Evening Star Newspaper, February 18, 1893, Page 11

a til THE =~, PRESIDENTS’ CABINETS Some Ministers Tell the History of Their Appointment. SENATOR SHERMAN’S TALK. He Discusses the Cabinet of President Hayes and Tells of His First Election to the Senate—How Simon Cameron Became Secretary of War—Chat About the Cabinet of President Grant. Written for The Evening Star. ITHIN TWO WEEKS President Cleveland will have anew cabinet, but who will compose it no one really knows. There are three are four ap- pointments which are certagn. but the cabinet of 1893 will probably be as mach of a surprise as was that of 1895. You can never bet ona cabinet until the names he Senate, and many of the sinter that « Je before the Preside shington are broken after ganized his list sent im the list of med. Jax ues after he lef: M his « again and 9: names which fied made son ch and there we mber of stateemen who be * be in Pree them rison did not vers of his cabinet his iwauguration, ast official family of his party at lected. oF LINCOLN'S CABINET. binets have been hed. The cor- m was private and r seldom erseps into During the past week I have umber of ex-cabinet officers and with cabinet appoint- th them as to how| atk Lave chosen their offi- Senator John fecretary of the Hayes und who en it cabinet of Presi- twas not made up| ent arrived in Washing-| ged again and again | pred between the elec- | mong the men talked | . v of the Treasury was Sherman, then chairman of the ways and means committee of the Honse of Representa- J already prominent as an authority on He had jnst been the can- | Speaker of the House. | es together during the | ker thet Congress had ont prominent young This was thirty-two years Was @ disapy the time its m the newspaper parts ind Jobn Sherman bas from that time to this been either iu the Senate or the cabinet, making his coutinuous r at Washington, from the time be came here asa member of Congress until today. the longest of any of our great men in the public serviee. J found Sena- tor Sherman in his library at his home on K street the other night. He said: “President Lincoln bad to select his cabinet | with great care. The situation was so critical and the people were so ditided br factions and by tho great questions Lefere the country that it was necosaar¥ to have a cabinet which could work together and in which there should be no | unharmonious of antagonistic elements, Among Fr the first members chosen retary of State, Montgomery Blair as Post- | ‘master General and Salmon P. Chase as Secre- | were Seward as Sec- tary of the Treasury. The choice of Mr. Chase | fire for some time, it was thought from tion of Blair and Seward, and it was | t have ken tobi. thought of making me Secretary of th Treasury. In looking back upon the Fitvation today Iam surprived to see how little i cared | for the office. My ambition was thea to be | This at that time seemed hh more desirable office than that 5 f the United States. and when the | legislature met in Ohio to etect a Senator I did | not feel at sious to be a candidate. My 4. however. and there were a g most of which I had | r candidate, but not | ¥ election. I was here at | e and I telegraphed them | me. It was withdrawn and | m for the otner candidates. among them. After which the balloting con-| f an election, { was! » Obio. I did'so and : the legiala- ture and Iwas elected to the United States Senate. In the meantime Salmon P. Chase had beer ap; cin » Secretary of the Treasury and the = confirmed 1 ° SENATOR SEEZMAN AND How about your aecepta f ander President | asked ¢ of the treasury he Hayes, Senator have of the Treasury some jecited upon. I am sure twee before his nomina- ter bis election.” ET OFFICES WERE so. mt Lincoln's cabinet, this + Sherman as to offices vald not be made bis campaign cabinet promises. His nom- X's caBIN bandicar pel w ination wos largely secured through such prour facs, und 1 had a chat the other day wiw Peter § Grosseup of Chicago, who has jast inted United States district judge by Harrison, which gave we the true inwardoese of this ‘part of our history. Mr. Grosset: was the law partner of Leonard Swot, President Lincoln's long-time friend and politi- ealadsiscr, Leonard Swett and David Davis were the real workers of the Illinois delegation at the convention, and the circum- stances « ation were told by Swett to Mr. G t he “When the convention met the ebances of Lineoin's nomination were by no means cer- tam, and Swett and Davis were the only true workers in (be delegation. They promised everything in order to get votes, and the; agreed that 1 s. Kentucky and Pennsyi- vapia should have places in the cabinet if these sintes would vote for Lincoln in the convention. As scon asthe sctmination was made they went to Presulent Lincela and told him of the con- tracts they had made for him and the names of the men whom the «tates «ould probably want to appoint. President Lincoln said: “As to Indiens, Caleb Smith 1s a good man and I would be glad to have him in my cabinet. I don't object to James Speed of Kentucky. but I don't know about Simon Cameron. It was a lor time before Davis ané Swett could accom their ends, but Cameron. the Secretaryahip of W was made Secretary of the Interior, and later on in the administration, James Speed of Ken- was afterward a7) and he left the om that account.” BS-POOTMASTES GENERAL TYNER TALES OF @RAsT's CABINET. Judge Tyner of Indians, now attorney gen- eral of the Post Oftice t, was in the cabinet of President Grant as Postmaster |General. He was first assistant post general during the first part of Grant's istration and he has given me some in data about Gen. Grant's cabinet methods. ays him at SS Soe at the ice Department. conversa- tion he said: “Gen. Grant's eabinet was, you know, a sur- | prise to every one. It was generally thought | that be would appoint politicians and when he selected A. T. Stewart, the great merchant of New York. to be Secretary of toefTvessnry, snd | Adolph E. Borie as his Secretary of the every one was sui The tment reated tmaster admin- portation of merchandise from being Secre- taries of the Treasury. About a week after the inauguration T went up to call on President Grant at the White House and renewed the ac- JUDGE JAMES N. TINER. government service rather than for any special FEriof I and It covered 0 wide range of, eub- letter of credit, w! received a letter advis- me not to leave the United States until the inauguration. I got another message from President Harrison after he had gone to Washington just before his inauguration asking me to come over to see him. Ididso and we again had a discussion. There was no certainty about his ex) even then, and I went back to without knowing whether Iwas to beacabinet minister, or, if so, what of to be present at the inauguration. | In fact I had no definite information as to it until the 4th of March. I was in Philadelphia and 801 one told me