The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1912-02-08


coin relics. The
martyr president rose from comparative obscur.
ity and this in itself has made it difficult to locate
minor objects connected with his boyhood and
early life. Then, too, the circumstance that his
activities covered widey-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
varably bring big prices. Lincoln autograph
or especially an autograph letter will always pro-
Yoke 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 to $50 each: and lock of Lincoln's hair
recently brought $500 when sold at auction.
Some of the most interesting of the Lincoln
relics are believed to be in the possession of Mr..
Robert Lincoln. the only living of the martyr
president However Mr.. Lincoln, who has but =
lately retired 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 q most devoted admirer of Lincoln.
1t stands today as the greatest collection ever
compiled by one man in tribute to popular hero
and its value has been varfously estimated at
from 100000 to $25O00O.
The collector began to accumulate Lincoln
relics some time before the Springfield lawyer
was nominated for president, and he has contin-
ued his labor Of love since, with the result
that he now 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 un.
Drntn tfnIu VIII in
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.
What Is generally accounted the most valuable
of all Lincoln relics has prominent place in this
self-same collection It consists of heavy
frame, sheitering under glass the last communt
cation ever penned by Lincoln and attached to
the precious missve, lock OF Lncon's hair
This souvenir, which originally in the posses
sion OF the man who was steward at the White
House during the Lincoln regime, is valued at
$5.000 but it is doubtful II even that sum would
buy 1t today Persons who have been ignorant
Of the existence of this relic have designated 9TH
er communications as the final handwriting Of
the martyr president. but in reality the honor
unquestionably belongs to this small white card
with its few hastilypenned lines. Novel and in
teresting are the circumstances connected with
the origin Of this priceless memento.
AS Lincoln emerged from the White House on
the fated night of April IA. 1865. on his way to
Fords theater the steward hurried after him to
explain the predicament Of two gentlemen who
had been waiting at the White House for some
time in order to obtain from the president per
NIT to pass through the Union lines to Peters
burg Va It was the theater hour and Mrs. Lin
coin was already seated in the carriage, but the
ever-oblgtng president paused few minutes to
write few lines. explaining that no pass was
necessary to go and return from Petersburg and
MI Al.
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 was really
euperhuous, and seizing a longsought opportu
nifty to secure trophy of the beloved president
retained In his own 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