The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-02-20
STATESMEN HIS CUSTOMERS
WASHINGToN,S BOOKSELLER TIL $ now 10 BUY BOoKS.

DishOnest-How He Once Got Back at
 Tom Reed-His Distinguished Pa
 irons.
 Nearly everybody in Washington and every visitor knows something about old Uncle James Guild and his old bookstore on Pennsylvania ave- nue, at the foot of the Capitol. For al- most half a century Uncle James and his shop have been landmarks Of Washington, and it would be difficult to find more interesting character than he who presides over the great mass of old books, prints, SC.
 Uncle James has been buying books, reading books and studying human na- ture nearly all his life, and he has reached the conclusion that at least one man in every forty is thief, and that a larger number would be if they only had the chance. This is a distres- sing summing up of human nature but the old gentleman has been touched" so often that it was not difficult for him to figure out the per centage of honest people he meets.
 Recently, says the Washington Post a well dressed and gentlemanly ap- bearing fellow managed to steal about $500 worth of the most valuable books in the store. The proprietor is almost blind from a cataract, and un- der the impression that the fellow was buying a lot of old } cent maga- zines, he accepted 75 cents for about $500 worth of salable books. The police managed to get the thief, recovered the books, and the fellow had $S65 in his pockets when arrested, $150 of which he forfeited as collateral for his appearance in court.
 Some months ago a young fellow be- gan hanging around the old book store and told Uncle James that he was an artist in the employ of Mrs Senator Foraker. He asked a number of questions about some rare old volumes, and the proprietor realized that the young man was pretty well posted After several visits the said to be young artist bought about a dol- lars worth of books and every few days ne made his appearance and made himself at home browsing around among the books and maga- zines Finally the young man failed to show up, and Uncle James had his son come in and make an investiga- tion, which resulted in the discovery that the artist had stolen about $lOO worth of books. Of course the fellow was not in the employ of Senator For akers wife, and the loss was never made good.
 One day a man walked into the store and fater looking through a number of books turned to Uncle James, who sat by the door smoking his corncob pipe, and asked. Whats the price of this book?' What Is the title?" answered the proprietor. Dreams and Witcheraft," was the reply. Then look on the fly leaf and you will see the price" The fellow af- ter moment told Uncle James that the book was marked 30 cents and paid him that amount. The purchaser had not ben out of the store more than an hour before policeman walk ed in accompanied by the same man who had bought the book, and a ne- gro was also with the officer, The man with the book had gone to the depot, laid the book on a chair and the ne- gro had stolen 1t and was arrested. Uncle James told the policeman that he had not sold the book as the one the man had priced was s1 and not 30 cents. This man, said the old book store man, was dinged sight big ger than the negro, and he was also an internal liar. I made the fellow yank over the book, and gave 1t to the negro
 Tt is a pretty mean fellow who will steal from blind man, but they hit me frequently. There are lots of thieves In this old world 1 came to Washington when the Monument was being built, and worked as a stonecut- ter on both the Monument and the Capitol. I had good eyeslght in those old days and saw plenty of stealing going on, but the chances were not so good as now, for the appropriations were made in small amounts and a closer watch was kept. The big thieves couldn't get the chance to make heavy Aauls. When the cataracts began tC form on my eyes I gave up stonecut- ing and started business here-the old book business-just as you see it to- day. I have always been fond of reading, and the business just suited me until l got to that point where could not see. All I can do Is to sit here and smoke, think of the great men who have been, and some who are still my customers, and study human nature as I try to look out for thieves have not accumulated wealth, but have laid. by a good deal of the knowledge of human nature. While am denied my greatest pleasure-read. ing-I find solace in going over what 1 have learned.
 Samuel J. Randall was the best GUS toner I ever had, and he was the greatest lover of old books I ever knew, He dug down into almost every subject and was the closest student oi his day. Tom Watson of Georgia bought more books from me than any other man while he was in Congress and I still get orders from him fol rare books. The late Amos Cummings of New York bough any book which struck his fancy and, the same was true of Senator Vance of North Caro. I lima, He never came into the shoI without cracking a joke or two, ant
 they were good one, too. Senator Ran. som of the same State was also a goot customer, but he was so darned polite that I was always on nettles while he was in the shop. I wore out three ol | 4