The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-27
DOGS OR FAKES?
Commodore Gerry and the Government
Can't Agree.

Can't Agree.
From the New York Times.
Commodore Elbridge T. Gerry and
his IRE dogs claimed the undivided att
tentbon OF Collector Kilbreth yesterday.
The commodore's purpose in being in
the august presence of the collector
was to get his 200-year-old dogs
through the custom hogse.as antiques.
and so free of duty. =" - p
One pair cost him go and the other
f25 in London. and he was naturally
incensed when modern inspector said
'uhat they were about as antique as a
good, big baby and straighitway began
to figure out the revenue that Uncle
Sam should receive from the commo-
dore
The commodore knew what he pos
sessed. for his invoice showed II, and
the inspector knew what he saw, for Il
was his business to see such things,
even though ages stood between him
and the object observed. The dogs
were modern. the dogs were antique,
and amid the great TODD the dogs
alone remained ouiet-the commodore
was heard to murmur: "Oh, IL they
could only talk" The result was that
the dogs were kenneled in the custom
house, and they are there yet.
AS difference of opinion existed as
TO the age OF the dogs. the commodore
and the government both appeared be-
fore Collector Kilbreth yesterday with
experts-experts of nigh degree and
great renown. The commodore sat
down beside Collector Kilbreith and
with many Judges" and your hon
ors" recited the story of how ne had
purchased the dogs from T. Itch
field. a London dealer in antiques,
who keeps what is known as the Sim
clair gallery.
The dogs. he said. had formerly been
In the famous Splitter collection; there
were no others like them; he had
bought chem for antiques. and they
were antiques. He spoke with disgust
OF the action of Appraiser Hart and
Examiner Bieling. who said they were
modern dogs cast from ancient mod
els. and was almost lost for words
with which to characterize Expert Du-
reen, who. after looking at them.
simply said Fakes"
The term Judge" abashed the coll
hector. and he said: You mean col
lector. commodore"
"Yes-yes-your collector. your hon.
or" responded the commodore, and
then he continued and explained that
the feet upon which the legs rest were
the only modern parts of the dogs. II
had the modern feet put on in Lon
don." he said. because Mr. Litchfield
warned me that II 1 had IL done
where some one would get a mold of
the figures and copy them, and / did
not want to take chances / bought
the dogs cheap. and would not sell
them for five times the price paid"
Cyrus A. Stearns and Eugene Hon.
eywell. the commodore's experts, de-
clared that the dogs were made in the
nth century. and so were antiques.
and not dutiable.
Collector Kilbreth asked for more
opinions from experts. although the
commodore failed to see why ne was
not satisfied with those that he had
heard. and the matter was adjourned
until this morning to give N. X. Bish-
op chance to clean and examine the
dogs.
The firedogs are about three feet
high, are cast in bronze. and are sur
mounted by nude NEUROLOGICAL figures,
three female and one male. One pair
is marked for the commodore's den.
and the other For the Art Gallery"
The commodore prizes his purchases
very highly. and. in his present humor.
says he will demand an apology or
something of that sort from the gov
eminent for keeping him from the So
ciety OF his dogs so long.