The Van Buren press., 1895-12-14


morning had involved him, and so con
vinced was he that the Information
must be for the time kept a secret. that
he actually began to dread what was
clearly inevitabie-the explanation he
must shortly make 10 his wife.
His inclination was to tell her all.
His duty to others forbade this. After
pondering over the matter. he decided
TO explain that he had a happy surprise
in store for her, one that had an i'm
portant bearing on their future. and
which unfortunately neeessitated a
change in their plans for honeymoon
in Europe.
This. on reaching the Delavan house,
he expressed 10 a very pretty and very
anxious little woman who WAS awaiting
him, together with good many other
things not necessary 70 this story.
And, instead of the steamer for Europe.
the reunited pair took train for Phila-
delphia. Early tho next day the young
man presented himself at the Office of
DR.. James Wiekliffe, at Germantown.
who smilingly admitted having given
the shining dollar to his brother two
days before. He had received the coin
from patient. a letter carrier named
John Lennon. and remembered it be-
cause Of the following strange story, re-
lated . HIM b. Lennon himself
A few days before. the carrier was en-
gagged in delivering mail from door 10
door along Vine street, Philadelphia,
when Eigzag trip across the street and
hack again brought him TO the narrow
stairway OF dingy brick house, in
front % which hung an enormous brass
KEY bearing tAe word "LockSmith."
Here he paused 10 draw little panel
from his bundle AS be dsd 50 he heard
something tall with metallic click
upon he stone pavement he looked
and saW that il Was a silver dollar,
which rolled toward TIE gutter and
came 70 8 stop close by The curb. Hast
ening - pick Il up. he instantly dropped
it with cry q pain
The coin was almost red-hOt.
The letter eArrieT stood nursing his
hand and thinking for two or three
minutes Silver dollars do not common
Is drop oAt Of the SKY, But that this
one should thus fan like meteorite in
u condition too heated for handling
WAS certainly more than surprising-it
was astounding, The man looked up
at the dlngy brick house and examined
II atteatiyely. noting that the ground
floor VAS occupied as a green grocery
and that al Of the windows were shut
save one in the third story.
Then he kicked the mysterious coin
into 3 puddle. fished i out again with
his fingers and put it into his trousers
pocket he Vas about 10 investigate
further. when some small boys called
MS attention % the fae1 that il vas the
first day Of april, wheneupon lie pro-
eeeded on his way. lie gave no further
thought 70 the matter until that night,
when he found that his thumb and fore
finger had been so badly burned as TO
require treatment.
The next morning he called upon the
doctor. who dressed the painful hand
and received the mysterious coin in
payment for his services.
Thai night. behind locked doors in
one o. the officers rooms OF the United
States mint in Chestnut street. two men
we're engaged n long whispered con-
ference. The wife OF one of the men.
rs she sat in her room in the Conti-
mental hotel, anxiOusly waiting for her
husband. was beginning to wonder
whether after all, marriage was a fail
ure,
Two days later, in speaking Of the
seizure of over 5000 bogus silver dol
lars ard the clever capture Of three OF
5ae most dangerous oounterfei1ers that
ever attacked the currency OF the
United States, the Daily News said:
The most remarkable part OF the whole
story is that one Of the coins, fresh from
the machine ot one of the oounterfe!te-s.
it-l olt o. 1hir1-sJory window near "a hsch
he wGs WORKING, was picked up while al
most Ee2-hOt BY s letter carrier and passed
as genuine through various hands until il
reached Buffalo, where, by the merest ac-
cc24eaI- i came into TIE possession Of Mr.
ADsel Hobart o. the secret service. That
gentleman noticed an tnnTaeTfectiol al one
point o1 AIS rirl, and succeeded II tracing
tie coin 10 the headquarters Of the gauE
on Vine street II THIS city. where, under
the CLOAK 81 8 4ocksE1itA shop ana green
grocery business. III q the spurious coins
were turned ouI daily So admirably were
these counter 1ea-s executed as 10 GeLy
scrutiny save ID experts of the govern
14lenL The colls were uot cAss II Elol6s
&1-er TIE ordinary fashion. bat were struck
with 4 &c aD1 p-Sle5 50 thlokly with silver
IS lo Withstand ses.s by zGlos- The defect
n h5ch ls6 % .ns GlScovsrE VAS found only
u lie c-le oo-Z already spoken o. AID j Is
Supposed Thai i vas ms de(set that
caused the Elscs % slr-lg from tbs fash
Ia machine El5 tE-l OH q TIE Wll10S.
And the AeN 4OrA newspapers OF
three dass later contained the inielli-
Celoe that The White Star steamer Ms
5es1ic, which sailed for Liverpool that
dap, had among her passengers Mr.. and
Mrs Ansel J. Hobart, OF Chicago. H.
B1Aek CaI-
D1s3cEi1 Dzs5ss - Ninls1e-.
The post ot minister from Spain TO
-he United States ) al The present time