The sun., 1907-12-11
WON'T TAKE THE BIBLE BACK
ANDERSON COMPANY SAYS THE
MILTON BOOK rs GENUINE .

ineness Of the Milton "Brecches Bible" by
the agent of the firm Of George II. Rich
nlonH who bought il at auction sale for
81 ,225, dee~ ened yesterday Mr.. Richmond
said that he returned the book to the Ander-
son Auction ComT any which acted as the
agent Of its latest owner, William II. Buck
Ter Of Baltimore, and resent secretary of
the American Legation at Madrid. MAYOR
Turner, president Of the auction company
said that ne refused to ACCEPT the book and
that under the terms Of the sale the rur-
chaser could not claim "A forfeiture OF the
bargain.
Major Turner also said good deal more,
some of which was to the effect that the firm
of George ". Richmond had protited more
nv the value Of the advertising given thom
by their Icrudintion Of the authenticity OF
the book than tho lSreeches Bible itself was
worth. lie was content to accept The opin-
ion of English scholars who have gwen
their urcuuivocal sanction 20 the genuine
ness of both the book and the Milton auto
graph.
Robert Dodld of the firm Of Dodd. Mead
A Co. who was once the owner OF the blp.e
In contention ard who is recognized as one
Of the best authorities on rare books W thls
country. said yesterday that he had no occa-
sion to change his original belief IN the au-
thenticity of the ancient volume. ~ was
not an argument that could he settled IN the
newsrav ers. said Mr.. Dodd.
Major Turner sat in his Office AT west
Twentv-ninth street yesterday afternoon
with a collection of the clippings from the
morning papcrs in front of him and the
Bible well out of reach, for Major Turner's 8
mood was not a calm one and some OF ms
sudden gestures might have tumbled the
book into the waste basket
"Yes. MIR. Richmond brought the book
back here this morning. said Major Turner
Selling me that it was not genuine and
that he refused to accept II. Whlle ne was
here dictated letter and handed II 10 hlm'
The substance of the letter was that l de-
clined tO receive the book or 10 cohslOeE @ rs
aale TO Mr. Richmond abTogated as mere
was no proof hat il was in any way dinerenJ
from the description given of II IN the cata,
loRue Of sale or that the catalogue hdu
nisrepTesented its value in any particular
I accented the Bible simply as the agent
~ Mr. Richmond and as temporary GUS
tOdan Of the volume. TO be held at the risk
of his firm and subject to its order.
Major Turner pointed out clause IN
the conditions governing the sale OF all
Company, which read: "All goods are sold
as catalogued and are assumed 70 oe IN
good second hand condition. III ma
terial defects are found not mentioned IN
the catalogue the lot may be returned.
The president Of the auction company
declared emphaticaIly that the unsup-
ported word of A. J. Bowdn, the expert
20 the Richmond firm, to the enect that
the Milton Bible was not genuine nH noL
impress him as a ma erlsl defect. MAJOR
Turner then gave out ,hi' tyreWrltteh inter
view which he had prepa red III answer TO the
contention of the Richmond company:
We'd not wish TO enter uVOn any newspaper
controversy although quite Wiling 10 iur-
nish any facts or information about the oooK'
The dealer who purchased the booh AT the
sales has received an amount OF advertising
in the New York papers considerably IN eN-
cess Of the value of the book, but collectors
NAV reasonably wonder : the publication
OF such sensational eX parte statements.
II il uuits prOpab,e. a. stated ~ one oil the
papers that collectors throughout the couh-
try and Europe will be greatly surprised
that this book, which has Tassed the scrutiny
Of savants and collectors OF the most emi-
nent authority and has come TO be regarded
as one OF the rnr2sl treasures Of krglish
literature should now prove TO be forgery
Ne prclCr To accept the judgment OF these
savants and collectors. confirmed as II II By
our own deliberate Judgment. and coAtinuc
TO believe in the authenticity OF the bOOk.
We even go 80 far "a to think that book
which has been fully described III the cata-
logue OF Sotheby OF London, publicly eN-
hibitsd and discussed by English Journalists
and critics and pronouuC ed genuine by the
most eminent living authorities, II entitled
to more consideration than II has received III
this case.
VI aIe now investigating the charges that
have been made against ~" authenticity
ci the Milton bible and expect 10 make
abatement later which will make clear the
no f..TulgLTIIa 1g-GTl. tlOu under
" hch il was sold.
Major turner explained the value OF the
autn'r ,i.., upon which he rested his tditn
In tuS GcnuIucness OF the Blble. Sothcby,
Miiklason and hOdge of London are the
h,4si known authorizes in the business Oi
book collecting, ne said. their experts
uarsa1 upon tho book when il tlrst came
10 HLnt scvel years ago and declared II
genuine Besides the confirmation OF DR..
" Nldig " right of Trinity College, Cam
bridge, and the expert writer OF the Ahe-
nG IN, the guuuinencsSs of the autograph
and OF the SIDla itself was accepted by Il. +.
Stevens, a recognized collector, who bought
the Bible for Dodd, Mead a Co.. said Major
Turner. Inc opinion Of MIR. Robert DOdd
was m itself sufficient confirmation of pre-
yious appraisement, he added.
MIR Richmond said yesterday that he
would have no more of the "Breeches Bible"
and that he had taken il back to the sales
agent. .-.,,... s,.u.u-. -,
since u lS "A IlldllicSl AOIBcTys Hs SdlU, 1
took it back in accordance with the terms
of sale Ml suppese it will revert to Mr..
Buckler its original owner. | have per-
feet right to return the book within ten
davs OF purchase IL find that it is not what
the catalogue represented it TO be. The sale
is aprogatsd.
Il believe that the Englishmen who
shouted so loudly for the authenticity of
the book knew tnat there was something
suspicious about il, for | know that when
Mr.. Dodd authorized his agent to buy it in
1901 he was willing To pay as high as El 900,
vet he got it for E225. II SOtheby had been
quite convinced of the genuineness of the
book he would not have let il go for so small
q sum"
Although Mr.. Richmond declared that he
had returned the book and refused to con-
slider the sale effective. Major Turner said
that after leaving the book at his office
Mr.. Richmond had sent around later the
request that it be insured by Major Turner
for him to the full value of sl.225. the price
paid for il at the recent auction. The presi-
dent of the auction company said that when
the book was returned ne made il clear that
he was not accepting il in behalf Of MIR.
Bucklar OF Madrid, but as custodian for the
George II. Richmond Company.
5sEAIAL From DIR. WRIGHT.
SAYS He Never said the Bible Belonged 10