The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-11-14

| Cromwell and to e from him per
sonally, but the tenor of Colone
Pickett's letters indicate that n
communication was had from him o.
Pickett or Mrs. Bromwell.
I'm a letter Of May II, 1873, t
wait a long time before lightning
will strike you again: nor will yo'
ever find another j. T. T. TO utiiz'
the treasure to your benefit.
"Bromwell died in London in 1873
alone, broken in health and spirlts
In February, 1876. Colonel flche.
wrote Mrs. Bromwell that he hel(
S469 in cash and $4,000 in bonds
which he purposed turning over Il
her as her trustee"
Traces History OF Seal.
Judge Montgomery then traced
with copies Of the original paper:
before him, the history of the sea
from the act OF the Confederate Con
gress creating it on April 80, 1858
the letter of Mr.. Benjamin ordering
it to be made in England through
Mr.. Mason. Confederate commission
er to England; an itemized copy O
the receipt given by the maker, 10
I seph S. Wyon, chief engraver to Hel
Majesty; letters showing its delivery
to Mr.. Benjamin by Lleutenan'
Chapman, Of the Confederate navy
in September, 1864, and h loss OF
4 part of the fixtures at bermuda
These fixtures We're not recovered
and the seal could o be used with
out them.
Judge Montgomery is satisfied
that the sea was in one OF the boxes
which Cromwell took to Charlotte
and that Pickett got the seal when the
papers and records of the Depart
ment Of State came into his pos
session.
There is nothing in the record te
show that Pickett agreed to sell OF
turn over to the United States the
seal Of the Confederate States"
At his point Judge Montgomery
produced copies Of letters. from Pick
ett's letter book-now in the Librar,
Of Congress with the Pickett papers
to Captain Selfridge and CORE
spondence between Pickett and S. II
Black, silversmith n electrotyper
of New York, bearing upon the pos
session Of the seal by Captain Self
ridge.
The letters between Pickett and
Black are dated between May and
September, 1878, and relate tC
Blacks contract TO make medals and
electrotypes In bronze. silver, and
gold from the Confederate seal
Large numbers Of these medallions
were shipped by Black to Pickett in
1873 and large amounts Of money In
silver were sent by Pickett to Black
in payment OF his work.
Made From Original.
The medallions were sold extern
sivcly throughout the South. One OF
these letters shows that the medal
lions were made from the original
York, August %, 1873. and addressed
to John T. Pickett. Washington, D.
c.:
Dear Sir: Yours with check is at
hand. Am much obliged, and shall
now pay my indebtedness to all men
that any one has thought Of making
these medals. but it is nothing but
what / expected they would do; it IS
a pity hat you could not get q right
to sell them exclusively. l send you
a letter which I received from St.
Louis, Mo. the other day. Perhaps
you had better write to him.; they are
too large for belt buckles. Any cleo
trOtyper can make them from one
Of the impressions better than he can
from the original seal and much cas-
ier. My advice to you is to sell as
soon rs possible what you have got.
You know that no n else in the
country can get then made as cheap
as / can make them, and have made
them. SO if there is any sale at all
inside track Of you if you don't"
1.-The two following letters from
Pickett's letter book show that the
seal was delivered to Lieutenant Self
RIDGE continued Judge Montgom-
cry:
"Washington, D. c.,
December Fl, 1873"
MY Dear Captain: 1 am very
glad to hear from you and quite envy
your prospect Of a speedy escape
from that frozen region. It is fro
zen enough here. Do not forget our
understanding as to my having a
finger in that raging canal I am
quite tired Of sailing ear the shore
and fishing for archives and sardines.
Now I have beer intending writing
you explanatory OF delay. but it is
-. The aforesaid is yours as
completely as if it were in your safe.
But several. little things nave COM
bined to interfere with my plans. One
is that it has been traced to me. Don't
they wish they may get it? When
ready 7 shall go to Boston. if necea-