Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-01-15

the stable at the time ripped
up one of the planLs. then got
at the cat and n huge roll of
bills was found How they came there
was a mystery that no one was able
to explain. The money was sent to
Portland for examination and came
back with each of the bills marked IS
described. Mr.. Towne happened to
be in the stable when the bills were
found and when they We're returned
marked counterfeit and secured one Of
them as a curiosity. 1t was never
known how the bills came there. 1t
was thought. however. that they
might have been made here in the city
and the owner fearing detection had
hid them under the platform and had
never been able to get them out.
Another theory was that the bills had
been brought into the State by out
side Counterfeiters and that, being
hard pressed in some way, they were
obliged to throw them away. The
bills were apparently good limitations
and would doubtless have passed sue
cessfully if the ma kers had been given
a chance to use them.
q bank note of the Revolutionary war
period. Its denomination is IS and is
dated 117S. 1t was payable in Spanish
mIled dollars. silver or gold. Ii is
numbered 269,5o1 Mr. Towne also has
half dollar of 1909. a cent of 1888. a
half cent of 1904. Danish piece Of
1859 and Spanish piece of 1146.
very interesting bank note is !
Confederate S100 bill. This is in the
form of a regular promisory not and
reads: six months after the ratiiica-
ton of treaty of peace between the
Confederate States and the United
States the Confederate States of
America will pay one hundred dollars
to bearer with interest at two cents
per day The note is dated Rich
| mond October 1. 1862 and is signed by
W. w. Bell for treasurer and someone
else who was so poor writer that his
name can scarcely be deciphered. for
register. Interest was paid on this
note twice according to the endorse
| ments on the back. first at Richmond,
| to 1863. and secondly at Augusta,
Georgia. to 1865. This casts an inter
esting side light on the condition of
the Confederacy as it shows that its
| treasury was in serious condition as
early as 1862 and that hope of success
| had not been abandoned as late as
| 1865.
Two other coins of a diff rent character
| from the others throw light on the pol
| itics of Gen. Jackson's administration.
These were coined privately of copper.
| They are about the size and thickness OF
tation of Gen. Jackson standing in q
money safe with a bag Of coin in one
hand and sword in the other. Around
this is the legend, Il take the rcspon-
sibility" The reverse has a representa-
ton of a donkey inscribed l.. l.. ID. BE
meath his feet is the word veto and over
him Roman firmness." Around the edge
is the inscription, The constitution as
understand it," The other coin has on
one side a turtle carrying money safe
with the inscriptions executive expert
ment' and 1887. Fiscal agent" On the
reverse is a running donkey with the leg
end: II follow in the steps of my illus
trious predecessors.
These coins were issued for a political
purpose at the time Gen. Jackson dis
tributed the money in the United States
treasury.
Another interesting relic is an almanac
III years old 1t is a little pamphlet Of
a few pages which are now very brown
and fragile. Bits OF information are
scattered through the latter part Of the
book and all through where there is suf-
ficient space bits of poetry of a high
standard are put in. The different routes
to Boston al the time of its issue are Civ
en- with the towns where there were tav-
crns and the names of the proprietorS.
There is also currency table giving the
values Of the various coins then in circu-
lation.
Then there is bit Of wood in the col
lection which was taken from Libby pris-
on and brought north from Richmond by
a travelling man for Mr.. Towne when he
was in business.
\ design for a Washington monument
done with a pen shows more than com
mon skill for a farmer of nearly 100 years
ago. Mr.. Towne is adding whenever pos
sible to this interesting collection of rel
les of local and national interest and can
make an hour or SO pass very quickly in
describing the various articles and telling
ANECDOTES Of their history.