Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-26
YEARS AGO
. IN THE STAR

1858, refers to a matter which, while not
| altogether clear in tetail,
Sunken nevertheless suggests that
| the government was near
A1eaSuie' to a heavy loss half a GEN.
| fury ago. 1t would be interesting to know
4 more about this frustrated plot, but I'M
fortunately the news columns of the pa
| persi of that period often leave much to
the imagination:
! "Oficer Allen. on a late visit to Rich
mond. Va, learned from John Ray. who
is now in the Virginia state prison. that
certain keys and silver plate had been
deposited by the Croggin and Ray gang
| i'm the Washington city canal. at q desig-
mated point. The keys had been prepared
by the party to break open the treasury
| vaults and the Bank of the Metropolis.
| and 1t Is said that when the party was
detected in Forests shoe store their In
| tention was not to rob the store. put
| that they were assembled to compare the
| Impressions with the keys. under the d.
rection of Domaine.
when officer Allen returned from
| Richmond he thought of dragging Tor
the keys and silver. but gave up his de-
| sign on ascertaining that the steam
| dredging machine had been over the
ground where they were deposited.
Recently man named Alexander. an
| employee at the Seventh ward brewery.
| found a lot of plate on the arsenal
grounds. where the mud brought up by
| the machine had been deposited, and from
| this a clue to other discoveries may be
| obtained"
Much has been heard during the past
| few years about the activity. Of the pos
tai authorities in prevent
Fraud ing the use of the mails
s by fraudulent enterprises.
Half century ago cru
SADIE of the same character was being
started. In The Star of April q. 1858. is
al article in part as follows:
1.-THE gullibility of the American peo-
| pie notwithstanding their real and boast
ed intelligence. Is truly amazing. Few
days elapse without developing some
swindling scheme, which, after being sue
cessfully carried on for weeks. or per-
haps for years. finally falls under the
| ban of the police agents and is broken
up. Among these swindlers may be emu
merated bogus lotteries. gift schemes.
astrology, sOrcery, palmody, and even
every grade of fortune telling, with a host
Of other almost unimaginable methods of
obtaining money under false pretenses.
Bogus lotteries. however. take the lead
so far as lucrative gain Is concerned, and
II is really fearful in a moral point of
view to know what multitudes of people
are deceived by such swindlers The New
York police recently ferreted out and
broke up. in Norwich, Conn.,, no less than
three firms who have been driving q
thriving trade for heaven knows how
long. They all assumed business NOMINEES
de plume and each published and circu-
lated gratuitously a large-sized paper.
filled principally with their own advertise.
ments.
"Since their exposure the letters ad-
dressed to these parties have been re-
| turned to the writer's. The number Of
these reaches several thousand and the
gregate of upward of $4,000 The amount
in each letter ranges from 81 to $780,"
Dirigible ballooning was the ambition Of
the aeronauts Of fifty years ago. as at
present. Practically MOTH
Balloon ing had been then ac-
r-.. complished in this direc-
1ApeiAiAeIs' ton. however. and there
was consequently keen interest In such
experiments as those noted in the follow
ing paragraph printed in The Star of
April q. 1858:
Prof. John Wise of this city (says the
Lancaster, Pa, Times). extensively
known for his many successful and thrill
ing aeronautical voyages and discoveries.
has left Lancaster for Washington city to
make preparations for a series Of the
most extensive and interesting balloon ex-
periments ever witnessed In our country.
Mr.. Wise has been engaged to make these
experiments for the Smithsonian Insti-
at nYSf0 Ndn<I HVr
the purpose. He has made arrangements
with the city gas company for q liberal
supply OF gas for his use. One of the ex-
periments will consist OF a squadron of
balloons In the shape Of a balloon re-
gatta. In another one he will cut loose
from the balloon, when two miles high
leaving the balloon in charge of q COM
paniOn). and descend with q canvas air
conductor.
Mr.. Wise expects to establish the prac-
ticability Of guiding balloons along the
lines OF telegraph. and by other MEANS SO
as to be able to steer for and arrive at a
given point with as much certainty az
ships are made to navigate the ocean and
carry on commerce with the world"
The criticism that the congressional
stationery" includes a wide variety of
valuable goods Is by no
Congressional means a product OF latter
sA... day economy. AS far back
S'"''o"eAy' at least. as 1883 the men,
bers of the national legislature were I'M
der fire in this regard. In The Star of
April % of that year is the following
comment:
More or less of the newspapers are
publishing. as a veritable mares nest, an
account of the expenditures from the ma
tiOnal trear"ry for the penknives taper
boxes. dressing cases, portfolios. fancy
inkstands ladies' reticules, travelling
cases, scissors. wax candles, ETC., kept IN
the offices of the postmasters of the
House and Senate for sale to the memS
bers of Congress. Now the truth Is, If
the various little nicknacks enumerated in
the bill for these articles were provided
for the members without the return OF
their cost into the treasury there might be
ground for the invidious comments. But
such Is not the case. Each house allows
its members a specified sum annually for
stationery. Some Of the most active
among them use it all in paper. ink. pens.
etc. Some use more In that way and pay
the difference in gold. Others again do
not use so much in absolute stationery
and take out the difference between what
they require and their allowance in orna-
mental paper weights. fancy penknives.
seals or other trifles, as presents for
members of their families. etc.
THE amount allowed by law is small
enough in all conscience. and though
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