The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-06-16
BOGUS AUTOGRAPHS.
ROBERT SPRINGS SUCCESS IN BOLD
LITERARY FRAUDS.


How He Was Detected.
One of the most expert Of autograph |
forgors flourished in this country and for
o time enjoyed success only equaled by
that of the notorious Vrain Lucas, the
Frenchman who victimized NJ. Charles,
the savant, to the tune of 10000 francs.
The name of this rogue was Robert Spring,
and though the actual scene of his rascal
tiles was not New York, there are many
in New York S collection that are infected
by his fabrications, and that, too, in the
department now held in highest esteem
that of American history, and especially of
Washingtoniana.
Spring was Londoner born, and served
his time as indentured clerk to scrivener
of that city. This person, Furnival by
name, was noted bibliophile, and it was
in his employ that Spring doubtless ac-
quired his knowledge of old books and his
marvellous facility in using the pen.
1t was in 1S45 that Spring came to this
country and opened bric-a -brac shop in
Baltimore, dealing also in rare books and
autographs. In the last line his business
was large and profitable as he made the
autographs himself, needing no other tools
than the stump of n quill pen, bottle of
brown ink and few blank leaves taken
from the volumes on his shelves. Encour
aged by his success, he overdid the thing,
and Baltimore became undesirable as q
place of residence So he removed to Phil
adelphia in the early fifties (1S54 it is sup
posed) and opened another curiosity store
on South street, west of Broad and for a
number of years did well and even pros
pered.
Collecting autographs was fashion Of
the time, and Spring fabricated them by
the ream, asserting in later years that he
had sold at least 600 Washingtons, besides
many Clymers, Franklins, Hopkinsons,
Jeffersons, Whipples and others. He was
very partial to the signatures of the sign
ers, in fact, and supplied them to the trade
ad libitum. He not only had much knowl-
edge of out of the way Revolutionary his
tory, but also was an excellent narrator,
and is his convivial moments a most anus
ing companion. His frauds must have
been almost numberless, for he did n large
business, both in New York and Canada,
selling to lawyer in this city 60 bogus
! letters from Benedict Arnold and his wife
Margaret, while he supplied the erudite
kanucks with many Franklins and Wash
| ingtons
Suspicion was first aroused against him
when the library of one of the early Amer
lean judges, a connection Of the Washing
ton family, was sold at auction in Phila-
delphia. Many of the books had in them
the autograph Of Washington, and these
naturally brought high prices But 1t was
thought extremely odd, to say the least
when in one of the volumes a letter of
Springs was found worded ambiguously
and offering his services to some one in
terested in the sale, u nephew of the Judge
Moreover, copy of book printed in 1904
was also graced with Washington's sigma
ture. 1t is difficult to see how Washington
could have written in n book published
after his death, and this posthumous pro
ceeding provoked much talk, well informed
bookmen being of the opinion that Spring
omnivorous industry in deception had been
employed in giving n fictitious value to
volumes with the autographs. However,
this was mere suspicion, and came to
nothing.
Perhaps, indeed if Spring had led a
regular life he might never have been more
than dimly suspected. But for his drink
ing habits it is question whether he
would have been detected at all. Wary and
reticcnt when sober, he was just the oppo-
site when drunk, and toward the last OF
his life this was his usual condition. While
intoxicated he would make no secret of his
forgeries, but would take up pen and
show his skill by writing Penn, n ely
mer or Morris. To friend he declared
that he had sold to "A country clergyman
an autograph of Pontius PLATE for SO, and
he described with much humor the trem
bling eagerness with which this modern
DR.. Primrose secured his fancied prize.
His actual detection was due to DR.
Davis of Philadelphia, to whom he hat
sold a number of the signatures of thu
signers. BY accident one of them became
wet and faded out. 1t was then fount
that 1t had nog been written with ink, bu
with brownish pigment which the FORGE
0 himself had made. DR.. Davis inquirie
made Spring swindling manifest. Spring
was arrested and taken before Mayor Nc
Michael, who declared that there was M
excuse for such pranks. Collectors, h
proceeded TO say, had the means of test
ing the characters of these writings b.
K comparison with numerous authentic speci
mems of the handwriting of the immorta
Washington, TO whom we are so indebt
e ed" etc. Accordingly a Washington au
tograph was borrowed for the momen
from the Independence hall collection
about the genuineness of which there coul
was laid side by side with the forged pa
per. Their agreements were startling, bu
confusion and tribulation followed wbel
Spring said quietly:
why, gentlemen, that's one of min
tool"
For few seconds there was silence, an
then unmitigated disgust at themselyC
among the collectors assembled In court
Then the mayor told Spring that the dig
h. nifty of the law would be vindicated in HI
p case some day, and the forger left the ROOF
as soon as possible. Deprived by exposuI
of his former income, he lived meanly an
miserably, wasting in wretched dissipi
ton the few dollars he made by petit
forgeries. Finally his habits demoralize
him completely, and he became reckless
his swindling and escaped imprisonmer
e frequently only on the plea OF extrem
J, poverty At length he died In the Penn
|. sylvania hospital of asthma, aggravate
!, by intemperance. Though he has bee
dead many years, his fabrications still el
d list in large numbers and enrich many co
8 lections. Valueless papers are hard