Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-10-11
PRICE: FIVE CENTS.
BARNUN AND BENNETT.

The combat between the great Snowman
| and the editor of the Herald amuses the
public, and thus, of course, interests tie
Press, which has much to say upon It, Ac.
| cordlng 10 report, the sho Emau has Joyca
| Hedthed the editor. which the cloth of ou.
craft forbids US from enjoying, no matter
What the public think of the combat, and of
the combatants. The Worlds version il al
iollows:
BARSUM's BARGAIN WITH BENNETT.
Mr.. Bennett had, some time back cast ~
ey upon the piece Of ground whoreon the
old Museum stood, daEonaiy opposite the
Astor House. At the time Of the fre Mr..
Barnum held lease of the property for Il
years, which he, during the week after the
canhagration, offered for sale, through the
agency of Homer Morgan, Esq, fr tho
round sum OF 1926, 900. Meeting Mr.. Ben.
nett one day, the fact that the property wss
| in the market was broached. Mr. Bennett
asked the terms, and Mr.. Barnum stated tbs
price named above. Subsequently Mr.. Ben
| nett sent his broker to Mr.. Barnum, with in
structions to close bargain if possible on
the best terms he could get. Meantime Mr..
Bennett took care to secure contract to.
purchase the fee of the property from lis
| ogner, Mr.. Sargent, residing at Fishkill, on
the Hudson, for the sum total of (s450, ,000)
four hundred and fifty thousand dollars
| Mr.. Benefits broker, Mr.. Duggan, then
closed the matter with Barnum, after beat
| ing him down good sized peg, By purcha5-
| ing the privilege OF the lease for Twelve
years for two hundred thousand $500, 900
cash, for which amount cheek was
| duly rendered and accepted, and the usual
acknowledgements made. A written a;ree-
| ment was also given by Mr.. Barnum, ente-
| ling the purchaser of his lease to the debris
| on the premises, with the exception Of csr-
| tain iron pipe, a boiler, hundred tons OF
| coal, and some other items that were CON-
sidered az contents Of the Museum, and not
| as part or parcel of the premises. la the
| course of few days il appears that the ejls
tor of the Herald grew sick OF his bargain,
| or, what is more probable, thought, by teigr-
| ing disinclination to conclude the purchase
of the fee, for which he held the refusal for
stated period, that Mr.. Sargent might let
it go at more moderate figure. In this cal
culation Mr.. Bennett found himself mis-
taken, for on sending word to Mr.. Sargent
| th It he "had concluded not to purchase"
that accommodating gentleman said: every
well Mr.. Bennett is at liberty to DO as he
| likes;' and with that, sailed for Europe,
without leaving his address or offering to
| abate enc jot title from the large price
named. This unexpected issue left the ss-
| tute journalist in a position somewhat liko
that OF the lucky gentleman who won the
| elephant in a lottery-he had paid two hur-
| dred thousand dollars for an unavailable
| privilege. The situation veXed him. Soto
| pick quarrel, the brilliant editor lost no
| time in Interfering with the removal Of h''
old neighbours hundred tons ot winter coal.
which fortunately had escaped being prems-
/ -, al rpi
Further than this, he threatened TO sue Phi
meas for the old boiler already dug out from
the ruins and carried oil. Mr.. Barnum, we
believe, TO save dispute, permitted his old
friend, James Gordon, to seize the coal In
ended to enhance the comfort of his giants,
happy family, albinoes, and intelligent seal,
during the long winter months but when II
came 10 being sued for p0cketinG MS own
boiler his Indignation got the better OF be-
nignity. Phineas called On James lawyer,
and soon discovered that the way 20 appeaSs
the wrath of the illustrous type-Tielder was
to refund the two hundred thousand dollars
and take back the lease. This the beneTo-
lent Barnum would most unQuestionaoiy
have oone on the spot, but tor the iact hat
he "had spent the money" "RealIy lie
had not that sum about him." He was act
prepare to reconsider the bargain, paTticG-
larly as, on the WhOle, IL seemed 10 3ult MN.
{Next day the Herald appeared without ths
Museum advertisements. Then Barnum, as
proprietor of the great Broadway shog,
sought personal explanation as to why these
things were thus. It was not accorded him.
The public knows how the rest OF the
laugh came In.
The prospect is that the lessee Of the ELI
gble real estate at the corner Of Broadway
and Ann street will permit the grass 70
grow thereon until the expiration Of twelve
years, at which time he i'll be at liberty 70
realize what he can upon his expensive crop
Of hay. Meantime, he might permit our
public spirited citizens to erect statue Of
tho "Gude Duke of Argyle" on this fae
site, Just TO keep the town in mind Of how
Barnum sold Bennett, and furnish al easy
laugh when all else fails.
Other stories are that Mr. Bennett thought
he was buying the whole ground plot, over
which the upper chambers of the 'ussru
stood, whereas he bought only the conpera-
lively small plot upon which was the founda-
ton. The fee, according to the Worlds re-
port, costs 1915, 900, S225, 900 f0P t|elvs
wears lease, if the fee is not got, being a1ou.
$3.50, 900 or $500 900 more than It is worth.
Meanwhile the workmen have stopped work
ing on the ruins.