Butler County, Ohio - Chapter 9: Frauds, 1879

Two Classes of Fra uds - Ca n ard - Moon Hoax - Runic Inscriptions - Vault in the Palisades of the Hudson - Tumulus in Utah - William Tell - Pocahontas - Sacrificial Tablet - Wilmington Tablets - Questioned - Operations of David Wyrick - Newark Holy Stone - Likeness of Moses - Ten Commandments - Stone from Michigan - Axe from Butler County - Inscriptions from Fremont - Rock Inscriptions - Nott and Gliddon.

A certain class of frauds has been perpetrated which should at least have a passing notice. To hoax has become a mischievous habit among Americans. It is principally of two kinds, one of which tries the credulity without resulting in harm, while the other is deliberate fraud, perpetrated wholly at the expense of truth, and with a desire to impede investigation. The result of all this has been to make the men of science more wary. And so cautions have they become that even actual discoveries have been discredited. There are frauds which have a curious history, and have resulted in giving new meanings to words. The word canard is of French origin and means a duck, but in the English language means only an extravagant or ridiculous fabrication. This perverted meaning is due to a French writer who set afloat an absurd story relative to the great voracity of ducks. He alU^gcd that twenty ducks having been placed together, one of them was killed and cut to pieces, feathers and all, and then thrown to the other nineteen, which immediately devoured it. The same was repeated until only one duck was left, this one having eaten all the rest in a very brief time. This story was circulated in all the journals of Europe and America. Hence ridiculously absurd stories have been called canards.

The most ingenious of all stories set afloat, and the one given almost universal credence, is known as the '^Moon Hoax.'' It was published in New York about forty years ago, and purported to be a series of discoveries made in the moon by Sir John Herschel, during his residence at the Cape of Good Hope. It is a well known fact among astronomers that, with a given-sized object-glass, the power of the telescope is limited by the degree to which the image in the focus of the glass can be magnified ; the light remaining the same, the more the size of the image is increased the darker it becomes. This writer alleged that by a great improvement in the telescope the image could be illuminated by artificial light. By the application of this idea and using an eye-glass of great magnifying power. Sir John Herschel observed moving animals on the moon so distinctly that their forms were actually discovered. Even learned professors in colleges were duped, failing to detect the scientific absurdity of illuminating a shadow in order that it might be more highly magnified.

A young law student in the city of Washington pretended that he had discovered a series of Runic inscriptions on the face of a rock in the Potomac River, and the same was given to the journals for publication. The various ethnological journals copied it as the truth and by the Scandinavian antiquarians it was hailed as another evidence that the Northmen had early explored this country.

A story was published in Europe concerning a remarkable vault, discovered in the Palisades of the Pludson, that contained many statues and inscriptions, all of which only existed in the mind of the writer.

During the year 1869 a Kansas paper published an account of some imaginary professor having discovered a tumulus near Evanstown, Shelby County, Utah, in which was a vault eight feet long, three wide and four deep. In the cavity was found a skeleton, which immediately crumbled upon being exposed to the light. There were also found an ordinary-shaped earthen pot, an iron bracelet with a spring clasp, two medicine stones, similar to Tennessee marble, shaped like a cigar, full of holes, and of half-pound weight, and a plate of the purest silver. This article was soon after acknowledged by the editor as having been written by a sub-editor in order to offset certain reports on Colorado.

This class of frauds has a great vein of fun in it, and becomes interesting instead of damaging. The truth is soon seen and the joke enjoyed. Not so is the deliberate fraud which is persisted in. Some of these have been hunted down and completely exposed. It may be hard to acknowledge that William Tell did not shoot the apple from off his son's head, or that Pocahontas did not save the life of Captain John Smith, but before the inevitable we must bow and acknowledge that the stories * are unworthy of belief.

Memorials from the mounds are numerous, and not unfrequently something is announced entirely out of the usual line of discovery. The frauds of history are repeated in tablets or inscribed stones purporting to have been taken from the mounds. Some of these contain on their face the evidence of fraud, while others require the closest scrutiny.

In previous editions of this work, a paragraph was here inserted, specifying that a certain tablet (not named, but which referred to the Davenport Tablet) was a fraud. Recently, I had the pleasure of examining not only the tablet itself but also the history of its discovery, and am now fully satisfied that injustice has been done both to the relic and its discoverers. My previous statement was based on information which I thought to be trustworthy. This paragraph is inserted in hopes to rectify the error. A full, fair and impartial report, with illustrations, may be found in the Academy's Proceedings.

