The Ordway new era., 1912-02-09
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lincoln HIiu5eN

coin relics. The
martyr president rose from comparative obscur-
ity and this In itself has made 1t difficult to locate
minor objects connected with his boyhood and
early life. Then. too the circumstance that his
activities covered widely-separated localities in
Kentucky. Illinois. etc. has further complicated
the task Of tracing his one.time belongings Lin.
coin relics. when they do come into the market
via the medium Of collectors auction sales. in.
variaby bring big prices. Lincoln autograph
especially an autograph letter will always pro-
woke spirited bidding: damaged and discarded
pieces of the White House china made for Mrs.
Lincoln and used on the presidential table dur
ing the Lincoln administration command prices
of $50 tC $50 each; and a lock of Lncolns hair
recently brought $500 when sold at auction.
Some of the most interesting of the Lincoln
relics believed to be in the possession Of Mr..
Robert Lincoln. the only living son Of the martyr
president. However. Mr.. Lincoln. who has but
lately retired as president of the Pullman Car
company. has not only never exhibited his relics
publicly. but has never taken the public into his
confidence regarding the exact character Of the
mementoes he possesses or what ultimate dis
position he has planned to make Of them. Even
more valuable. however. than the Robert T. Lin
coin collection is that which represents the life
work of Osborn H. Oldroyd. veteran Of the
Civil war and a most devoted admirer OF Lincoln.
1t stands today the greatest collection
compiled by one man in tribute to a popular hero
and its value has been variously estimated at
from 100000 to $250.O0O
The collector began to accumulate Lincoln
relics time before the Springfield lawyer
nominated for president. and he has contin-
ued his labor Of love ever since. with the result
that he has considerably more than 5000
articles pertaining to the great idol. Some years
ago the Congress of the United States gave him
permission to place his relics in the house in
Washington in which Lincoln died. and this I'M
pretentious brick structure. which Is owned
by Uncle Sam. has since been the home rent
free of this persistent collector and the treasures
which he has gathered together from all parts Of
the country at great expense.
That ic pan l1u nd fhn vail, I,Io
OF all Lincoln relics has prominent place in this
selfsame collection. 1t consists of heavy
frame. sheltering under glass the last communi-
cation penned by Lincoln and attached to
the precious missive lock of Lncon's hair.
This souvenir. which was originally in the posses
sion Of the man who was steward at the White
House during the Lincoln regime is valued at
$4,000. but 1t is doubtful If even that sum would
buy 1t today. Persons who have been ignorant
of the existence of this relic have designated 9th
communications the final handwriting of
the martyr president. but in reality the honor
unquestfonably belongs to this small white card
with It's few hastily penned lines Novel and in
teresting are the circumstances connected with
the origin of this priceless memento.
AS Lincoln emerged from the White House
the fated night of April IA. 1865. his way to
Ford's theater the steward hurried after him to
explain the predicament Of two gentlemen who
had been waiting at the White House for
time in order to obtain from the president per-
NIT to pass through the Union lines to Peters
burg Va. 1t the theater hour and Mrs. Lin
coin already seated in the carriage but the
ever-oblging president paused a few minutes to
write a few lines. explaining that pass
necessary to go and return from Petersburg and
Richmond and that People go and return just
as they did before the war" He handed this to
the steward. reiterating verbally the statement
made in the penned memorandum. The steward
realizing that the written explanation really
superfuous, and selling a long-sought opportu-
nifty to secure trophy of the beloved president
retained in his possession the bit of hand
writing and repeated to the waiting visitors the
presidents oral assurances on the subject Later.
after the death of Lincoln. the steward induced