Morning journal and courier., 1881-03-07
Giving Away a Fortune.

In an interview given representative of the New York Sun, MT. Geo. I. Seney, presi- dent of the Metropolitan bank of New York, who has already given away half million dollars for good objects, including large gift to Wesleyan University at Middletown, said that he preferred giving away money in his life time because it was a source of pleas ure and because so frequently wills are set aside or the purposes of the donor defeated through some unforeseen difficulty.
 'sHave you found that these gifts lead to appeals to your generosity for other pur- poses ?"
 "Others ?'' MT. Seney said, "why, applica- tions come to me by the hundred-yes, by the thousand. Mylife has almost been made perfect misery to me since the newspapers began to talk about these gifts. Hordes of applicants besiege me, and one unfortunate lunatic has been persistent and violent that was obliged to have him arrested. The poor fellow then made an attempt on his own life Of course it would be impracticable for me to adopt any practice of indiscriminate giving"
 ''Is there no general principle on which you have made these gifts, which, if publish ed, would tend to reduce the number of ap- plicants?'' -.-
 "Well, I should be almost willing to promise to give another great donation if some one would relieve me of these per- sistent beggars.'' Mir. Seney said, laughing, q may say, however, that nearly all that I have given has been unsolicited, and without any idea on the part of the recipients that they were to get it. There is no end of suggestions that come to me from those who think that they know better than I do myself what objects should select for my gifts. I wish all these people who are sending begging letters to me every day could know that about all my gifts have been unsolicited. Possibly there may have been one exception in the case of the Young Mems Christian association gymnasium That was small affair of $1, 300, however They showed me what they had done and said would give them a check"
 About your gift of $27, ,OOO to Wesleyan University at Middlstown, Conn, MT. Seney. Is that college your alma mater?''
 Mot exactly, as I was not graduated there, but used to be student there, and know what a bother they had to make both ends meet by going down into their pockets every year. I was afraid they would come to grief, and wind up some day for want of funds. So thought would just give them enough money to make them easy. They can now be sure of a certain income, Sthat will place their permanence- beyond question I did that for love of the old college; and to make sure they would get it, gave the money in my lifetime. So many of these gifts never get to their destination after man dies"
 ''And the gift to the new hospital in Brook lyn, was there any special motive in that ??
 q had one main object in that, 7, Mir. Seney replied; land that was to help the city of Brooklyn to establish some institutions that shall be as creditable to her as are those of New York. To be sure, we have an Acad- emy of Music that is, perhaps, as well suited to it's purpose as the New York Academy. Artists say the acoustic qual- ities are better. We have some fine churches and celebrated ministers. We have fine building occupied by the His torical society. But we are really in need of large institutions, such as the great hospitals of New York. I want to see Brooklyn come forward in this matter. I give to the hospi- tai sixteen lots of ground in Seventh avenue, running from Union to President streets. These lots are worth $40, GOO. Then give in cash $2OO, 900. This will make it possible to start the hospital at once..n