Evening star., 1867-05-22

u
money could be obtained for Mr.. Page, and the
church also benefited. BY fair estimate th is
square of ground, con- tanning nearly 81 OOO
square feet, together with the impro vements,
s WAS worth forty Thousand dollars After a
period Of sc veral months the report Of the ma
jority OF the board of trustees revealed the fact
that the properly had been sold, and the church
= had realized only four thousand dollars. In
quiry revealed the fact that Messrs. Church
and Heron claimed 10 own the properly at a
cost to themselves of only 820, 600. ABOUT one
half of it's estimated value. r.
About one year ago, having a fair knowledga
OF men. he though ht be (towler) detected q pur.
pose on the part OF some of the mem oers to com
nit agrievous wrong againstthe church. Sub.
equent de developments proved to his mind that
he was right, and he knew that no man who
knew his cause was just would seek to evade
the keenest scrutiny and most thorough in
yestfgatiOn OF his acts. For charity sake he
would Rot state all the evidence he had TO
confirm him in the belief that the interests of
the church had been cruelty betrayed. At
some other time he would prove that the do
nation OF Mr.. Page was solely attributable to
the influence OF the pastor, Mr.. Campbell
even in spite of adverse influences in the
church. Mr.. Heron says he accepted the
trust solely In the interest Of the church. but
1t she uld be borne in mind that Mr., Heron
was the agent of Mr. Campbell. for Mr. Page
had generously confided to Mr.. Campbell even
the appointment of the party who was to act
for them both. Mr.. Heron says that when
Mr.. Church undertook TO assist him, he fMr
Church) emphaticaIly stated that if any OF the
trustees Oh the CAurcQ were 10 nave anV tn ing
to do with the management of the property. he
would have nothing to do with II. 1t had been
said that he (Mr. Fowler) made opposition be-
cause he had not the privilege OF enriching
say, that he was offered the trusteeship before
these me had anything to do with 1t, but de-
clined to accent it. He then stated some OF
the reasons assigned by Messrs. Oh urch aud
all that could be realized out of the estate as
matters appeared at that time. This statement
he characterized as utterly false. They had
just offered 1t at auction, and 1t brought 800 OOO
They say they offered Mr.. Page $4,000 for it,
with the understand ding that they should give
to the church $1,000, thus showing that SIS 600
was sumSient amount to cover all incum-
brances. They say the property was worth 80
cents per foot. At that price 1t would Weld
nearly $4,000; but he had evidence, fr IN their
OWE fig ures, to prove that they valued some of
at 40 cents per foot, and it would yield S37 GOO
without the Improvements. worth at least
$1,000. Deduct the $4,000 for incumbrances
would leave $4,000 $4,000 given to the
church, and there still renamed $23,OOn. The
next reason they assigned was that they tried
everywhere to obtain money for the church,
and were driven to the wall, and had to
assume such hazardous responsibility on
their joint account. This statement also was
false as Mr.. Church was offered money, but
refused 1t. The money could have been raised
in twenty -four hours. These men were ap-
pointed by Mr.. Campbell to take charge O
the property, but they did not report ts him
one werd, only as he could extort from them
by close questioning. They have no right to
right to it. They had the same right to sell
this church and ground, and put the pro-
ceeds into their own pockets. These men
are commissioned to accept in trust for the
church this property, amounting to So. 600
and they give the church only $1,000, and keep
S23.000 for themselves. They made Mr. Page
believe that this whole square of ground, worth
over $4,000, was irredeemably swamped, with
only S9sUUU OF executions against
In conclusion. Mir. Fowler moved that the
report OF the board Of trustees be committed
charge of all books and papers belonging to
the board, and send for persons and papers
that all the circumstances and facts relating
church may be Investigated.
Mr HERON read the reply of himself and
Mr. CHURCH, and stated there was not a fact
Fowler only his opinions. Mr.. Heron then
read the power of attorney given to him by
Mr Geo. Page, authorizing him to sell all of
Pages property, and after paying all just
debts retain $4,000 Tor his (Page's) own use
and benefit, and invest the remainder In T. S
stocks. the interest to go to the Presbyterian
Church. He next read the report he made to
the board of trustees In January last Aoout
the lst of August, 1865. Rev. w. W CampbelI
pastor the report says. had several interviews
with Capt. Page, who stated he was anxious
TO settle his business, make donation to
some benevolent object or institution and buy
farm, so that he might ha We nothing to vex
and perplex him the remainder of his days.
He consented to make the donation to the
Seventh Presbyterian Church. and Capt p
sent for him Mr. Herron) on the 18th of Au-
gust, and requested him to undertake the busi-
ness for him, which he finally consented to
90. Capt. P. had d. d Foley, Esq, employed
as his attorney for several years He (Mr.
Herron) had 8 deed Of assignment prepared.
inclpaing his whole interest in SO uare 4S7, said
ass .nent to be made for the benefit of his
creditors, himself and the Seventh Street Pres
bytepan Church; but Mr.. Foley objected to
this deed, and persuaded the Captain to ex.
ecuIe power of attorney. 70 this he (Mr.
H.) consented, thinking that Mr.. Foley,
practising lawyer, should know better how
business should be done, but he hss since
changed his opinion. The cash payment on
the farm was made out of money received from
sales Of personal property and accounts COL
lected, about $500. In December. 1865, the
square was offered at public sale. and
brought 500, 1872. These prices were brought
bidding of Mr. c. B. Church, who, at the
request OF Mr.. Heron was present, the house
ana number Of lots were bid in by him. to
keep them from being sold at much lower
prices. subsequently, Mr.. Ward who examined
The title for the purchasers repo rted the same
imperfect; q man by the name of Ford. of
Lexington, Kentucky, claiming one twelfth of
for his interest for $l,200 and in March, 1866
the square was again offered atpubic sale and
brought total of 81 200. In the mean time
Mr.. John Van RiswIck who owned several
OF them in the hands Of the Marshal and or.
1dered an execution on it, and at the Marshal's
sale Lot 16) MIR. Van Riswiek bought 1t for
$4,000. Suit was brought by Messrs. Church
and Heron to set aside the sale on the
ground OF its having been sold for less than
haifits value; finally this suit was decided in
favor Of Msssrs. Heron and Church. The
parties who purchased at the second sale with.
drew their deposits and there was no money
to pay costs. In April, Mr.. Foley (without
the consent Of Mr.. Herron) had Mr., Ford to
execute deed of his interest in said So uare
to him (Foley) and the same was deposited in
the hands OF Merrick and Brent. Before the
Marshal's sale took place Mr.. Foley had Mr.
Page execute deeds in blank so that he m ieht
get the parties who bought at the last safe to
take them and make the cash payments The
deed for the lot At the corner of 7th and streets
on which the'hoase stands, was made out in the
name of Mr. Foley by him and recorded by him
without the knowledge Of Mr. Page or Mr.
Herron. The reason Mr.. F. assigned for this
was that he could put in plea in the suit that
the property was notin Mr.. Pages name when
sold by tho Marshal On the 1st Of May MIR
Foley made q contract with Mr.. G. l.. Walker,
aRresing to sell him the property on the cor.
ner Of 9TH and T streets for S5,50O, that said
Walker should pay $500 cash and take posses.
sion as soon as the suit above named was de.
eided In the favor OF Messrs Heron and
Church; but II decided adverse to them, the
said Walker was to keep possession for one
year. and the $500 paid be considered as rent
for card time On the 18th of July M sssrs
EOlov nd On Mo- vIyaas~