Wahsington's Fines

Librarians in New York’s oldest library have discovered that George Washington, the first president of the United States, has an unpaid fine of $300,000. Washington failed to return two books in 1789, which have been accruing overdue fees. He was supposed to return the books after a month, but failed to do so. “We’re not actively pursuing the fines,” said Mark Bartlett, the head librarian of the library. The former president, who died in December 1799, borrowed two books from what was then the only library in Manhattan – “Law of Nations,” a dissertation on international relations, and a volume of debate transcripts from Britain’s House of Commons.