Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1897-06-05
BOGUS AUTOGRAPHS.
ROBERT sP lNo's SUCCESS in BOLD
LITERARY FRAUDS.

LITERARY FRAUDS.
Bis Speciality Was the Signatures of Early
American Patriots, and His Forgeries
Are Treasured by Many q Collector.
How He Was Detected.
One Of the most expert of autograph
forgers flourished in this country and for
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 a Londoner born, and served
his time as indentured clerk to scrivener
of that city This person, Furnival by
name, was noted bibliophile, and 1t 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 1916 that Spring came to this
country and opened brio-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 quill PEN bottle Of
brown. ink and few blank leaves taken
from the volumes on his shelves. Enoour-
aged by his success, he oyerdid the thing,
and Baltimore became undesirable as a
,Nfr Co H.
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 most anus
ing companion. His frauds must have
been almost numberless, for he did 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 it was
thought extremely odd, to say the least,
when in one of the volumes letter Of
Spring. was found, worded ambiguously
and offering his services to some one in
terested in the sale, a nephew of the judge
Moreover, a 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 book published
after his death, and this posthumous pro-
ceeding provoked much talk, we'll informed
bookmen being of the opinion that Springs
omnivorous industry in deception had been
employed in giving 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 be might never have been more
than dimly suspected. But for his drink
ing habits it is a question whether he
would have been detected at all. Wary and
reticent 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 q pen and
show his skill by writing a Penn, 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 a Dr. |
Davis Of Philadelphia, to whom he had |
sold number of the signatures of the |
signers. By accident one of them became |
wet and faded out. 1t was then found |
that it had not been written with ink but |
with brownish pigment which the forger |
himself had made. DR.. Davis inquiries |
made Spring sswindling manifest. Spring |
was arrested and taken before Mayor Nc |
Michael, who declared that there was no |
excuse for such FRANKS. Collectors, " he |
proceeded to say, chad the means of test |
ing the characters Of these writings by |
comparison with numerous authentic speci- |
Washington, to whom we are so indebt- |
ed, etc. Accordingly, Washington au- |
tOgraph was borrowed for the moment |
from the Independence hall collection, |
about the genuineness of which there could |
be, of course, no doubt. This autograph |
was laid side by side with the forged pa |
per- Their agreements were startling but |
confusion and tribulation followed when |
Spring said quietly:
'Why, gentlemen, that's enc Of mine |
too!''
For a few seconds there was silence, and |
then unmitigated disgust at themselves |
among the collectors assembled in court |
Then the mayor told Spring that the dig |
nifty of the law would be vindicated in his |
case some day, and the forger left the room |
as soon as possible Deprived by exposure |
of his former income, he lived meanly and |
miserably, wasting in wretched dissipa- |
ton the few dollars he made by petty |
forgeries. Finally his habits demoralized |
him completely, and he became reckless in |
his swindling and escaped imprisonment |
frequently only on the plea of extreme |
poverty. At length he died in the Penn |
sylVania hospital of asthma, aggravated |
by incompetence. Though be has been
dead many years, his fabrications still ex- |
list in large numbers and enrich many col |
lections. Valueless papers are hard to |
trace, and, moreover, some collectors |
would object to the tracing. 1t is not al |
ways agreeable to have the authenticity of |
ones collection questioned.-New York |
Sun.
The Popes.
Two hundred and ninety three popes have |
succeeded each other, and only II of them, |