaction 10
the performer. Such is the gloomy
and sad, and providencejournal state of
mind to which Allen Coffin, alias Abe
Lincoln, has been reduced. He is still in
town.