President George Washington's $300,000 late-book fee

Herald Sun (Australia) ^ | April 18, 2010 | Herald Sun

[I still care]

GEORGE Washington racked up a $300,000 fee at the New York Library with two books he borrowed 220 years ago. America's first president never returned the books, on international law and parliamentary debates.

"We're not actively pursuing the overdue fines. But we would be very happy if we were able to get the books back," librarian Mark Bartlett said.

Washington's late fee went unnoticed for almost 150 years.

But in 1934 a dusty ledger was discovered in a rubbish heap in the library's basement, revealing the names of all the people who had borrowed books from the city's oldest library between July 1789 and April 1792.

Washington borrowed on October 5, 1789, the Law of Nations, a treatise on international relations, and Vol. 12 of the Commons Debates, which contained transcripts of debates from Britain's House of Commons.

[Genoa]

Evidence that Vattel, The Law of Nations, was the authority that our nation's founders turned to. It defines a natural born citizen in such a way as to exclude the son of a foreigner. A providential discovery! Annuit coeptis!

[capydick]

That looks like the largest book fine ever.Good thing they are not “actively pursuing it

Look for Bloomberg to put pressure on the library to pursue it to help with the budget crisis!

[edge919]

IOW, Obama is a natural born fraud.

[DontTreadOnMe2009]

But in 1934 a dusty ledger was discovered in a rubbish heap in the library’s basement,

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Great organization - throws away book recording 18th century customers;

That’s the government for ya!!!

[El Sordo]

Heh. This probably doesn't rate the ping list, but I thought it was kind of interesting.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

One would expect an evil white slave owner to not return his library book. He was probably keeping the book with full knowledge that a female minority member needed it to finish her doctoral thesis at Columbia.

[dfwgator]

DeGroot Hello Mr. Bundy, I've been expecting you.

A two young boys are also in the library. One grabs a book and hides it in his jacket. His friend stops him.

BKBOY Hey man, don't Bundy that book!

The boy, looking at Al, puts the book back.

DeGroot You're quite famous, you know. This week we've had 34 overdue books returned by mail. With checks. The children are terrified and treat each book like fine China. Mr. Bundy, You've become the Freddie Krueger of the library system.

Al Bundy Miss DeGroot, does the word "suey" mean anything to ya?

DeGroot Oh, children, quiet down or you'll end up like this man.

DeGroot starts packing up some things.

DeGroot You know, Mr. Bundy, I've worked at this library for 44 years. I was eligible for retirement 3 years ago. Do you know why I stayed?

Al You learned to eat books?