on the streets that the newspaper bulletins had announced that my name had been sent in as Postmaster General. I did not go to Washington until two days later and then called at the White House, where Presi- dent Harrison received me and handed me my commission. This was my first official notice of my appointment. ‘These circumstances show, it seems to me, how careful the Prosi- dent was in making his list of official advisors and how cautious he was in = his in- before he had definitely decided upon Frank G. CanrEenter. oo EXTRAORDINARY INCIDENTS. Some of the Marvelous Fictions as to Jay Gould Written Seriously bya Frenchman. quaintance Thad msde with him during the war. I had met bim when he was in command >. when I was an agent at the Post Office | t, sent to confer with bim about the sito him during the talk: ‘I see the making of your cabinet you have | to break away from the old rile of ap- ag all politicians and are taking men from other ranks in life." “Yeu, it does seem s0,” said President Grant. “-Well.” I went on, ‘you might be able to do this if you were managing an army, but I am sure that you will find beforo vou have gone ough your administration that the politi * Will be the best men to aid you in the | gement of your administration, and that 31 ultimately rely upon them.’ “That may be,’ replied the President. will, however, fi y the other course. but I will be honest about it, and if I find thet Iam not doing the right thing I will make the change as roon as I can do 80." “He did find himself wrong in this respect, continned Judge ‘Tyner, “and when I met him | at Paris during his trip around the world I re- ferred to my conversation and to his change to | i m: = ime Politicians, aud he told me that he found it a | w, necessity.” HOW GRANT TREATED M18 C:RINET. “How did Grant treat his cabinet winisters, | Judge Tyner?” I arked. “He left aM matters concerning their own departments to them,” replied Judge Tyner, | “and he expected them to decide all ordinary questions for themselves. Questions of public | policy he considered for himself and very im- | portant matters relating to the service were al- Ways brought to him, but asa rule he adopted the recommendations of his cabinet advisers. As an instance of his mode of doing business, a | day or so after I was made Postmaster General | ist, | Ltook up about a score of important appoint- | meats aud one or two questions involving the expenditure of money to him. I had the briefs | concerning these in my hand and I asked him jo look at them. He said: « “Have you read them?" “ Certainly I have,’ I replied. a considered what is best to do | “Yes; here are my recommendations as to the disposal of them." ~*Well, that ia all I want to know,’ replied | Gen. Grant. ‘I will make the appointments and ¢ign the papers.’ “But don’t you want tolook into the records of an men and see the arguments in the briefs?” | | : | “No, I do not,’ replied Gen. Grant. ‘That's | what I have you for. If your judgment is not | sufficiently sirong te pass upon such things and to investigate them in the roper way I will | have to lock around for som. man who is out | of a job to take your place. All i want you to | do is to look into such matters and decide them | for me. If you are sure they are right I will | do as you say.’ And he thereupon made the | appointments and signed the papers.” HORATIO KING ON BUCHANAN’S CABINET. | President Buchanan treated hia cabinet in about the same way that Grant did. He was, | however, a stickler for cabinet etiquette, and | he was very particular that uo outside expenses shouid ever creep into his department budgets. He got very angry at Howell Cobb. his Secre- tury of the Treasury, one day for charging up a junket on one of the steamers of the Potomac | to the department, and he was very particular | that Uncle Sam should pay for nothing outside the government exvenses. Horatio King, Buchanan's Postmaster General, still lives at Hamlin as his partner. He came to Washington more than haif a century ago as a news- paper correspondent, and Amos Kendall, who was then Postmaster General, gave him an appointment in the Post’ Office | Department with a salary of & thoa- sand dollars in geld. This was the lowest salary in the department, and he remained in it until he went out as Postmaster General, having as | such received the highest salary that the de- partment bas to offer. Horatio King organized | the foreign mail service of the United States, and he was for seven yeurs assistant postmaster general. He tells me that ex-Preaident Bu- cha: very courteous with his cabinet ministers. and he allowed them to run their own departments. He says that the cabinet | was far more dignified in the days of 1859 and think that 1860 than it is now, and he does n any one but the cabinet ministers allowed admission to the councils of ‘the Presi- | dent. During my talk Mr. King referred to | Judge Joseph Holt, who wasal cabinet, and who aiso lives at Washi ‘bas for yeltrs been an inv: with cezema to such an extent that be bas to, remain in a dark room and receives no one but | most intimate friends. His mind, however, is elear,and though he suffers terribly he’ is mentally strong. JOHN WANAMAKER TELLS HOW BR WAS CHOSEN. Postmaster General Wanamaker's appoint- ment hung fire till the inst, and he did not positively know that he would be in the | Department and was signing «| £t for $10,600,000, which was to be applied toward some of the postal service expenses of the United States, as I entered. He showed me the draft as» curiosity. When I asked him ident Harrison's cabinet he replied: | »notknow much about the sub- | never heard how the different | et ministers were relected and I only the circumstances of my own sppoint- | . T bad never met President Harrison | until a month after his election. I think it was | | | of railways, just as Vanderbilt was the king of | pay $60,000 for a Washington. He must be now well along in his | saries who refused to sell to’ him the end of seven'ies, but he seems asspry ashe waswhenhe | the route of which they were masters, began life as a printer in Maine with Hannibal | while he was in possession of the other | dollar leave to his heirs? | billion and a half and two billions. 180,000,000 ‘ation. 