Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-09-04
CHASEAFTER A RELIC
HOW WASHlNGTON'S COACH WAS Sc
CURED FOR MOUNT VERNON.
For Two Years In a Philadelphia Anti.
quarian's Window-Carried Around tho
Country In Side Show-Smuggled Out
of the City In Box Car.


of the City In Box Car.
Have I told you the story of how W,
recovered Washington's coach?" asked thu
superintendent as he leaned back in hi
chair.
NO." replied the woman from the west
She was curled up in one corner Of the
great mahogany sofa, trying to weave a
story about the great brick with the words
Rogue, thief and liar" burned into it,
which had been dug up near the west
lodge gate of Mount Vernon.
| NO" she said. Tell 1t to me-"
Mr.. Dodge smiled the smile of a man
who is asked to mount his hobby. He
put his finger tips together and began.
"Of course" he said, we've been try
| ing to get a coach that belonged to WASH
ington for long time. The ladies of tho
Mount Vernon Ladies' association have
followed every clew they could find. They
could not let it be known, Of course, that
they were looking for coach, for at once
any dealer who had such a thing would
advance its price beyond reason.
THE ladies had despaired of ever finding
it, when one day as l was showing party
of visitors through the mansion and
grounds one OF them said:
"'You ought to have Washington's
coach in the carriage house
Eyes, we'd like to have IT., said.
"'Why, know where 1t Is, he said.
II almost had heart failure az the news.
led him aside and questioned him. lie
told me that he had often seen ON old car
riagc in tho window of an old antiquarian's
shop on Chestnut street, l think. that was
placardcd 'Washingtons ooach!' He was
sure he had seen it very recently.
II wrote at once to Mr.. r. l.. Brown
field in Philadelphia.-a man who is an en-
thusiastic antiquarian-and asked him to
see the owner of the coach and find out
what it could be secured for. He went to
the shop, but although my informant was
sure he Ind seen it very recently Mr..
Brownfield discovered that the coach had
been sold two years before to Forepaugh,
the circus man, for $50. "
II wrote to Forcpaugh. There was no
answer. discovered that Forepaugh had
died. wrote to the executor of his estate
and after a long delay was informed that
the coach, with various other relics, had
been sold to the Barnum s. Bailey circus
and was now appearing In side shows some
where In the west. / wrote to this place
and to that, but the circus was on the
move constantly, and received no answer
to my appeals. Enough of the history Of
the coach had been learned from the Phil
adelphia dealer who had owned 1t to estab-
lish its authenticity beyond the shadow Of
q doubt. On the I'd day of July received
letter from Mr.. Brownfleld. L have 50
cured the coach, 1t said Come and get
it at once, for will not be responsible for
it.
1T took the next train for Philadelphia
and went at once to Mr.. Brownflcld's
house. He seemed greatly relieved to SEQ
me-" y
And when did he get the coachS" asked
the woman from the west.
''That he did not tell me- nor did he tell
me how much he paid for It, He simply
made present of it to tho ladies' and no
wanted 1t taken off his hands as soon as
possible.
ut was, as said, the I'd of July when
l received Mr. Brownflelds letter 1t was
now the 3D. 1t had been rumorod In Phil
adelphia that the coach was in town, and
1t was proposed to have 1t form part Of tho
parade on the Fourth of July. Mr. Brown.
field had not been seriously opposed to the
idea, when information reached him from
organized attempt to steal the coach The
route Of the parade was known, and Mt
certain corner the coach was to be dragged
from the line and hurried down side
street. At any rate, certain persons had
determined that Washington's family
coach should never leave Philadelphia
Mr. Brownfcld went with me to see
the coach. 1t was one Of the hottest DAYS
ever knew, and we were Obliged to walk
long distance. The coach was In the at
tic of building which had once been used
as the winter quarters of u circus. 1t was
in one of the toughest parts of the town,
and nobody knew Of the coach's presence.
We toiled up tho stairs, and Mr. Brown
field threw open tho doors with flourish.
There stood the object Of my search
Washington's family coach
II went out and went to the freight
yard of the nearest railroad. ordered n
box car. The agent in charge did not
think could get one on % siding and Mt
tached to q freight train until the morning
Of the 9Th, as 1t was now getting into the
afternoon Of the 3D.. insisted, but
could not tell what wanted 1t for. Final
ly he promised to have the car ready, and
went back to the coach borrowed u car
rage cover from a livery stable and covered
the old vehicle. Then went into another
quarter of tho town and engaged four stout
negro men.
Then VIC took the coach down. and fol-
lowed by hooting crowd OF small boys,
each begging ride, we dragged the coach
through the streets, got it aboard the box
car, and nailed the door shut. Mr..
Brownfield was with me- We shook each
others hands with feeling. Then we went
away together and took drink"
And the coachp" asked the woman
from the west.
Come and see 1t, " said the superintend-
emit.
BE passed out through the office door
across the early green Of the smooth shavon
lawn and down the hill to the coachhouse.
A group Of reverent tourists hung about
the door, but over their shoulders tho
western woman caught glimpse Of q
shabby, dingy, ugly, brown old coach, that
even An its best days could never have been
at all elegant. 1t was Washington's fam
lily coach. The woman from the west
turned away. Then her eye met the eye Of
the euYlprintapdopt opd fhav 1a,, yhad rho