The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-07-29
ROMANCE IN POSTAGE STAMPS.
The Proud Mr.. COnnelI Clever Capt. L.eary
The King of Sedanc.


The first postmaster of New Brunswick,
Of vanity and postage stamps.
Mr.. Cornell had an idea that his own
portrait would look quite as we'll on the
new stamps Of the colony as would Queen
Victoria's familiar features, and he de-
lightedly carried out his idea.
The Government. however, showed a cruel
Lack of appreciation. The stamps were
~demonetized and the ambitious postmaster
was discharged. The result Is that those
little paper pictures OF the conceited Mr..
Connell are nov worth hundreds Of dollars.
The death of Capt. Leary in 1901 recalled
another philatelic romance. When Guam
was coded to the United States Capt. Richard
p. 1eary was appointed Governor. Before
he started for his distant province he APP
piled to the department for stamps.
The Bureau OF Engraving and Printing
gave him a supply Of United States stamps,
surcharged Guam" The day before Capt.
Leury sailed, says the Elder Monthly, some
dealers and collectors discovered the fact
OF the new issue and managed to interview
him on the boat just before he sailed. The
Captain refused to sell the stamps, even
though fabulous offers were made.
The collectors we're not to be thus baked
however, and within a few months after his
arrival at Guam Capt. Leary was over
whelmed with letters containing stamps,
money orders, checks. and drafts in pay
ment for the new stamps. 1t is said that
orders and cash were received for more
than ten times the whole issue of stamps.
Being a business man, the Governor did
- - ,-L., ITyN11n Sot, ahD,,Il ~~t --NQA
by this case of excessive demand, 30 he
ordered a new supply Of stamps from
Washington. Even this second lot did not
last long. Before another supply could
be ordered Guam became a part of the
United States system and now regular
United States stamps are used there. But
II Is a fact that the mail matter to and from
Guam increased a hundredfold during the
short term Of Leary's Governorship.
In many collections are seen a set Of
stamps bearing the name Sedang, 1t will
puzzle most people even to place the ooun-
try, but there is a unique history connected
with the stamps scarcely remembers VI to-day
except by the philatelist. A few years q
there died of a cobra bite, on a small island
off the Malay Peninsula, a man known as
the King of the Sedangs.
He was a Frenchman, whose real name
was Marie David de Marena. A wanderer
In the Far East, he had met with many adj
ventures, and finally on account Of some
unusual display OF personal bravery he was
elected king OF the Sedangs, a native tribe
inhabiting the interior region beyond An
nam in Africa. Here he ruled for a number
Of years with a somewhat laughable dignity,
establishing relations with the French
missionaries and making treaties with
France.
Later he visited Hongkong and tried to
interest some Of the merchants In a negotia-
ton by which they were to develop the
country in return for certain duties on
exports, but the French Government de-
nounced him as an impostor.
Then he offered himself and his country
to the British, but, strange to say, they would
have nothing to do with him. Next he tried
Germany, and was so indiscreet as to send
an open telegram, which, passing through
the French office at Saigon, was read, n
he was ordered to be arrested for treason.
He, however, avoided arrest and after some
years spent in Europe ended his adventure
GUS life as above recorded. With more sue
cess he might have been a second Rajah
Brooke, whose portrait still comes to vi
on the stamps Of Sarawak.