1. talked | thought to be worth #20,000,000, bad left bat nab doery gp ssandt loomed PTT erases meee pager hh ae He was si at his desk in | Victor Fournel (transiation) in the Literary Digest. Jay Gould held the first rank in that fantastic list of Yankee billionaires in which the Vander- bilts and the Mackays come immediately after him. He had acquired his colossal fortune by | speculation solely, and without troubling him- self with excessive scruples. He was the king | steamboats. He was a man of the stock ex- change, playing incessantly at raising and | depreciating values in the market. His habits were simple. He neither drank nor smoked, and never wont ito society. He neither bad, nor affected, any taste for the | arts, despising the frivolity which caused his rivals, for the sake of showing their picture galleries, to lose so much good money, which they could have placed in a vastly more ad- vantageous manner. He was not the man to | icture by Millet or Meis- sonier. He much preferred to buy three hundred shares of the Submarine Cable Com- ny. Nevertheless, by dint of much persuasion he as induced to sit for his portrait to Herkomer, swearing, however, that he would givo the Painter five sittings and not fifteen minutes more. Mr. Gould was astonished that « serious- minded artist should give so many hours to painting a picture, when so much money could be gained on the’ stock exchange during the same length of time. In the course of the fifth | sitting the sitter pulled ont his watch and eaid | to the astonished artist: “According toour con- tract you have but twenty minues more. If at the expiration of that time the painting is not finished 1 will throw it on your hands.” The portrait was completed within the time specified and, like the prince who complimented a pian- after playing his great piece, by saying to him with evident admiration, “Sir, I have never seen a pianist perspire as much as you,” so Mr. Gould testified his esteem for Herkomer in these words: ‘He is an excellent painter; he is prompt to the minute.” Mr. Gould was once persuaded by some friends to travel in Europe. _ It is told of him that when in Amsterdam his friends expected him to accompany them to the chief museun. He suddenly disappeared. He made his ap- pearance at Inncheon, rubbing his hands, In- stead of going to the museum he had gone to the stock exchange, where he made 2400,00%. That was very much better than going to look at Rembrandt's “Night Guard.” Jay Gould began to make his fortune when he was twelve years old. In his sixteenth year he was the — of a great factory, the superintendent of which he made his’ own father, in order to prove that the latter was altogether in the wrong in saying that his son would never be good for anything. At eighteen he obt a diploma as engineer and was en- gaged in vast enterprises of public works. At twenty he erected an enormous tannery and founded a town, to which, like Alexander the Great, he gave his name and called it Gould- borough. When he was thirty he was worth 3,000,000, and then it was that he began his colossal speculations in railways, It was he who conceived the idea of fighting | | rival railways, not only by lowering the tari of charges to the loweet limita, but by giving | each traveler a ticket eratuitously, with break- | fast. When he bad ruiucd bis competitors and bought their roads and material at an insignifi- cant price he suppressed the breakfasts and raised bigh the tariff of charges. Still vividly remembered is a frightful duel ala American, conducted by him with blows from a locomo- tive on the Susquehanna line, against the adver- | end. Many human lives were sacrificed in this bloody encounter. in which he triumphed. Before be died he had monopolized nearly all the railways in the United States. There was something of the trapper of Fenimore Cooper in this little taciturn man, and it would have been necessary to scratch his civilized skin only alittle to find the savage beneath. During his last illness he foresaw with an in- fallible scent the consequences of his death to the market. There would be a good profit i not for him, at least for his son from his deathbed he dictated orde: to his brokers a* soon as he closed his eves, that he showed himself a good father, confident that Mr. George Gould’ will not sbrink froma sacrifice of some hundreds of bank notes to get possession of the paternal corpse, in ense daring speculators shall put hands on that family jewel, as happened in the case of Astor. What fortune exactly did this autocrat of tho The estimates made immediately after his death varied between a francs, with a minimum revenue of 70,000,000 france. Later information has reduced these formidable figures. I have seen an article which asserts positively that, in consequence of unfortunate — speculations during his last years. Mr. Gould left at the time of his death $100,000,000 oniy. Can it be possible? If it be so Mr. Mackay can repeat the words of old Rothschild. When he was told that Aguado. « financier who was Aguado! 1 had aiways thought he was quite comfortably off.” nd the Canals. A communication of unusual interest at this time has been received by the State Depart- ment from United States Consul Pace at Port Sarnia, Canada, by the Secretary of State. In a letter on the canal system of Canada he says: The cities of Chicago, Milwaukee and other great commercial centers situated on Lake Mich- igan are open to the fleets of Canada, notwith- standing there ports are located wholly within the limits of the United States, while the only canal in British North America of any real value to us (the Welland) is practically cl to our shipping by the imposition of burdensome tolls. At present a fow of oursecond-ciass vessels may pars through the Welland canal, and thus reach the ortof Dewego ‘Lake Ontario. For this priv- railable to E—_— EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON, D. ©, SATURDAY, FRERUARY 18, 1898—SIXTEEN PAGES. FLASH MONEY. It Bothers the United States Treas- ury More Than Counterfeit. USED FOR ADVERTISING. $128,000,000 Worth of It Issued in Eight Yeare—“Scrip" Notes and “Trade Checks”— Sweating Coins by Electric Process—Coun- terfeits Produced by = Lunatic in an Indi- ana Asylum. Westen da MONEY—L E., imitations of United States currency for ad- vertising purposes — gives more trouble to | ‘the treasury than coun- | terfeiting. ‘The latter | suppressed in this | country, but this com- paratively innocent evil seems to be in- creasing, notwithstand- | ing the utmost efforts | of the secret service to put it down. How ex- | tensive it is may be judged from the fact that within eight years, from 1881 to 1889, no less than $128,000,000 worth of such stuff was cap- tured and destroyed by the government. One of the newest fancies in this line is au | imitation wallet, with a $5 and a $10 bill stick- | ing outat both ends. Anybody who saw it on | the sidewalk would stoop and pick it up, think- ing that he had found a prize. On unfolding ithe would discover that it was a single piece of thick paper, the inside of it bearing an ad- Vertisement. ‘The tips of supposititious bank notes shown by this ingenious device make it an infringement of law, because they reproduce portions of the designs on national currency. A thing quite similar, though not legally for- bidden, is a fake bank book made in the same | fashion with the ends of checks showing. | Of course neither of these articles could be palmed off as real money. ‘The objection to “flach” currency generally is that it be passed as