Wilmington Tablets. - Of all the finds from the mounds none equal the Wilmington Tablets. In every respect all previous memorial stones arc surpassed. I have

Hester seen these tablets, but have carefully examined the cuts in the pamphlet published by Dr. L. B. Welch and J. M Ilichardson, who claim to have made the important discovery. The mound, from which these tablets arc said to have come, is situated three and one-half miles from Wilmington, Ohio, near the turnpike leading to Harveysburg. Tablet ^^No. V is of Waverly sandstone, three and seven-eights inches wide, four and seven-eights long, and five-eights of an inch thick. The obverse side of this stone is entirely covered with figures or symbols, among which are two grinning idols terminating in the body of a fish. This tablet is encircled with tbe representation of an exceedingly beautiful arrow, terminating in two arrow points, one of which is attached to the other. The second tablet consists of engravings upon a wand or badge of authority. These engravings are clearly defined, and if the pictures are exact counterparts of the originals, then they -are clearer than any other engravings left by the Mound Builders. Upon ori^e side we have the picture of a man holding an implement In one hand, and a spear in the other. At one end of the implement, and also at the end of the spear, are halfmoon shaped ornaments fastened to the handles. The face of the man bears but little resemblance to the hnman features engraved on the pipes and pottery of the Mound Builders. The face is unlike any known type of mankind, while the moccasins are not unlike those of the Indians. Near the center is a double-headed serpent, and at the opposite end is a symbolical representation formed in sixteen squares among which is a duplicate of the double-headed serpent near the center. Upon the opposite side of the w^and we encounter another human fiiri-^re, which seems to be makins;: some kind of an offerina; to an alligator, while behind it is a rattle-snake in the act of striking a panther.

The authors of this pamphlet claim that several things are settled by these divscoveries, among which we may note the following: 1. The exact type of the Mound Builders : they were brachycephallc, or short-heoded, with bold massive forms^or just such men as we would suspect had made these great structures. 2. The crescent-formed ornaments were used as a hand-hold to the spears. 3. The so-called Indian battle-axe is of Mound Builder orisrin. 4. It establishes the costume, showino; that the "wearer thereof wns an inhabitant of a warmer climate.''

One of these tablets the authors have called the "Richardson Tablet/' and the other "relic has been named by Mr. Richardson the ^Welch Butter-fly/ in honor of Dr. L. B. Welch, of Wilmington." The Introduction is written by L. B. Welch, D. D. S, in which he declares that "we are at a loss to express how great would be our chagrin did we for a moment think that any doubt could be entertained as to the genuineness of the articles." On the eighth page the authors declare that "we well recollect the cry of fraud that was raised against the the circumstances attending the discovery of the relics herein described, we are fre6 to say that no chance for doubt.exists, and having enjoyed a privilege no others ever have, that of seeing the Richardson Tablet and the Cincinnati Tablet placed side by side, we do most unequivocally pronounce the Cincinnati Tablet genuine."

There are certain queries and considerations which naturally arise that may be noticed. 1st. If any person having the crescent-shaped ornament should attach the same to the end of the handle of a spear or battle-axe for a hand-hold, how long would it last after the first strain? It is evident to anyone that in such a position and for such a purpose it would be easily broken. 2nd. Why should the authors have expressed themselves in reference to their chagrin, should the authenticity of these articles be doubted ? 3d. AVas there a cry of fraud when the Cincinnati Ta1)let was discovered ? This tablet was found in 1841, and the "cry of fraud " was not raised until over thirty years after. It is true that some had doubts concerning it, but these doubts were not very loud, nor were they raised into a " cry," for had such been the case Robert Clarke, who is well posted in the history of this tablet, would have mentioned it in his phamplet. The " cry " must have been ex- eeedingly feeble. It is liardly probable that the doubts expressed by some of INIr. Gest's friends were heralded abroad. 4th. Wliv should the authentleily of the Wilmington Tablet make the Cincinnati Tablet unequivocally genuine? 5th. Admitting their authenticity and the genuineness of everything else that has ap])eared under the sun, what is there in them to lead to the following conclusion as expressed on the eighth page? '^ We do unhesitatingly say that in these tablets we have the fact well established that pre-historic man, upon this continent, possessed a written language : not a pictorial language, but a language composed of different and distinct characters, well and plainly written. ^^

The costumes of the human figures attract the eye. No modern tailor could make a more complete fitting suit than that worn by the male figure. The pantaloons and close;fitting jacket are distinctly modern, and just such as all have seen worn by Americans at one time or another. The other figure is dressed in the same attire as is frequently used by female performers at a circus.

Further. criticisms are unnecessary. It will be sufficient to say that these relics w^ill never be appreciated by archaeologists. It is possible that they may have been found as described ; but as being either of Mound Builder or Indian origin the very outlines are against the supposition. If of Mound Builder origin, then all the sculptured pipes, and pottery, and many other things which have been found in the mounds must be assigned to a different race.

