The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-26
MATTHIAS DANCERS MONEY.
rgow 7nE GREEN CLOTH TO THE CfRE
or CHiRITY'S STEW1RDs.
unnhcrs' urokrr.'. Merchants, and Min's-
tcr.' OpInions about Using for Charitable
Purposes Money WON at the Gaming Table
A. Good IA Money Made In Wall street.

\. Good ia Money Made In Wall street.
MIS- Mary NJ. Dancer in her will, which
WIS published last week, hcduoathcd s325 oo0
tthirty religious and charitable associations
Of this city. Miss Dance! Inherited this wealth
from her G.thor Matthias Dancer. who accufnu-
lt.I ID hy gambling. To ascertain whether any |
of the lo..a,ros would hesitate or reluso to ac-
cent ior religious and charitable uses money |
van M the faro table. aSuS reporter called upon |
either the President or some executive officer oil
each of the societies named in the will. Their
answers make an entertaining chapter in
morals They review the question whether
p,n.v ,yi0kediy gained should he accepted 10y
nor-,ns OF sanilltions VI religious charac-
Lr In various lights and probably settle it to
the satisfaction OF anybody who has enter
tanned doubts about IT,
The Rev DR.. NJ. T. Hutton. President " the
Board Of Education Of the Reformed Church in
America. to which Miss Dancer bcuucathcd
5000 said: Isoc no improperly in our accept
Ing this money. Themoncy Is good enough oven
II it was earned in a bad way. The donor was
n good woman. / don't know what the Board
may do but for myself should have no hcsita-
lion in saying. Accept it,"
The Rev. DR.. J. NJ Ferris Secretary OF the
Board Of Foreign Missions Of the Reformed
Church in America. which receives 10000
under the will. said that he could not see that
there would be- anything wrong in accepting
the money! and he thought that the society he
represented would very likely DO Of the Same
opinion.
Mr.. Royal Phelps. President Of the New York
Eye and Ear Innrmary. which receives $4,000.
when asked for his opinion. replied am
surprised that such que stOn should hc asked,
because It prcsupposcs that there is no door left
open to repentance. Because n man has lived IA
bad life shall we say. when he is dead. that his
money shall not be given for a good purpose
Miss Dancer was good Christian, and. poor
girl. she has done all the good she could with
Tie money and a man would be hypocrtc. in
deed not to accept il at her hands,"
Howard Potter. President Of the New York
Association for Improving the Condition Of the
Poor. to which the will gives $4,000, said he
had had no official information that any money
had been hoqucathed. lie had only seen it 80
stated in the newspapers and he didn't know
that 1t was true. 1t might be- true with respect
10 all the other institutions said to have been
made lcgatecs. and yet bc untrue In that one
Item relating to the society of which he is
President Therefore he was not in situation
lo answer the question. and he did not want 10
make any suggestions.
John 5. Bussing. President Of the New York
Bible Society. which receives 10000. was not
willing TO express an opinion as President be-
cause he did not know what the Board might DO.
Personally however, he would say that he
thought IL was not customary Tor societies re-
ctiNlu- houuestS to Investigate how the money
had been acquired Ia IN case the money
would he used 20 supply Bibles free Of cost TO
gamblers aud thus that very class Of persons
might be benefited los tins good use of the
property which a gambler was SAID TO have
ama-S,d. The officers of the society received
~ salaries, ana SO the MONEY would not benefit
.hem personally but would all 70 Tor the free
one Of the requests is $4,000 to the Bowcry
village chur b. now knuNnas tllc ; ~ nth street
thoii-i Episcopal Church" Miss Dancer
oinei Inis ,hurh on ,,pr9hatlon some year.
d" Ithink We Will take thr money If We can goi
il. l don't know us "a. chur IN has any respo n
sibilty requiring 1t to investigatn through what
hands the money IL may receive las pas~ei t.
Half the money we gct. you know. may have
come through liquor stores and gambling dens'
Besides. what * considered gambling ly some
persons is regarded otherwise 10y "A different
class Some persons think stock gambling is
the hi.Il'si society II We didn't take This
money. what would become of ~ BY using il
Tor good rnrpos, :, We, come us near us we can
Supp0-r The gih had boon made by n gam
Pier himself. would that make any difference
"Ithink not. No; il it had come direct from
agambl,r / think it should have been arce pted
| believe any church In the city would tax,
money coming in that way. Tho intent and
uurln-n would hr good.
hi ]. B. Cornell Is President Of the New York
City Church Extension and NJ ssonary Society
Of the Methodist Episcopal Church: He said
prcpskin a; the ' Gospci and have no doqbt tha
from what know other character. This money
ones 70 - throush clean hands What sh9l
give it baek To- those from whom II came. W.
Mrs. $. A. Stone. Treasurer OF tho American
Female Guardian Society. which receive
100000. said That she thought the gllt ought {
tuition. she said, %ani think tho donor di,
90, too else Why did she give So much Tor charl
table Us II Wns the wish OF both her moth
and hers II 10 have the money given thus
md tAiuk 10 would he wrOnsing them To r"iu-
Il. II could not have been devoted 10 d belu'
II. N. " Iarcn treasurer Of the Home 70
lnourtl.' a, 20 Whi1n s2lN1p ~ given. though
Lhat the money ought % he accepted, and tina.
Mis-. Dancers rAampie in the distribution %
her Miui. -i lu' it-it iY contrast with VIA
stewart, NanirrOlN, AstJr, and Other million
John i. Wrclt President Of the New Yor
Society for tho PrrN,nNgAo of Cruelty ochidref
said that be saw no good reason Why the slu
90 that NJ - Dancer had left I" mat Institute
should not Ice accepted He thought II "a Yer
appropriate way Tor the money to be u- 90
The best thing that could be done with II,
..Anouos h, Wctmoro. President OF the Ne
Nnrk Juvenile Asylum and the New York Cit
n zion and Trait Society, which are give
fuuUu and t2u.OOO respectively, suid " W
vii sanftiy thcmoney. have no hesitation i
saying that il should bee accepted. II seems :
ir % bse pe.uliarly appropriate disposition
The Nortuoa-trn Dispensary receives 5000
nnd Dr. SehONnDVer It's Secretary, sand inlt IA
board Of Directors had decided 10 a"cept III
Elit. and that tho question oi how the mon"
had been gained did not arse ~ their deAbefa
The Treasurer Of The shelprins Arms whiic,
erts fluNu, Thought That th" mooney ought I
himself then II might have been "a qu, -tl0
whether j shouldbe accepted .ut coming iroi
his daughter. good woman, thero could pe II
hesitation about lbs acceptance.
The SECRETARY ol tie Nur7 yqnd Chids llG
s5OOO that Miss Dancer had belucatncd 10 Tia