logal tender. ‘Those who suffer | are mostly the poor and ignorant, Much of | this stuff, however, is so artistically made that it might well deceive anybody. A while ago the treasury received a $100 note which had | been so long in circulation as to be nearly worn out. Both face and back were excellent imi- tations of @ real $100 bill, the usual blank ‘spaces on the reverse containing advertisements of an Egyptian hair tonic. ‘This note was actu- | ally sent in for redemption, and a great deal of | such bogus cash finds its way every year to the redemption bureau. Large quantities of it are | current in the south. ‘The older it gets the more like money it looks. . It is the ame way | with counterfeit notes, which the maker crumpies and soils as much as possible. MCTILATING GOLD AND SILVER COINS, There exists a widespread and irrepreseiblo mania for mutilating the silver and gold coins of the United States by turning them into lock- ets, charms, bowls for spoons and other articles of ornament and personr! adornment. Hap- pily, the fashion of attaching them to bracelets aa bangles bas gone out. The demand for bangles a few years ngo brought into existence all over the country, as if by magic, gilt and gold pieces in imitation of the gold dollar. ese found a rendy sale and in some instances became current as genuine money. A vigorous crusade against the manufacturers induced them to alter their designs. Clusters of coins tor paper weights and for the tops of candy boxes to make them look as if they were over- flowing with money are always popular. Of the latter the secret service captured and confis- cated several thousand during the last year. ‘The counterfeiter has found a uso of his own for these clusters. When caught in the act of mak- ing false coins he is provided with a number of clusters already put together. He points to them as evidonce that he is simply engaged in making clasters of coins for ornamental pur- | | poses, Among the imitations of United States money captured during the last year were harness ro- wettes in the likeness of the obverse of the standard silver doliar, tin labels reproducing the reverse of the standard dollar, hat sweat bands bearing notes and coins and ket book | clasps of similar patterns. In N wo Nock a large | business is done in the manufacture of lead disks for use in cheating the nickel-in-the-slot machines. Some of these used to bear an im- pression somewhat resembling the obverse of a | has real 5-cent piece, but the authorities uickiy put a stop to this method of ornamentation. So the leaden pieces are now made plain and they have caused great loss to the proprietors of the machines, which a few bits of worthless metal | will empty of several dollars’ worth of mer- ehandise. It being discovered that the metal tags which come attached to packages of chew- ing tobacco are just the size of dimes, many enterprising persons utilize them for pro- curing the loan of an opera glass at the the- aters, With this of course the government has nothing todo. At one time great quantities of pasteboard money were circulated in the south and the secret service had much trouble to gather it in for burning. A PICTURE OF A $2 xoTE. Quite recently the treasury detectives grabbed a picture of a $2 note in Newark. It was are- production on alarge scale of the face of a silver certificate, being two feet long and executed with brush and India ink by a Phila- delphia artist. A bootmaker had it on exhibi- tion, with a sign which read, “2 buys any shoo in this window.” Photographed down to the proper size it would have been a very good imitation of a i bill. A short time pre- viously there was captured an oil painting of a silver certificate for $1. ‘The copying of the designs on Uncle Sam's currency seems to be a ‘most fuscinating employment, and no amount of effort on the part of the ‘government avails to put a stop toit. Of “flash” money there was confiscated durmg the last fiscal year 2,087,000, while of criminal counterfeits only $25,000 was seized. Men travel about the coun- try with engraved plates and solicit orders from business firma for printing advertis- ing hand bills bearing an imitation of = part of a United States note on one end. These are turned out by tens of thousands, one-third of each hand bill being an accurate reproduction of a bank Dill while the other two-thirds are occupied by the advertisement, One of these for 85 was passed ona Chinaman not long ago. It was issued by acheap restaurant and bore a printed bill of fare, including steak, 10 cents; ham and eggs, 10 cents; pie, 5 cents; coffee, Scents, &c. Some time back there appeared a base ball bank note with a picture of the Chicago team on the back. At one period dealers in postage stamps pub- lished illustrated catalogues giving fac similes of ul tho stamps issued by the nations included in the postal union. One enterprising mer- chant counterfeited the rarer stamps on a large scale. Great numbers of dies and. plates tt ized for this purpose were seized. Hower the production of fake postage stamps for ad~ vertising purposes still goes on, some of them being excellent likenesses of the originals and even provided with mucilage. AN ASTONISHING ACT OF FOLLY. ‘On one occasion the treasury played into the hands of tho counterfeiters by a mos? astonish- ing act of folly, the ill consequences of which have lasted upto the present day. In 1866 Secretary McCulloch gave ion to Laban Heath that he might de- the St. Lawrence canals be dredged to fully twice their = of wreck,owing to the be heey | CH river wi form the greater part treacherous winding chan- nel to the sea, eae oe oe Leeann jovernment currency. The the sheets were put in book hasbeen almostentirely | 7 | Declaration of Independence there | The geometric lathe work is |e inscribed as “good for” so much in merchandise. lodgment im wounds a: ti their JOUN RAYDOLYH oF vr They are often on. ignorant “'SKULL OF A GI ANT. |Badis Bem. Biooa peisentig end’ oes come coins. Anything that bears the sem! of a . an Billed thousands during the re- Graphic Pen Picture of the money is readily accepted by the negroes. The can be ily prevented. Bt Sevthera Staeoman are tokens em) considerably also as pe a acertain ratio of percentage on asan inducement to customers. toy money Printed in big amounts by so-called business colleges has caused an immense amount of annoyance. Most commonly it has imitated the national curresey more or aod it te constantly upon immigrants ignorant — 3 of dollars worth of it in value represented have been ‘WORK OF A LUNATIC. The most extraordinary counterfeits which have ever come under the attention of the secret service were recently captured in Indiana. ‘They wore executed by a lunatic confined in the Central Asylum at Indianapolis. Notice was attracted to hie work by two of his notes, each for $10, which were found in circulation and well worn. Three others, which