Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-06-03
OAK HILL CEMETERY.


port OF the committee engaged in investigating
the affairs of this company, with the accom-
panying documents. forming a pamphlet of
some & pages, satisfies us that our editorial of
bay %, the day following the reading OF the
report, was coTrect, and a Just statement of the
matters contained therein aud results arrived
at. We do not recollect ever TO have read such
series of frivolous trifling charges as those
submitted by the complains ant, and believe that
had they emanated from any other source they
would not have been considered.
II must be gratifying TO the lot-holders and
% the community a. large that nOtwithstand-
ing the absence of proper restrictions and SAFE
Guards, as commended and admitted. in the de-
tails of the management, lot a single defalea-
tiOn or miSapplication OF funds can be discov-
cred through period Of twenty years. This
+act of itself must b. gratifying 20 all VINO
love to find good IN the world, and few COM
munities can boast of such an exhibit.
1t evident from the report that the gentle.
men composing this committee Were desIrous
of doing nothing to wound Mr. Corcoran's
feelings, but TO prevent the whole matter
fIom appearing ridiculous they have been
compelled to show some strategy For in
stance, II the series Of charges above referred
to, they were TOO wise to say anything con-
corning the nature of the complaint or its i'm.
saying 'Charge No. sustained" or mot sus-
tanned" This is an adroit way Of getting rid of
a troublesome case. For instance, had Mr. e..
charged his fellow managers or the superin-
tendent with having two eyes and one nose.
the committee, following out their plan as
above, would have written down sCharge No.
-, sustained" leaving the impression that there
was some cause for complaint.
In reference to the remeasurement of the lots
and the evident wish of the parties implicated
N tbs attempt to disrupt this company, to dis
franchise many of the lot-holders who do not
sustain Dir. g. in his whims, it is only neces.
sary to remark that such q move would proba.
bly, result in litigation, as no man who had
bought and paid Ior 80 feet Of ground In order
TO become a voter in the Cemetery's manage
ment would allow himself to be DISTINGUISHED
by anybcdy's measurement. Such a scheme
would involve serious complications; and NO
one who really has the interests of this Com.
pany at heart should tolerate such an attempt
Upon examining the list Of managers who
have governed this institution since the date OF
its charter, We find that Of the present mana
gers Mr.. Corcoran has held once seven years;
M. Beau three years, ard Capt. Sanger two
years. II is a little remarkable that charges Of
loose and inefficient management should come
from the oldest manager, who has had four years
gers, and therefore has had double the oppo--
tunity to correct abuses, which he must have
known TO exist. On the contrary, we find In
the Journal extracts published. no move made
to change or correct anything Whatever until a
difference Of opinion occurred between himself
and the other managers, when at once souri,
Ious attacks appear against those who differed
with Mr.. COrcoran, and every means is adopted
10 forestall public opinion and create a SYM
patty in favor of Mr.. q. by his friends and
clacquers.
The attempt is made throughout to convey
the impression, and TO create undue sympathy
thereby in behalf OF Mr. Corcoran, that the Oak
Hill Cemetery is his princely donation and
solely Of his creation, and that it is base in.
gratitude therefore for anybody else to oppose
any Of his views in regard to Its management.
The facts are that Mr.. Corcoran expended on
the ground for original purchase the sum Of
5000, and that he claims to have expended
upon it since. including improvements upon
his own lots, the costly mausoleum, &c, some
S6i,OO0 more. The twelve acres Of ground
given by Mr.. Corcoran has oeen increased to
twenty-four by purchases at different times
since, and the lot-holders have paid In the way
of purchase Of lots and for improvements such
as vaults, monuments and strawberries. In the
nelghDorhood Of half a million OF dollars. II
VIII tuuS De seen tQtl t1e OOntIi0Q OY MT.
Corcoran, handsome as II was, afforded but the
merest nucleus for the present cemetery, and
that the lotholders, with their S5OO,oO0 nvested
offsethng Mr.. Co-coraE's $4,000. have a right
10 q voice in ITS management. We believe that
the managers have aimed conscientiously to
protect the rights of the humber lot- holders,
while at the same time they have endeavored
10 crafty the wishes of Dir. Corcoran, so far
as that could be done without abandonment
ftherr own self-respect or the rights Of others.
We much regret this difficulty, which must
do harm and can do no good; but as public
journalists, who profess TO Be Independent
enough 10 do Justice TO all men, Irrespective of
wealth and station, we do say that Mr.. Corco-
ran has greatly lowered himself by the bitter
oyerbearing spirit displayed in his course as
set forth in The report before US We much
regret this IL would have been gratifying to
us to have had Mr.. Corcoran's name and good
deeds household word among our people.
with naught 70 tarnish or dim the lustre of his
charities.