New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-14
INCIDENTS IN MR.. STEWARDS CAREER.

Many statements have appeared from time to
time rraripg the circumstances under which Mr. Stew
arts house hut by thc contractors at great loss ana
finally financial ruin u tAcn JAG ID 3 Van Wyck, who
l. the attorney certain proceedings growing out OF the
dispute between Mr. Stewart and the contractors yeste
day stated the following the actual facts IN the case;
short time bofo Il our late broke ont Mr. Stewart
entered Into a foY the building ~ his house on
Filthnye. and THirty -fourtlst. The gentleman VINO
made the estimate which became basis OF the
ment made what he supposed was safe aud even large
allowance any in the price OF labor aud all Kinds
of material. But the pccc OF labor aud material al
vaneed far beyond the widest expectation long be-
fore the house completed In fact before lie erection
was fairly begun aud the contractors became financially
embarrassed MI stewart would not release Them from
trr regal obligations but entered into supplemental
agreement with them by which he was TO advance the
money and they TO 90 with the work being he III
liable or that the house might cost above
the contract price. The result was mat 'he
contractors became indebted 10 Mr.. stewart In
the amount of n great miuy thousand doIlis'
and after very valuable quarry property had passed over
to him In part extin aslncnt Of claim, he br uSht
m action FOR ih- recovery Of oyf 10000 more Two OF
the contractors supposed 70 be the wealthy men oil
the conc mi against these he obtained Judgment By d"
fault The thlrd partner was tue builder ana he was
made party defendant In the action. Mr stewart hnd
ssorn 10 his complaint, AMI this would have made II
necessary to have the answer sworn to. There would
have be no trouble ia swearing To good answer; nut
was hoped that the action might be compromised
and 1t was feared that sworn answer would
put Mr. Stewart somewhat out Of hunor Tor compromise
Delay was resorcd TO- and through the good nature OF
Judge Hilton many extensions of timo were granted.
Finally II was stated that u matter OF PRIDE with
Mr. Stewart to get Judgment, since much had been said
about hun relative this transaction and that now he
wished to yiudclted by obtaining Judgment 1t WAS
understood that the defendant would consent to Mr.
Stewards obtaining Judgment ho would give release
gggt lg1l "a
ions because several thousand dollars had been offered
I'm COMPROMISE. To MIR. Stewart IL matter OF
pride TO the builder twas matter OF financial existence
Tie condition accedcd to. hr. Stewart obtained
Judgment Of So ,792 20 against the bdildcr ana TIE
builder had the Judgment against him satisfied grd
tutolsly within week. generous aud lust act was
done by Mr. Stewart. and the builder, Alexander Max
well Of Harlem whom he could then have crushed Imam
ciay. was saved.
As Illustrating Mr. Stewards courtesy and kindness oil
heart young art st u this city related yesterday the
following personal xpcrcnce During one of the annual
Ar, Exhibition. az the National Academy OF Design the
ar,t secured permission copy one Of the paintings
While lie was engaged In the work the original picture
was purchased by SIR. stewart and In accordance
with the regulations OF the Exhibition the custodian
forbade the artist to proceed with his copying WITHOUT
pernissIon from Mr. Stewart. The artist called upon
Mr. stewart, who at once and IN the hndost ihalhel
ronted the desired permission. A conversation upon
"A Z n
with reference several eGgrayings hanging upon tue
walls of the office that very desrous to see the
oriuals "Well" said Mr. Stewart, you can see thein
IL YOU will call at my house tomorrow morning Tor they
are IN nv gallery" The following day Mr. stewart re-
ccved the artist most cordially and spent most OF inc
morning in discussing with him the merits oil his various
works OF art.
An example OF Mr.. Stewards strict integrity anu MS
uuvlingncss 10 take unjust advantage by means OF
litv was shown I'm Baltimore. He owned lot on
DecLer, in that city, the city boundary. The cry
nassed An ordinance In 1870 TO grade and pave that street.
which was done under contract, the CONTRACTORS pens az
te risk OF collecting tax assessed forhe
hlornr prouerty IL was discovered however that IN
codying the laws relating to the City OF Baltimore inc
Iepslare mt It's session Of lsG0-7O, omitted clause
giving power 10 enforce collections Tor newly p"'e'
streets number Of property-holders declined 10 pay
,iou this A. "a WAS discovered. but Mr. Stewart refused
10 profit by any sucn technical legal evasion ana p"u
his bill i'm full as did also the Northern Central iallW
Company miluonaIlcs, however, hh'o ho' W '''
day paid their proportion OF thai IA'