were still in jou, were secured. They were made without the knowledge of his official keepers, and he will not be itted to turn out any more. The notes, r are preserved as curi- osities at the Treasury Department, are all of them done with the pea and black and red ink. is man, however, is n: jot the person who for many years past has beon uttering the remark- able pen-and-ink bills which ‘have. puasled the authorities so hopelessly. The latter is evi- dently not at all insane unless it be on this cial hobby, and his workmanship is in 80 superior a style of art that banks have accepted his productions as genuine. He makes only twoa year, and they turn up with surprising regularity’ from all parts of the country, no two of them being passed in the same city. ‘The work cannot possibly pay, being «fad of some eccentric, The general effect of the lunatic's notes is good, though the workmanship is crude. But the most retaarkable point about them is that they do not pretend to imitate any particular bills, being & mixture of various designs on different varicties of the national currency, with some original additions out of the crazy brain of their author. For example, one of them is a $100 note, with the face of a treasury note and the back of a national bank note. The head of Washington which adorns the face is an absurd caricature. On the back instead of the usual engraving of the signing of the is 9 group of figures representing Christ and Hi Apostles. Christ has along apear in his hand. One of the apostles wears a stovepipe hat and another has a dagger. Instead of the seal of the state at one ond there isa aed of a sow. jously imi- tated with the pen. A $50 note has likewise the face of a treasury note and the back of a national bank note. A portrait which may represent Jefferson is on the front. On the reverse, in pice of the proper design representing the embarkation of the Pilgrims, is s scene that is evidently of a religious character, with saints, &c. These highly original pictures are in the very crudest style of art. They seem to have some allegori- cal meaning. ‘There is a similar vignette on the back of a $10 note, taking the piace of De Soto in his great act of discovering the Missis- piriver. By some accident ‘another @10 bill, ich is a silver certificate, has both sides fairly correct, though the inscriptions on it are in exceedingly bad English. THE SWEATING OF COIxS, Ono of the most curious of modern methods of attacking the national currency is the “sweat. ing” of coins. The process is both simple and profitable, though it requires some expertness. An electric battery is employed, in connection with a small tank filled with a solution of oyan- ide of potash. The operation to be performed is merely that of electroplating by the de- position of metal. A copper wire, connected with the battery, is so arranged that its two ends are immersed in the solution. To the end which is the positive pole is attached a small lump of platinum or zine, while to tl other extremity, or negative is fastened a #20 gold piece, for example. The current being turned on the chemical solution ab- sorbs gold from the coin, and after it has taken up as much of the precious metal as it can hold the surplus of the latter begins to deposit itself upon the lump of zinc. process may be continued until all of the gold in the coin has vanished, transferring itself to the zine. However, this is not the object contemplated by the swindlers. Their purpose is merely to take from the coin a portion of ita material 10 smallas to make no perceptible differ- ence. Accordingly, after allowing the opera- tion to proceed for a short time with one piece of money, they substitute another. Rarely do they attempt to remove more than 75 cents in value after this fashion from @ double eagle. With smaller pieces the percentage taken away is proportionate, By exercising discretion they insure safety. Gold pieces from which so small n fraction of their weight been subtracted by sweating bear no altered aspect to the inex) eye. An expert perceives by the feel an un- healthy smoothness, the sharp lines made b: the die being softened down. This ts very dif- ferent from the effect produced by the abrasion incidental to ordinary wear. But the quality which betrays sweated coins to the adevt is just what is most likely to de- ceive most people. Naturally, their outer coat having been removed they are exceedingly brilliant when newly put in circulation. They are as bright as if fresh from the mint. This very peculiarity excites the distrust of persons who are acquainted with such matters. A good of them reach the treasury here, to be immediately stamped with the word “light” and rejected. But coins which have been sweated are mostly issued and circulated in parte of the country far away from Washington and from the __ subtreasuries, This is purposely done in order that the Inay escape detection. On the whole, consider- ing how simple the process is, it is rather sur- prising that this kind of fraud is not more widely pursued. So long asit is done dis- creetly there is comparatively little chance of detection. THE SAME PROCESS TO SILVER DOLLARS. Just as nuggets of gold twenty-four carats fine can be produced at home in this interest- ing fashion so lumps of virgin silver may be formed by applying the same to silver dollars. The solution of cyanide of pot- ash will serve for the white metal also, and the method of operating is precisely the same. Of course the great point is not to be too greedy. That is where the ex- pert differs from the amateur. The former is modert, contenting himself with the subtraction of a small percentage from each piece of money. the work is well done it is hardly possible to detect coins that have been thus treated, save by weighing In the wost, where the bulk of the money in circulation is in the shapo of silver and gold, this peculiar industry bas a good chance to prosper. The materials cost very little and an ordinary electric light current serves to accomplish the work. Few people know how the secret service started. It June, 1861, when Lafayette C. Baker was appointed by Secretary Seward asan agent to gather information in the southern con- federacy, Baker was arrested en suspicion, brought before Jefferson Davis for examina- tion, imprisoned and threatened with hanging. His ready wit and nerve not only carried him through the ordeal, but caused him to be ap- pointed asa confidential sgont of the confed- eracy. In this capacity he was sent north in quest of special information. Preserving his loyalty to tho Union he performed War Department. In 1864 Congress gave @300,- 000 for the purpose of au] the crime untae, onic var appting a re ine ng, on the crease. The money was hands Novel Curio Added to the Medical ollection of the Nation. BIG AS AN ELEPHANT’S. Where Thousands of Skulls, Gathered From | Battlefields and Elsewhere, Are