Allegheny Observatory - The Lens-napping

The Lens-napping

A unique event occurred while Langley was the director. After arriving home from a conference on July 8, 1872, observatory staff came to his home in Allegheny City and told him his presence was needed immediately at the observatory. Upon arriving at the observatory he discovered the lens of the 13 inch Fitz Telescope had been stolen for ransom. Langley refused to pay the ransom, and arguments ensued between Langley and the lens-napper. It is suspected Langley knew who the lens-napper was, although his or her identity is still a mystery to this day. Meanwhile the newspapers were investigating who could be the lens-napper, and feeling his identity may be discovered, told Langley he could have the lens. It was never returned by the lens-napper, and was eventually found in a wastepaper basket in a hotel in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. The lens had a bad scratch in it, making it useless. The lens was sent off to lens maker Alvan Clark to be reground. In the end it turns out the lens-napping was a gift in disguise for after the regrinding the lens was remarkably better than before the len-snapping. In gratitude, Langley added Clark's name to the telescope.