Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-01
PRECIOUS LIBERTY BELL
ONCE SPURNED BY CITY
AS WORTHLESS JUNK
Historic Relic Had Slight Honor
at Hands of Founders of
Present Generation of
Philadelphians
FIGURED IN A LAWSUIT

How many citizens of Philadelphia are
aware that the precious Liberty Bell
which reposes in its case in Independence
Hall after n tour of the States, was once
regarded as junk and that the City
Fathers brought suit against bell
caster who had cast n substitute bell in
order to force him to remove the Liberty
Bell?
Yet this is precisely what happened and
the story was told to the members of the
Philadelphia Chapter, ID. a. r., at their
meeting today in the Church House.
Mrs NJ. w. Pardee. of 9Ol South 49th
street, member of the Washington Chap-
ter. is the person who has brought TO
light this interesting and scarcely known
history of the bell.
on the day that the Liberty Bell
rea ached it's resting place in this city, after
Il had brought cheers from the throats VI
millions of citizens throughout the coun-
try, there lay dead in little house III
Marshall avenue, Cardington, Delaware
Corntv tho woman who in life could have
told how this priceless relic was once
spurned by the city which now cherisheu
II. and how her husband was sued by the
cItv because he would not remove the oeIl
as worthless junk. ,,.,,,,
she was Mrs. Clarissa w. Whoahk,
widow
al the age of 81 years and was buried
the day following Thanksgiving in the
little Quaker cemetery opposite her nome
Her husband died several years ago lie
was a son of John Wilbank, the German
town bell caster, to whom the Llperty
Rell was given as part payment on a new
bell which he had cast for the city III
honor of the visit of Lafayette.
The story of the casting Of the new
yt,hGannaDi failure or the
caster 10 remove the Liberty Bell is tale
of enthraIling interest. After the new bell
had been received by the city, Mr., VIII
bank decided that the Liberty Bell was
not worth the cost of transportation 10
Germantown. He permitted 1t to remain
in Independence Hall. The city lathers'
with the same prescience so character
istic of all Philadelphia city fathers
wrote to the bell caster urging him to
remove the Liberty Bell. as 1t was very
much in the way. Mr.. Wilbank replied
that Il was not worth the cost of re-
moval.
The city fathers became piqued at this
reply and decided that they would force
Mr. NilbanL to remove the bell. Accord
ingly he was summoned before Magls-
trate named Poole. After hearing the tes-
tIn,orfy of a number of witnesses, the
Magistrate decided that, although II
would be a hardship 10 Mr.. Wilbank TO
force him TO remove the bell TO taF-oH
Germantown, the equities of the case de-
manded that he should be punished in
some way for his failure to keep his con-
tract He was accordingly ordered to pay
the costs of the suit.
With the bell white elephant on his
hands, Mr.. Wilbank appealed to the city
fathers to accept 1t from him as gift
They were at liberty to sell it, break 1t
up, melt 1t down or otherwise dispose of
1t provided they took it from his hands.
They took the bell.
And that is how the now mute har-
binger of liberty, which was then still
able to peal forth its message OF free
dom, but which later cracked at the
funeral of Chief Justice Marshall, came
into the possession of Philadelphia and
was saved TO be a source of patriotic in
spiration to 100000 Americans.
John Wilbank. according to his descend
ants, was never paid for casting the other