Stored | Away—Relics of Gatteau and Witkes Booth GIGANTIO HUMAN RQ cut bas been newly set up in the Army Medical Museum. It is an big as.an elephant's, and a dozen bucketeful of brains would hardly fill the cerebral cavity. The aspect of it is rather startling, be- cause it is made to imitate a real cranium as perfectly as possible in all respects, though it is only a model on an enlarged scale in papier mache. The museum has thousands of real skulls, marty of which are those of soldiers killed dur- ing the war of the rebellion. Agents were sent from Washington to collect them on the battle- fields of Gettysburg, Antietam and the Wilder- ness, as well as all sorts of other bones—the object being to illustrate the effects of gunshot wounds. One curiosity of this sort is a fore- arm and hand, shot off above the elbow, which the owner went back and recovered from the Scene of conflict several months later. Even more interesting is a steel breast plate worn by @ confederate officer at Getty burg. It is pierced by two bullets, one of which killed him. During’ the wara contractor made to Secre- tary Cameron a proposition to supply breast plates for the Union soldiers at so much a thon- and. "After he had ued up much valuable ¢ in expatiating on the merits of his protec- tive armor the Secretary said: as “You will guarantee it bullet proof?” “Absolutely so,” replied the applicant for « contract. “Very well, then,” said Mr. Cameron. “Just put on the sample ‘you have been showing me, and stand on the other sido of the room while I try a few shots at you with this pistol. If you remain unhurt [ shall be convinced of the use- fulness of your breast plate.” Strange to say the contractor refused to ac- ede to the suggestion, and no armor was pro- vided for the federal soldiers. It seoms rather odd that.as weapons used in war have becéme more deadly men have abandoned the use of means for protecting the body. GRUESOME EXHIBITS. Tn an out of the way corner of the museum, not expored to public view, is the brain of Guiteau, the assassin of President Garfield. It iy preserved ina fisee Jar filled with alcobol. Phe Physicians who performed the autopsy found signs on the organ of an inflammation of long standing, which implied more or less mental derangement. Jn another receptacle is some of the arsenic that was put ina bouquet which the murderer's sister took to him on the day before his execution. The attention of the guards of the death watch was attracted by a white powder sprinkled upon the flowers, and they took them away. ohn Witten Booth, the ascassin of President incoln, is likewise represented by gruesome mementoes. A piece of his spinal column is preserved, showing the injury it received from the fatal bullet of Boston Corbett, April 26, 1865. There is also a fragment of the wounded spinal cord in. buttle of alcohol. Booth waa shot through the neck, surviving for a fow hours in great agony. Another bottle holds six inches of the rope with which Capt. Henry Wirz was hanged November 10, 1865. Thedeath | Penalty was inflicted on account of his fiendish cruelty to Union soldiers imprisoned at Ander- sonville. He murdered several of them. A number of the Grand Army veterans who were here last autumn had stories to tell of the beat- ings and other tortures which they saw him | inflie! One of the most interesting relics is a square ece of tanned skin from the chest of a soldier. n it are tattooed » grouping of flags and a dag- ger. Close beneath the pictured dagger n'a to hole made by a real dagger the victim's beart by an angry Mexican. Near | by is human skull with the left temple trans- fixed by an Indian arrowhead. This bas a/ strange history. On September 1, 1870, a stage | was attacked by Comanches near’ Bellos river, | Tex. There were two passengers; one was killed and the other escaped. Of the guard of | three soldiers one was killed, another got away | unhurt and the third was wounded. The last, | though wounded in the head, arm, leg and breast, made his way on foot 160 miles across the plains to Fort Conchas, There the poor | fellow died, and the post-mortem examination | showed that an arrow head had pierced the left | temporal bone, entering the brain. That it| should not have killed him instantly was aston- ishing. The cranium was sent to the museum at Washington. t Some of the accidents which happen to ple’s skulls are very remarkable. One of these ‘on exhibition is a complete wreck, the whole | top part of it being smashed to pieces. This is the result of an encounter between two negroes who fell to butting each other, such being a tavorite African form of the duello. One of them Was young, while the other was old. The old man's head was crushed in, killing him. The | moral to be drawn from this fact is that elderly Persone should refrain from butting, because caranium is much thinner in old age than | in youth, the bone wasting gradually like the rest of the body. The same thing is true of all the bones. Of this an illustration is afforded by the skeleton of « woman who was over seventy when she died. It weighs less than three pounds, though her osseous framework would probably have tipped the scales at tweive pounds thirty years ear! But her bones had degenerated until their substance was largeiy composed of gelatinous matter, and, the soft parts being dissolved out by preserving them, a mere shell was left, as light as paper. Its true that this was an’ unusual case. by STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. Another skull shown is that of a man who was struck by lightning. The bone exhibite a very small fractare, while the electric fluid has made only alittle hole like «pin hole in the “dura mater,” which is the membrane that covers the brain. But the brain iteelf, which i also i sen to have been all torn to pieces. Respecting im people often ask thoughlesly, “Did he die?” They put the same query with to many Other specimens, as if the exhibition of © person's cranium or backbone were not suffi- cient evidence of his non-survival. ‘There are Peruvian skulls in the museum, obtained it prehistoric sively. Many hundreds of thiscrania have been dug 0 operations of this kind, out by flint implements and that this jous rite, Some! the same person was tre Montenegro. ere OR oe eo July 9, ‘vertebra, belonging to an peril a follow: tree root which grew ing the by the spinal cord. experience of ‘a gentleman ple tree at st ae Siig bp ey ert ares ele were about what remained of the ‘Thus he was Son sew > that, while eating his aged relative, thet seit ‘mommited Indien cer. race: eperation wah ‘On a strong white ‘The in- ecription reads: “The tibia and fibula, Teapciated on the Sola” ‘Ths former ‘owner, Gon, Sickles this “specimen to the ——-s ‘he comes to takes wounds fatal than ij le i Hi | simply by pulverizing. | from 4 STRANGE CURIOSITY. One of the strangest of the curiosities shown is the lung of a colored man