The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-03
PROSPECT PARKS CASTLE.
MYSTERIOUS DTSIPPEfRINCE or the
RECORD or IRIS TRANSFER.
How the Curious Building was Bouuht by the
city of Brooisiyn-Why Its Former Owner
sun DwcIIs In the Embowcrcd RETREAT.

Cty of Brootiyn-Mhy its Former Owner
sun DwciIs In the Embowcrcd Retreat.
There are missing from the County Clerks
office In brooklyn two important books con-
tanning the reports OF Commissioners who. un-
der distinct legislative ncts, were appointed to
take lands and assess damages for the extern
sion Of Prospcc, Park The ono for which there
Is tho most inquiry is tho report OF Commits
sioncrs Tunis G.. Bergen. II. c. Murphy. Jr.. G.
C. Smith, Henry W. Slocum and G. X. Scranton.
who were appointed under the act OF April.
1860. to tako about ilfty-two acres. including
what il now known ~ The Litchneld Castle.
which was last week rented anew to Mr. L. c.
fitchncld for g. 500 u ycar-i1 900 lcss than he
had boon paying for it, For some reason this
report is missing from the records OF Kings
County. 1t is highly important because 1t the
legal evidence Of the transfer Of property which
cost the city in all e17Oj. 24S.32. II wns signed
on April 10. 1869. and was filed before the end
Of that month. 1t is not known when 1t was
taken away. or 10y whom. hut the fact oi is
having necn taken is uniisputcd 10y t'ic deputy
To- every person from whom Jana was taken, "
shows tia, Mr.. Hugh Mclaughlin received
tn W. G. kagsry: Sli SEQ. 49, tlG.7l2
s2l .22i. Al 2GO -. sS5 az sGs. Sj5Ji 81 i3J
t22 90. i22si tl.s3s. slO,JJT. making total OF
Tie same hook shows that the Park COMMITS
siuncrs RAJ, I" Mr. T.. &. Litchileld, Tor his brick
and mastir castle an ortngonal building Of fam
citul structure hid within forest. above
whlri, lis dnnI9n ,-nroiscis,.rnnd ils sur
mssiuncrs aver that Il concurrence uf events
inGn"d thnn To paying ms nnu other hiih
nj point whore he thought IL would he sale
from the march " Improvement. II" had It's
halls lined with polished marble, It's windows
lcd with bowed glass brought from Europe
It's ceilings ircrcocd 10y painters from Italy. and
II grounds arranged lay landscape gardeners
He was 10th To- part with 1t even Mt the price
named. ana hc insisted on getting more. and
tpurhingly depicted how, hcing vast land
owner IN q large number ot Western Stntcs. hu
had east about Tor site for homestead and II
retreat safe from tue vandil hand ~ enterprise.
and had, with strange fatality. seized upon =
point where his schemes wcfH all disturbed:
He spoke Of tn" collection ~ heaVy Rtauary and
adurumcnts which he had chosen. and how hY
mud his family had horonc attached to them.
H.. however. pnckcicd the half million odd doll
lars and then rented the castle Tor $500
The castle was designed ns n repository for
ilnc arts. but this stggt stion never took shape.
and then 1t wis proposed that it should be
! turned into u restaurant, hut Mr. Strannhnn,
/ the President of the Park Commission. refused
! Ia entertain this idea. He was. however. viii
Tx u Ir r t%p' s1d ' mse IN, le iSS
! tor museum. hui that society has. already
| pMnuod 10 erect huilding ut II cost 81 100000
/ ut Ilrrrrpont and Clinton streets. There IL no
r"srrVntiun made IN tho salo OF the property 10
! ihc Park Commission for the city. Hs Il p1pu-
| larry supposed the latter owning II absolutely.
| Some cumpluint has been made that htyurit-
! ism was shown 10 Mr.. Ltrhhsd in permitting
| linn To- remain a tenant but President Strnnn.
han says that the property will Nn leased to any
one vino will pay better rent. There arc from
one io two acres about tn" castle, now thicsy
wooded conrouling tho view a.. Il from the
! principal paths u,id ruuds IN the Park but the
| castle aud it, surroundings are both within the
! limits vt the Park.
The other record missing from the Kings
| County Clerks onlrc H. known only to the
! deputy clork us Schedule b." He WAS par
| tiruiur whom he fled IL. in November. 1871. to
! make tho entry himself, aud To- add IN pencil.
" IN the closet. dcnOting where he put It; but 1t
| wil- taken from the closet and there II nothing
in the oil gee To show Of what Importance II was.
! When hc applied tn the Park Commission to
iraru what II WIS. Secretary QucNcdO said that
there was no such book.