Operations of David Wyrick. - David Wyrick, of Newark, Ohio, was an uneducated man, but on the subject of mathematics possessed decided ability. He had held the office of county surveyor until he was forced to retire on account of long-continued attacks of acute rheumatism. He was regarded as an eccentric character and incapable of deliberate deception. He had adopted the idea that the Hebrews were tlie builders of the earthworks of the West, and as often as his disease would permit he sought diligently for proofs of his theory. His first discovery was made during the 1] month of June, 1860. This discover}^ consisted in what is known as the ^^ Newark Holy Stone/' and was found about a mile southwest of the town, near the center of an artificial circular depression, common among the earth-works. As soon as he found it he ran away to the town, and there with exultation exhibited it as a triumphant proof of his Hebrew theory. Upon examination it proved to be a Masonic emblem representing the ^^ Key Stone'' of an arch formerly worn by Master Masons. The Hebrew inscription has been thus rendered into English : " The law of God, the word of God, the King of the earth is most holy.'' The stone did not have the appearance of antiquity, and probaldy was accidently dropped into the depression, and then covered over by the accumulation of loam and vegetable matter continually washed into the center of the cavity. Wyrick continued his researches and soon made a startling discovery. Dtiring the summer of 1860, with three other persons, he repaired to the spot where the stone mound had stood (see page 53) and there dug up the trough which had been re-entombed by the farmers in 1850. In the following November Wyrick, with five other men, met at this, spot and made still farther examinations. They found several articles of stone, among which was a stone box enclosing an engraved tablet. Upon one side of the tablet is a savage and pugnacious likeness of Moses, with his name in Hebrew over his head. Upon the other side of this stone is an abridgment in Hebrew of the Ten Commandments. Archaeologists never had much faith in the Holy Stone and the discovery of Moses and the Ten Commandments soon established Wyrick's character as an impostor. ^^Notlong after tins he died, and in his private room, among the valuable relics lie had so zealously collected, a Hebrew Bible was found, Avhich fully cleared up the mystery of Hebrew iiiscri])tions ^even in Ohio.' This had been the secret and study of years, by a povertystricken and suffering man, who, in some respects, was almost a genius. His case presents the human mind in

Stone from Michigan. - An engraved stone was plowed up on the eastern shore of Grand Traverse Bay. The stone is sandrock, half an inch thick with both faces flat. The arrangement of the letters is confused, the characters lack individuality, and it is difficult to determine which w^as intended to be the upper side. By the aid of a magnifier it has been detected that the engraving is fresh and recent and made by one who was not an expert.

Axe from Butler County^ Ohio. - This is a grooved stone axe covered with English letters, the purport of which is that in 1689 Captain H. Argill passed there and secreted two hundred bags of gold near a spring. The letters are so rude and fresh as to deceive no one versed in antiquities.

Inscriptions from Fremont, Ohio. - About thirty years ago there was found in a mound near Fremont (then Lower Sandusky) a series of oval mica plates, '' inscribed with numberless unknown characters, probably containing the history of some former race that inhabited this country.'^ Upon examination, these plates were found to be of that variety of mica known as ^'graphic mica;'' hence the ^^ unknown characters'' were simply natural workings.

Roch Inscriptions. - Before closing what we have to say relative to frauds, and indirectly to the consideration of a written language, we should give a passing notice to Rock Inscriptions, although it has not been ascertained whether or not any of them were made by the Mound Builders. The inscriptions have been observed at various points within the United States. Their direct object is not understood. The inscriptions in Ohio, which have been prominently noticed, occur near Barnesville, Belmont County, near Wellsville, near Newark, near Perrysburg, at Independence, Cuyahoga County, and other places.

If the Mound Builders had a written language, they were in possession of abundant means to have perpetuated it. Numerous plates of copper and polished slate were at their command, and if they possessed this art, letters would certainly have been engraved upon them, and uniform characters would have been found from- the Great Lakes to the Gulf.

The following observation from Nott and Gliddon's "Types of Mankind/' (p. 283), may be quoted with propriety : "No trace of an alphabet existed at the time of the conquest of the continent of America; but some tribes possessed an imperfect sort of picture-writing, from which a little archaeological aid can be derived; though we are compelled to look chiefly to traditions, which are often vague, and to the light which emanates from the physical characters, antiquities, religions, arts, sciences, language, or agriculture. '^

We should hesitate a long time before placing the Mound Builders higher intellectually than the ancient Mexicans or Peruvians. All pretences to a discovery of alphabetical characters should be regarded with doubt, and not received unless supported by the most convincing or unquestionable testimony.