preserved ina jar of aloobol. It is as black as the biackest coal. The former owner dwelt near Richmond, Va., in a log but which was not well ventilated. Burn- ing pine wood to keep himeelf warm be brea! the smoke for years. It is found that the substance which has blackened the lung is ure carbon. Another lung, Lik tle. is black with iron rust. longed to a nail This trade disease. generally are apt to be afficted with it, However, these are only a few of the odd things on exhibition at this museum. is & man’s breastbone that has a lange gap in the middle of it. One could feel his heart beat b touching his chest, nothing covering that vital organ but « thin wall of flesh. On this account particularly @ ‘orkers in steel and iron he wore 9 protector of thick leather. He died, but not for that reason. A skull witha few attached is from @e catacombs at paint about it is that they once belonged to an individual whose neck was broken aud who recovered from the in- jury. Not the most attractive of the objects displayed are models representing monstrous births, such as those from whieh the ancients ¢ their notions originally for their figures of oud and other malevolent spirita By plunging an egg of a chicken or other fowlinto cold water for a brief period during the process of incubstion monstrous chicks with double | beads and other deformities may be artificially produced, the integrity of the developing germ ing disturbed. It is believed that accidents of «similar nature occurring without design in other aniinals produce such freaks as commonly find their way into the dime muscums. ‘The first use of wax models to represent parts | of the human body in disease is attributed to a Sicilian priest named Zambo, who lived in the latter part of the seventeenth century. He had been accustomed to make euch counterfeit Presentments of diseased or deformed bands and feet, &c., to be used as votive offerings at the shrines of saints, in behalf of the persons afflicted, who hoped for cure by supernatural agency. The fume of these works of art in- uced a surgeon of repute to go to the priest and empioy him for the purpose of reprodacing some pathological examples. Hence the original collection of this kind. One long case at this museum is filled with ekelotons, Being suspended, hundreds of them, as closely as ible together along the wall they look as if they were marching by sing file in a funeral procession, Although they in- clude many races—Chinese, African, Caucasian and Indian—their bony structure betrays n: eseential differences to the untaught eye. Artic: ulated human skeletons are worth from $25 for an ordinary specimen to 60 for a fine one. Paris mainly supplies the demand for them in Europe and America. One grent establishment in that city is largely devoted to turning them out, though it has a department for the prepar- ation of skeletons of beasts and birds and even of frogs and lizards. There is never any difii- culty in securing bodies for the purpose from the hospitals and morgues. They are quoted as regular commercial article. The bones of children’s skulls are too delicate to be taken apart by ordinary means, and so they are filled with dried pense. Water ix poured in, which makes the swell and force the bones apart in most delicate and effectual fashion. SINGULAR MEDICINES. The government collection of materials used for medicinal purposes is not kept in the Medi- cal Museum, bat in the National Museum close by. It includes a great many very odd things. For example it illustrates the contribations which insects make to the pharmacop«ria. Cockroaches, dried and powdered, are recog- nized nowadays as a remedy for dropsy. The dust contains re principle termed ant hydropin, which «timulates the kidneys and checks the complaint. Everybody knows that pulverized Spanish flies are commonly utilized for blisters, inflaming the skin through the operation of a substance called cantharidin. But very few people are aware that ordinary Potato bugs dried and powdered possess an equal virtue of the same description. Ever 0 many other insects supply cantharik There are uo fewer than fifteen Known specion of blister beetles in this country. Cochineal in- sects, so valuable as a dre, are administered in small doses for neuralgia’ and to check the spasms of whooping cough. The “lac” insects, from which shellac is made, are excellent for is value of extracts plants by gall flies is familiar enough. Such gslls, which contain 70 per cent of tannin, are largely gathered in Asia Minor, mostly from oak trees. Crabs’ eyes are commonly employed as a remedy for acid stomach. ¥ are not real crabs’ eyes, but small concretions of lime found | in the stomachs of crawfish at the time when | they are about to cast their shells and make new ones. Lime in this form, which is doubt- less intended to supply material for the new shells, is particolany pure. It is prepared Oyster shells are used in the same way and for the same purpose, being prepared by washing and powdering. Isingiass, which is a valuable constituent of many preparations useful to invalids, is made swimming bladders of fishes. Theso bladders, by the expansion and contraction of which the finny creatures change their specific wity and rise or sink at will, are merely split, dried and dissolved to form the product as it is sold. Considering these things it does not appear that the medicines included in the Chines» pharmacopeia are so strpassingly absurd. They use dried toads for a tonic, salted scorpions for smallpox, clam shells for a cathartic, fossil erabs an antidote for poisons, the excrement of bats for blindness, ink aa a diuretic and gun- powder asa vermifuge. In their belief a kind of fungus reserabling the truffle destroys worms and casts out devils, verdigris from old copper coins is good for skin trouble, the foseil teeth of the extinct mastodon area cure for liver com- plaint, ashes of paper are usefal as an astrin- gent, rain on particular days of the year bas a medicinal value and the fungus which grow, ont of a certain kind of caterpillar as a disease, transforming it into a plant, isa specific for jaundice. Gold leaf is much employed by the Chinese for suicidal purposes. They swallow it and the irritation produced by it is fatal. Some of the medicines at present in use by American and European physicians ere enor- mously expensive. A preparation of the Ca bar bean administered for lockjaw, called “physostigmine salicylate,” is worth $600 an ounce. A preparation of hanbane, employed as an hypnotic and called “hyoscine hb: robro- mate,” costs $1,600 an ounce. An alkaloid prepared from atropine, which is an active principle of beiladona, is utilized by ophthalmic surgeons to expand the pupil of the eye. It sells for @2,100 a pound. — She Could Not Plow. From the Atlanta Constitution. A story is told of @ bashful young Georgia svrain who called on his sweetheart to propose. Here