Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-02
BOLD EFFORT FAILED
Attempt to Foist a Columbus
Forgery Upon the World.
GREAT SKILL OF CULPRIT
Indications of Genuineness Almost
Convincing.
INVESTIGATIONS OF EXPERT
Document Found to Be a Carefully
Drawn Copy of Photograph of
Letter Preserved in Genoa.
GREAT SKILL OF CULPRIT
INVESTIGATIONS OF EXPERT
BY WILLIAM r. CURTIS.

81 WILLIAM r.. gu
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
The recent controversy concerning the
autograph of John Milton and the in
scriptions in what is claimed to have been
his family Bible reminds me of bold
and ingenious attempt at forgery of one
of the best known autographs of Christie
pher Columbus during the revival of his
toric interest that preceded the worlds
fair at Chicago. \ venerable Italian ap-
peared one day at the residence of
rich and enthusiastic collector of rare
books, manuscripts. and autographs in
New York. and offered him for the sum
of $1,000 what purported to be an original
letter written by Columbus to the Bank
of ST. George, at Genoa. under the date of
April >. 1902. This letter consisted of
single sheet of paper written on one side,
except the address. which was on the re-
verse. as was the custom before the in
vention of the modern envelope. 1t was
addressed with that pompous Formally
customary in those DAYS. and experts
familiar with the handwriting of Column
bus would readily have accepted it
genuine. The gentleman to whom it was
offered asked time for considerati ton and
requested that the precious manuscript
until he could have an opportunity to
examine ii closely and investigate the
truth of the statements made concerning
1t. The seller represented that the letter
had been stolen from Genoa by a soldier
during the war between Italy and Austria.
and had been concealed ever since by the
family of the thief. who feared arrest
and prosecution. He said that he dared
not offer it for sale in Europe on that ac-
count, but there was no legal way in
which it could be recovered from an
American.
In the meantime the New York gentle
man, whom. as a matter of convenience,
/ will call Mr.. Barlow. employed detect
ives to follow and shadow the man who
offered the autograph, whom / will call
Marini. They traced him to hand-organ
factory in the Italian quarter, where it
was represented that he had recently ar
rived from Paris. and had brought with
him letters of introduction to several rep
utable fellow-countrymen in New York.
He seemed to be a man of serious de-
meanor of sober habits and literary tastes:
was more highly educated than the peopl,
with whom he associated. and spent
great deal of his time in the library of
the Catholic Club on 59th street, opposite
Central Park. He had said nothing to
his neighbors concerning the COLUMBUS
autograph and. so far as the detectives
could learn. had not disclosed his pos
session of that extraordinary document
10 any one except Mr.. Barlow since his
arrival in this country.
Application to an Expert.
In the meantime Mr.. Barlow opened
communication with Henry Harrissee, an
energetic and learned scholar in Paris.
who was admitted to be the highest au-
thority on the relics and manuscripts of
Columbus. 1t should be said that the dis
coverer of America was a voluminous
writer. Not less than twenty-nine perfect
manuscripts in his hand are preserved.
and altogether sixty-four of his auto
graphs are known. His literary tenden-
cies. the numberless petitions. appeals,
and letters which Dame from his pen.
in his efforts to secure a recognition of
Zhis rights and the fuifllment of the terms
made with him by Ferdi-
nand aHdNsabella. even gave rise to
Jester opTharles v is reported to have
Il hope u God that Gutierrez will al
ways xhaysN all the paper and ink he
wants, Tor lie writes more than Ptolemy
and mote than Columbus, who discovered
be Indies"
Mr. Harrisse is credited with very i'm
postant publie/-ssrvice in rescuing the
libfary Of Esfnando Columbus from de,
struction. II was one of the largest and
most valuable collections of books of
the period of Charles v. and when Fer
nandp,died he bequeaefed it to the chap
ter OF the cathe6ral al Seville. The
afclDlADOp ana the clergy received II
with appreciative gratitude, but placed
ii on shelves in an upper room of the
chapter house. where it remained for
two centuries. and was not only neg
lected but abused. The catalogue shows
that many of the books have been lost or
stolen. Including some of the most valu-
able tina Those that remained were
covered with dust and rubbish when Mr..
Harrisse discovered their condition and
persuaded the late archbishop to place
them in a more appropriate room and re-
pair the damage so far as possible.
Mr.. Harrisse entered into the investi-
cation with the energy and zeal of
fox hound. and within a few weeks was
able to expose one of the most interest
ing as we'll as audacious attempts at
literary forgery that was ever conceived.
Deposit With the Bank of st. George.
To understand the situation it must be
known that when Columbus started upon
his fourth voyage he placed the original
copies of his contract made with Ferd-
nand and Isabella before starting upon
his first voyage in 1892 and number of