Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-12-19
AISa.EnaHAMgfR
The My stcrious Room IA The Noaac
Museum in Llncoin's iuu Fields.

TIE London NeVS SAYS: " A great
amount Of interest appears 70 have been
created by the announcement that on
Nonoay rext sealed room is 70 be
ope1ed by the trustees under the will
Of the founder Of the singular col.ec-
tion in Lincolu's Inn fields, known as
The Sloane Museum. Sir John Sloane
was q remarkable man, full of strange
Wbims. ard 8 sealed room will admira-
bly, accord with the genius Of his mn
scum. The interest Of the announce.
mtnt seems 70 be rather enhanced than
diminished by the statement Of the
Grihtr fact that there is on the pre-
misses IN Lircoin's I'm fields a second
chamber. to be opened in ten years
tine. Skeletons and ghosts, dome tic
tragedy. boarded treasure, unexpected
tequeS,s. romantic reyelation---are any
o. all Of them suggested by THIS rather
Urcsnuy announcement
The Sloane Museum is endov-t
With q sum sufficient for is main gee
nance, but 10 provision is made for Is
extension. Is there On Monday TO be
revelation Of hidden funds-sone
document that viii enable ;he trustees
10 claim q hitherto owueTless invest
uent IN consols thai has been sccUmI-
lstirg at compound interest ever since
lsl2-fcr a splendid extension Of the
institution OR Sre the trustees AMI
actual otHceholGtrs on Monday to be
made ulilCuaircs: Or does Tins sealed
chamber shroud some such mystery as
those that fasCir8te the reader @ Scott,
snd such a. may extend the fame oi the
S,oa,e Museum 20 the utmost ends Of
the esrtb, IL seems almost a pity 70
C.tuye the public Of any LITTLE cppcr-
trrity fer SPECULATION on so romantic
sub Get: tu: facts are facts. lr Oh
first place. hen. this sealed r0CD, a.
the public auUcur cement haze eNpr-a--
Cd j.. is after all only CUPBOARD or
closet: emo. 'nthc1c1tl.ace. tle chance
aIt--tbcvch ca this point &c have m
positive information. IS not even n
sealed closet IN tie sense IN which %
public vfi. ro doubt have construed the
sr,cu-ceuui lie trustees. among
whom sIe TIE president Of the Royal
Academy, Professor F,oGer, Nr. Al
fred Nuct.se. BIZ Edwin Freshieli,
ard slre l..r CT five other weil-kHoTn
men. probably know perfectly well
what IN the mysterious closet, for
ne SIMPLE reason that IN tie ordinary
cClrco u ttirc- tie contents Of il must
1,ce. sfiy have been o,erhauled OF
flerfGNrg' Of TIE testat0r' S viii. And
even i tbs dia Guilty could have been
gotten over. .hc chancellor Of the ex-
heorer would very properly have
manifested curiosity 70 know whether
be could not claim something IN the
form If probate duty on anything that
night he concealed there. Il is pretty
-aie. therefore. 70 assume tia. this cup
beard las bad the seal Of It's secrecy
broken this many year, and It there
were IN il any Unspesbable horror. such
as would have sent the first lawyer who
put bis head IN q stark lunatic 70 bis
crave. or ,uch an accumulation Of
wealth as would some day nave affected
the tarb-rate, the secret would no
doubt have leaked OUT.
' As 10 he nature Of the secret, those
Who are familiar with the history Of the
sloane family feel no great degree Of
doubt. though they may have no posi-
uge knowledge. The unhappy Iels.
SONS OF sir John Sloane and his eldest
.cn were alters Of common notoriety
during tie latter days Of the founder
life. There was a long and bitter feud
between them, ard this 1t IS believed
vas he cause Of Sloane's preference for
a lulch'hood. instead Of the bar0netage
he might have had i he would. His
intention % withhold his large fortune
G,m BIS eldest son was well-known,
AID tie son On BIS part had threatened
10 dispute tie Will on the ground Of his
fathers insanity at the time a. which IL
was MADE. The probability appears
10 he that re sealed room contains
merely certain documents bearing on
tbs painful sub ect, such as might al
ysntsse.rsy be brought under the no.
;ice e tie trustees Of the property
from time 90 time. Whether these
Gentlemen will think it necessary or
ind convenient to NEE, and open this
close; On the very day specified We are
rot informed. tlt there can be little
doubt that he subject Is Of purely pri-
yste interest and that nothing at all
sensational IS 70 De expected.N