is a sample of the conversation: “Miss Addie, can you sweep the floor?” “Why, yes, of course I can.” Composite. Senator Pefferewski has cut off six inches of his beard, but he still has a vest full of whisk- era. —Memphis Appeal Avalanche. A Stax reporter ran across a very interesting historical document recently in the shape of old letter from Rufus MeIntire of Pareenevilie, Me., to Horace Piper of Limerick. Me. Tteons tains one of ihe most etriking «1 ably the most natural brief pen picta Rane olph, the Virginin statesman, ever drawn. Me, the Twenty-first Congress 1830) It refers to Mr. Randotph using brandy as a stimulant during his orations, Timos and cus- ged in sixty years. If follow the eminent Virginian’s example in the Fifty- th two A the other uamber of suembers who would demand “where are we at? and the great convulsion that would sbake from center to cit easily be imagined ‘The letter ts as follows Paxsorsvitte, Mz, November 6, 1838 Mr. Horace Piper yoeea St; Loure dated October 8 ia received, John Ra | the country | umference cam | looking ja t too unl was represented pre He wes tall, very «pare | and had been very stright, but strongly. meni= | fested the effects of dixease upon bie figare | (consump growing depression of the | breast aud bending in bis sbouiders He wore his bair parted before and combed back likes female, or as we see many Raptist preachers. Hie most frequently came in House as | though from a ride on horseback, with» «mall riding stick or switch in his hand, with boots that came well up to the knee, with white tops, a light-colored that titted closmand nnte toned up to the chin. jeneral color in vest, | taloone, petimes one and other, of a light drab color of his «nrtout. His clothes alwars fitted looked very neatly dr common beaver ha‘, Thave seen hi men a cap, and a high-crow water and the other we probably colored wet his ips or y carried some kind *t pocket, and d@uri: out, unrell them an m' into his mouth, of lozenges in his y speaking would take th take one or two and pu’ or wet them in the tumbi hquor or throw them in and let them dissolve—all this very de- liberately while bis mind seemed to be intent om bis subject. This no dc be @id to stop the tickling in his throat and prevent conghing, which he scarcely ever did ina long «peech, though immediately after he would congh se- verely, having constantly what be called “church vard cough. | liquor might not have been brandy, but come other preparation. He had a very peen sture or way of | pointing the finger and shaking it, His manner was very deliberate, giving marked emphesis and very marked pauses, especially when pointing his long forefinger and shaking it ‘and before some peculia> expression or word, which he appeared to be selecting to express his ides with peculiar force or significance. His deliberate manner made it ens\ to report his apeecies, more 0 tha In no part of his vehement—nothing like the heat of feeling—but deliberately severe and cutting, doth in words ang manner. His voice was shrill and clear, ratber of the treble character, and bis enunciation distinct, so that you scarcely ever would mistake his words He tas was choice, classical and spoken wit all the precision of « well-written oration, Yours respectfully, osaibly the colored Rercs McIyrieg. _—_ GLADSTONE’S MANNER OF LIFE. The Great Statesman’s Simple and Regular Habits—Plain Food, Plenty of Sleep. Prom the St. James Gazette. Mr. Gladstone is in the best of health, sleeps remarkably well aad, so far from having shown signs of decreasing vitality through an in: to maintain an appetite for food, the right bon- orable gentleman enjoys his meals with the rest ofm young man. When he rises be inv takes a tepid bath, and every morning before breakfast while at Biarritz he attended chur and since his return to London has walk in the grounds ‘Hos first meal usually consists of a bard- of tengne, with tea and toast, devotes him-elf to hi , and for several hours is by his private secretary and receiving such polite may arriv Mr. Gladstone takes cold meat, ding and cheese. He drinks ® couple |of giawes “of light wine und sometimes | finishes with glass of port. AtS o'clock, if disengaged, be has afteruoon tea, His dinners are selected to his taste. He takes soup, fish it is to his fancy), but usually dines off one dish, which he selects and does not depart from. Me is very fund of rice pudding # prunes and rice, and upon either of these, but more expecially the former, he would, if the etiquette of ihe dinner table permitved it, make an entire meal. He drinks claret and te his cheese bas a liberal glass of port wine. Half of this he takes with his cheese, and ships the remainder im conversation over dessert When ding ont Mr. dstone takes two of three glasses of champagne, concluding, as usual, with port. He does not drink coftes be spondena cause it is seldom made to bis liking, end, be- ing astringent, keeps him aw ‘While at Biarritz a rule was made that M Gladstone should be me at 10 This rule is likely to be adhered to still. ening, while the guest of afriend, he leftat a quarter past 10 and was in bed fifteen minutes later. Mr. Gladstone well, maining in bed until noon. This was wnen be felt fatigued or desired to think out some eciall ritz he never lay in bd | two days before the "5 | when he was attacke mu | reverted to hie old ral. as bed for twer four hours and thus re, od his usual beal | Since the right honoraine gentleman returned | to London be has risen ¢ and ts es vigor | and hearty as his friends could wish. Mr. stone jives very plainly, his regimen being | guided by authority, but hisappetite in Loudom [is good. Onone cocasion at Biarrits he was | asked bow he slept, to which be replied gailye | “Well, I bave done my nine hours.” His memory is as keen as ever and at the Biarritz dmner table, as when be dines at home or with friends in London, he was the life of the party, Onone occasion, when Mr. Tolle mache was present, there was 8 discunsion abou classics and Mr. Gladstone quoted, not single lines of Greek, but whole passages. On the voyage from Calais the channel was very stormy and Mr. Giedstone lay down, but did not suffer from seasickness. The reports of bis :ll health and lessened vitality have caus.i the Downing street post to be unusually beavy andes t d~al of ill-afforded tim: has conseqnentiy expended in refuting these idic inventions ~see - American Cash in Canada. Canadians are said to be kicking vigoronsly about the great abundance of American money in Canada, After J. Logan Chipmen and bis little bill got in their perfect work, the oyance will diminish. Most of the money isenrned on this side ond taken into Canada, Saturday ‘and rpent there for bread and butier. It is not unlikely that the day will, come when our neighbors will be glad to use. what they can get.— Detroit Evening News. for his departut in the bead, «1 THE COMING CRINOLINE.