Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-18
Indy TROPHIES
STILL COMING IN
Thousands of Gifts Stored in
st. Louis Include 100
Dozen Shirts.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

ST. LOUIS. No, December 17.-lf
Col. Charles A. Lindbergh ever de-
cides to go to housekeeping he need
have no worries over a preliminary
shopping tour to furnish his bunga-
low, or. his apartment, or his coun-
try home, whichever it may be. His
problems can be solved simply by d.
recting the st. Louis bank which acts
as his agent, and the Missouri His
torical Society, which functions as
custodian for him. TO deliver the
thousands upon thousands of articles
that have been presented to him by
the host of his admirers in all parts
of the world following his historic
flight from New York to Paris last
May.
1t is probable that few men in all
time have received Is many medals.
trophies and decorations as have
been awarded for intrepid transat-
lantic aviator. 1t is certain that no
individual has ever received such a
wide variety of tokens, any one OF
which would be coveted by king.
From every walk in life have come
the tributes-the Congressional Medal
of Honor and the Distinguished Fly
ing Cross of his own United States,
the French Legion of Honor, the
British Distinguished Flying Cross,
the Belgian Order of Leopold being
placed alongside the worn gold
watch pressed into his hand by an
anonymous Frenchwoman who mere
IL said it was from a mother"
Every Sort of Gift.
The gifts range in value from
twist of chewing tobacco to diamond
studded medallions from various
American and European cities that
have welcomed .him. Two silver
spheres, the handiwork Of famous
artisans in 1900 and valued at $4,000,
are in the same case with the giant
spool of California redwood around
which has been wound the petition
signed by 1905 900 school children OF
San Francisco requesting the flyer to
visit them some day.
There are medals and plaques IN
gold, silver and bronze sufficient to
cover the walls of good-sized room.
There are trunks full of wearing ap-
parel and life membership cards of
solid gold in exclusive clubs and so
cieties all over the world. There are
loving cups punch bowls, illuminated
volumes Of poetry inspired by his OAR
ing and scores Of replicas OF the
Spirit Of st. Louis in almost every
conceivable material.
Louis BleriOt, the Frenchman who
first crossed the English Channel in
an airplane, sent him a piece Of the
propeller of the ship used IN that
flight. Beside it is portion OF the
exhaust pipe of the plane that hrst
flew upside down under the guidance
Of the French ace Pegoud, who later
lost his life.
And They Still Flow In.
And gifts are still coming in. Only
a few DAYS ago the Missouri Hlstorl-
cal Society received IA large boxes
from the coloners agents in New
York. They will not be unpacked
until after the holidays, when tney
will be added to the exhibit or ms
trophies here, which already mas at
tracted more than 50O,OOO Vlsltors'
The insured value of the boxes was
$50 900 which indicates that there are
still nersons who believe that substan-
tial rewards are the best way to show
9Dpreciation of q feat well performed.
Col. Iindbergh had not left Parls
after his memorable reception tnere
when the matter of his gifts became d
DrobIem that engaged the attention Oh
the American embassy. In addltlon
To the much-prized French Legion Oh
Honor decoration and the dozen ana
more other medals and decorations
awarded him by French socletles'
there came bulkier tokens OF aHectloh'
The colonel who was not at all III
terested in such things, merely asked
that they be Grated ana shlppea nollie
Belgium added ITS quota of presents
and England did the same, as witness
the fact that he received not one
kew but two to the City Of London.
Homeward bound on the cruiser
Nennhis a considerable part OF the
vessels cargo consisted of the Llnd.
bareh melnentos, which were sent
almost Immediately to St. Louis Tor
such disposition as Col. Lindbergh
might later direct.
Meanwhile, generous and apprecla-
tive Americans had obtained the nome
address of the youthful flyer upon
his arrival here he was ADVISED that
a vault in a local bank was inadequate
IN hold their gifts. Sensing that there
was an educational value III many OF
the tokens. he requested the Missouri
Historical Society to take charge OF
all medals, decorations and trophies,
together with such gifts as in appear
ance were commemorative or ms
flight or of aviation in general. The
huge volume of gifts of persona
nature, such as 100 dozen shirts and
IS suits of silk pajamas, he ordered
stored elsewhere. awaiting such time
as he should have use for them.
A Museum i'm Themselves.
The Missouri Historical Society is
well equipped to act as custodian of
the glittering array of trophies. Its
Jefferson Memorial Building in Forest
! Park, erected several years ago t.
house the vast array of relies collected
by the society. offered attractive exhi-
bition space. SO, on its first floor two
glass-inclosed cases were placed con-
tanning the most interesting tokens.