The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08

or other B-ahman or Buddhist g-ds, god
desses or spirits about which Mahatmas
and Chelas tell US and which may not yet
have reached their Nirvana. their origin is
probably to be found in the house occu-
pied by Charles Getschow. at 263 Fifty
sixth Street.
Mr. Getsch0w recently returned from a
five years soiourn in Ceylon, Siam. Mad
rss. Trichinopoly, and Travancore. He
was out there in the interests Of some ma
rine underwriters who had cause TO find
fault with the careless methods used in
slowing cargoes. especially those Of plum
bsgo and cocoanut oil. He had spent much
of his early life at sea and has been an
indefatigable collector Of coins. porcelains.
bronzes. fabrics. and other curios. From
the Far East he has brought back a large
collection. including a number Of Hindoo
idols. Some Of his friends say that in or
der to crafty his passion for collecting
Mr.. Getschow did not hesitate to loot some
ancient temples at Mandalay. He only
winks when this is mentioned in cOnnec-
ton with his lot Of time-worn and decid-
edly ugly and squat figures Of silva. the
destroyer; Vishnu. Rama and other Hin
doc deities Mr.. Getschow was a close
friend to James Darragh. the Williams
burgh Irishman. whose history reads like
a chapter Of a novel He had established
a small manufacturing business Of coir. or
cocoa. mating and mats in the eastern
district Hearing Of the cheap labor OF
India he scraped together his little capt.
tai and sailed for the Orient. He settled
in Allepy the capital Of the Travancore. a
principality on the western coast OF the
Indian peninsula. and near the apex. Cape
Commorin. He left his wife and one
daughter in Brooklyn.
Years passed and Darragh became a man
Of great wealth. He owned several facto-
res, had sugar. coffee. tea. and cotton
Plantations. He became indispensable &c
the Rajah and obtained a concession TO
coin his own money. He married a Hin
doc woman and one Of her daughters mar
RED his head man. Mr. Small a Scotch
man. who became his partner. They es-
tablished the present importing house OF
Darragh & Small in Water Street, Man
haitian. which still does large business In
East Indian goods, coir. mats and mating.
rugs. skins. and the thousand and one
articles that are exported from the Far
East. Occasionally he would send a shir
of his own here. He used to say that moth
ing CALLED him more than TO ship under
the British flag. Some years ago. while on
a voyage to this country, he was taken in
and died at Cairo His body was inferred
al his old home in Ireland whittier his
first wife and daughter removed and where
they are probably still living. After his
death a suit was begun over his property
here. but IL was settled apparently and
never came 10 trial Mrs. Darragh and
provided for. but Mr. Small succeeded TO
the business and has since spent much OF
his life in India.
Mr. Getschow is full Of anecdotes Of thu
former Brooklynite. for whose memory be
entertains a genuine affection. But. TO re-
turn to the Buddhist gods and gOddesses.
Collecting has been a lifelong passion
with GctsChow and his handsome home in
Fifty sixth Street is literally packed with
curios. In his wanderings he has amassed
a large and valuable collection Of ancient
Roman. British. French. Spanish, ana
Oriental coins as well as American and
other coins Of more modern issues. Some
Of the first named belong to the reigns Of
Clsudius and Augustus Caesar. One is
said 10 be have been struck in commemo-
ration Of the Roman conquest Of Britain.
French medal Of rare interest is one
struck in CommemoratiOn Of the massa-
ere of St. Bartholomew. In view of his
long residence in the East and years Of
travel, il is not wonderful that Mr.. Gets
chow has secured a valuable assortment
OF Oriental coins. from the largest gold
pieces to the tiny silver chukurums which
count thirty-two to the Mexican dollar
This lot is supplemented by an extensive
gathering Of many medals and decorations
Among the time worn collection q stone
sa,1e al is 81
figure representing the deadly cobra OF 10
dia In bronze there are dozens 4 hiceous
and grOtesque figures Of Buddha. silva.
Yishu. Rama. and other deities. 4 most
extraordinary idol is one carved In wood CT
silva Al the top is the figure Of the De-
siroyer holding before his face the ex-
tended form of a man which the god Is
about 10 deYcur. The ferOcity OF the cen
tral figure is supplemented by twenty
heads. each if possible, more hide0us and
ferociOus looking than the other. The
bulgiug eyes aind huge glittering fangs
are exhibited iu so many different Horrible
grimaces as TO cause wonderment at the
skin and Imagination displayed in this
unique portrayal OF Siya's proponsities. It
would be difficult TO get together a more
devilish lot Of caricatures of the human
countenace than this carving represents.
There are two extraordinary LOCKING In
dian paintings displaying the attributes OF
Nishnu and Rama. They appear TO be eX-
ecuted on glass ami the tolors are remark
ably vivid and distinct
TIE collection OF arms show a number q
heavy kandysn knives. some Of them richly
chased and ialaid with gold. their handle
Of ivory. stained yellow. and cracked with
tine. There are ancient long tarre ell pis-
tolls plated in richly chased silver. The
knives and daggers are especially murder
fss7
tratire Of the bloodthirst5 life and history
OF the Far East With most Of them goes
some tale or legend Uf treacherg and
b,oCdshed. There are also a number OF
Chinese and japanese weapons OF fine de-
sign.
Adjoining these are lots OF rare porce-
lains and bric-a- brac. collected from Con-
s5antiaople TO SIAM China. and Japan OH
ers were picked up iu Cochin. Madras. and
Colombo. There are Tiny silver tea seie.
made by native artists from Mexican dol
lars ana elaburately chased and decorated.
There are innumerable 1lgree ornaments
and articles OF ieWelry. executed with the
skill for which Indian g0ldsmiths are fam
cd. This kind OF work fabricated by their
slender fingers and crude appliances has
never been eQualed by European or Ameri-
can w0rkmen. The peculiar genius OF these
wonderful If decidedly thevish artidcers
is exhibited in hundreds OF designs Tae
root of the tea tree is OF a very DARK
brown. almost black color. Its habit o.
growth is Of the most gr0tesqUg. crooked
distorted order. Il is crossed and inter
laced in the most inexplicable manner
with Jumps distributed in the strangest
disorder From these the natives execute
carvings Of figures and groups that are
extraordinary in design and execution. ana
50 elaborate in their hideous and grotesque
execution a 4 q pVpffa aFrnf ffor for az.