Omaha daily bee., 1885-01-12
0@bN h-hb ~
william Z. Vanderbilt Cancels Gen.
Grants Indebtedness
By Making it a Present to Mrs,
Grant,
She, With Equal Generosity, Re-
fuses to Accept the Gift.
But he Will Not be Defeated in
His Purpose
And Turns it Into a Life Annuity
for Her.
The Swords and Historical Memen-
toes to Belong to the Government
ut the Generals Death.
v~ANDERBInr's GENEROSITY.

EhAN ~
NEw YoRK, January 1.-THE following
letter was sent Mrs. Ulysses s. Grant by Mr.
w. II. Vanderbilt:
S04 FIFTH AVENUE, january IS, 1885.
Mrs. Ulysses s. Grant-Dear Madam:-So
many misrepresentation have be n made in
regard to the loan made by me to General
Grant and rejecting ~unjnstly upon him and
myself, that 1t seems proper to recite briefly
the facts. On Sunday, the 4th of May last,
General Grant called at my house and asked
me to lend him aS1500, 900 ror one day.
| gave him my check without question, not
because the Transaction was buslnesslike, but
simply because the request came from General
Grant. The misfortunes which overwhelmed
him in the next twenty four hours aroused the
sympathy and regret of the whole country.
You and he sent me within q few days time
deeds of your Joint properties to cover this Oh.
legation, and urged my acceptance on the
ground that this was the only debt of honor
which the general had personally incurred,
and these deeds l returned. During my alb.
sence in Europe, the general delivered
to my attorney mortgages upon all
his own real estate, household effects and
swords, medals and works of art, which were
memorials of his vi ctories and presents from
governments all over the world. These Sc
curities vera in his judgement worth the one
hundred and City thousand dollars. At his
solicitation the necessary steps were taken by
a judgement. ETC., to reduce these properties
to possession, and the articles have been
this DAY bought in by me, and the amount
bid applied in reduction of the debt Now
that | am at liberty to treat these things
as my own the disposition of the whole
matter most in accord with my feelings is
this: l present to you, as your separate es.
tate, the debt and judgment / hold against
General Grant; also the mortgages upon his
1 ,,aNl z.N-4 -..l Ill
ornaments, coupled only with the condition
that the swords, commissions. medals. gifts
from the United States, cities and foreign
governments are AL articles of historical value
and interest, and shall, at the generals death,
or, if you desire it, sooner, be presented to
presented to the government, where they will
remaiu as perpetual memories of his fame and
the assignment to you of the mortgages and
Judgment, a BIZ of sale of the personal
property and a deed of trust in
in which the articles of historical interest are
enumerated. A copy of this trust deed will,
with your approval, be forwarded to the
president Of the United States for deposit IL
the proper department.. Trusting this action
will meet with your acceptance and approval,
and with the kindest regards to your hus.
band. Yours respectfully,
[Signed. w. II. VANDERBILT.
MRS. GRANTS REPLY.
NEW York CRY, January 10, 1SS5.-W
II. Vanderbilt, Esq $40 Fifth avenue: Deal
Sir Mrs. Grant wishes me to answer your
letter of this evening, to say that while she
appreciates your great generosity in transfer
ring to her the mortgage given to secure my
debt of S15O, 600, shecannot accept itin whole,
She accepts with pleasure the trust which ap
plies to the articles enumerated in your Letter
to go to the government of the United States
at my death or sooner at her option. In this
matter you have anticipated the disposition ]
had contemplated making of this articles
They will be de ivered to the government a:
soon rs arrangements can be made for Their
reception. The papers relating to all othel
property will be returned with the Request
that you have it sold and the proceed.
applied to the liquidation of the debt
which l so Justly WI you. You hav,
stated in your letter with the minutest accu.
racy the history of the transaction which
L regard your giving me your check for thu
amount without inquiry, as only au act O
marked and unusual friendship. The loa,
YVES to me personally. l got the money, ss
believed, to carry the Marine Ma
tional bank over a day. being as
but owing to the unusual calls needed assis
tance until it could call in its loan. 1 wa
assured by Ferdinand Ward that the firm o
Grant & Ward had over S6G0,0O0 to thei
credit at that time in the Marine bank beside
81, $780, QUO of unpledged securities in thei
own values. 1 cannot ~conclun,
without assuring you that Mrs. Grants inabil
ity to avail herself of your great kindness il
no way lessons her sense Of obligation or m,
own. Yours truly, u. S. GRANT.
vADRRBILT'S REPLY.
NEW YoRK, January II.
General U. s.. Grant. my dear sit:-On m,
return home last night / found your letter il
answer to mine to Airs. Grant. / appreciat
fully The sentiments which a .tuate both Mrs
Grant and yourself IN declining part of m,
proposition relating to the req
estate. l greatly regret that sh
feels it her duty to make this dec. sion, as
earnestly hope the spirit in which the offe
was made would overcome any ,cruples in &C
Ct pting it, but / must insist I shall not be de
festei in The purpose to which | have giver
so much thought and which l have 80 mucI
at heart. ] will, Their fore, as fas
as the money is received from tn
GALES Of the real estate deposit it il
the Union Trust company, with tn
money thus realized / will a5 once Gre ate WIT
that company n trust with the proper pre-
Visions for an income to be made to MIR:
Grant during her life, and giving her powe
to make such disposition of the principal b
her will as she may elect, Very truly your.