The record-union., 1895-04-04
FAD IN CIGARS.
Weeds Gathered From All Parts of the
Wnt.l;

w SSds SaCnefcu rom All Parts of tle
World.
Captain Michael Flaherty has an extra
ordinary collection of cigars. Collecting
cigars Is his hobby, and in his exhibit
are weeds Of the kind smoked by royalty
and many others that are remarkable.
Captain Flaherty's cigars are on exhi-
Oltlon IN his Office at III Pearl street. He
began to collect them when he was III
years Of age. At that time he was en-
pIoyed by cigar importing firm on
" ater street. In those days smuggling
was III vogue, and the Sandy Hook pilots
were the recipients OF many choice weeds
that had been smuggled.
Occasionally they presented young
tlanerty with one or Il brand warra nted
extra good. He did not smoke then. but
by the sense of smell became one OF the
most expert Judges Of good tobacco in
the world. Whenever he came across an
extra good cigar ne gave it to his elder
brother Thomas who mounted the prize
IN rosewood case on q gold pin,
oung Michael tIahertY in this v-av
became tobacco expert, and Dy the
various firms which found il to their in
terest to employ him he was sent all over
the world. He continued TO add to the
collection IN the rosewood case, and to-
day it stands uuequaled as a collection of
cigars gathered III every corner of the
earth.
II have two hundred and eighty dia-
monds IN tobacco leaf and filters" said
the Captain to a FortL reporter. II hay @
one cigar from Sumatra and one from
HlndoStan. There are two that were
made in Egypt. They are the Oldest ones
IN my collection. They were manufac-
tureu by Brahmin priest who sold me
two boxes and two extra ones for 500
There were twenty-five cigars in each
box, and lie threw IN the extra couple.
The orahmln sold the cigars in order to
pay his passage out OF the country, where
he was wanted for murder
We'll, l would not sell one Of the
cigars. so financially they have 10 value.
Some OF them were purchased for a cent
apiece in Italy and Spain. You could not
sell such cigars IN this country. They are
twisted weeds with straw running
through them. Before you could smoke
them you must pull the straw out. ONLY
an Italian or Spaniard can do that, and
then he must be an expert
nave cigar that was one of twenty
eight cigars, the over product OF one
thousand which were made especially
for the Prince of Wales. Even lie could
not have them duplicated now. The
Hller and the wrapper were gathered in
four months growth in Havana That
meant the choicest product of a season.
Ihe cigars were made by a woman De-
longing TO one of the weaithiest families
in Cuba. She had acquired a degree of
skill IN making cigars by hand never
equaied by any one on the island. She
sent thousand cigars As present 10 the
Prince, through our agent in London, in
1889. The Prince still, has two left
over and above the 1000 there were
tWeuty-eight made by her. These were
given TO me. l presented Charley Del
monIco with twenty-five, gave two to my
brother Bill, and have one left. Those
and are the most costly cigars ever made.
They were wrapped in tissue paper.
rolled IN gold leaf, and had band with
the Princes crest bound around each
cigar lhey were put up twenty-five in
box. Each box had a special lock and
key upon it.
Il have three cigars which were nre-
sented to me two weeks ago that were
made from tobacco grown on Irish soil.
The cigars were rolled by an Irish peas
ant woman. and it was only alter an ey-
pertinent OF eight years that she and her
husband succeeded III raising sufficient
tobacco 10 make that number. Those are
the only three cigars of Irish growth and
manufacture in existence.
81 have cigars that were made from
tobacco grown in each of the tobacco
raising States in the United States. I
have one cigar older than | am, and | am
30 years OF age.
nave Henry Clay known as the
Loberano that could not be retailed for
less than 81 30 oach. Such cigars are ap-
preclated by only a few of the men who
can afford to buy them. One of the big
gest orders for this brand that / ever
took came from prince, who ordered
$500 OF them for Count de Castellane as a
wedding gift. 1t took us two months to
fill the order"
Captain tlaherty intends to increase
his rDtInptlNn / nnSGi hlo IN
then present it to the President OF the
United States.-N. J. WORLD.