The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-03-19
AN UNEXPECTED LEGACY.
The New Episcopal Church has a 81 900
Windfall

! The new Episcopal Free Church has re-
ceived a windfall A few days ago
Rev. Charles H. Strong, Rector
of st. Johns Church, under the au-
spices of which the new church has been
organized and will build church edifice,
received a letter from Isaac Beckett, Esq,
informing him of the existence OF fund Of
over $1,000 belonging to 1t, and yesterday
the rector brought the facts to the attention
of the Vestry of st. Johns.
! A MORNING NEWS reporter called
upon Mr.. Beckett yesterday after
noon and questioned him in relation
to the matter Mr. Beckett was
not, at first, disposed to furnish any
facts for publication, believing, as he said
that Mr. Strong was the proper party to
give the information, but upon being as
sured that it had become well-known to
many people outside of the congregation,
and that it was a matter which the public
ought to be informed upon, he consented to
give the material facts, which are about as
follows:
in 1872 Nathaniel P. Crowell, then resi-
| dent of this city, gave to st. Matthews
church S2G4, and invested the amount in
stock of the Southwestern Railroad Com
pauy of Georgia, to be held by himself, in
| trust, until the dividends and profits should
reach 81 900. Then the principal and in
terest were to be used, as the declaration Of
trust stated, in placing stained glass win
dow in the church and ornamenting the
chancel
Mr.. Beckett, while preparing his Alb
stracts of Land Titles, found this declara-
ton of trust and made an entry of it in his
bCoks-not, as he stated, because he thought
there was really anything in it, but like
many other matters which he came across
he placed der a special head in his alb
StractS, winch he has designated Cur. osities
found i'll the records"
When the recent action was taken by St
Johns vestry toward erecting a church he
thought of this trust fluid and commune
Gated the facts verbally to Rev. Mr.. Strong
who, like himself, thought il was an unSub-
Stantlal material to use in the new edifice
Mr.. Beckett, however, determined to spend
little time upon it, and IN the early part of
last week he made thorough investigation
of the whole matter AS a result
he found three shares of South
western Railroad stock and one
Central railroad debenture bond with
something like Sl20 uncalled for dividends
The previous dividends were collected by
the trustee, and are doubtless available
The total value of the fund at the present
time, Mr. Beckett places at l,0l6. This is
bona fide fund, and available for the pur-
pose for which 1t was intended.
Upon being asked whether or not the old
records contain any more treasure trOve OF
similar character, MIR. Beckett replied
that he does not doubt the existence of va
rious funds, but his time has been too much
occupied in the main object of his work to
permit any special Investigations of such
things-it is only when, as in the present
instance, his attention is particularly
directed to a matter of this character that
it materializes.
The yeStry and conprapation of ST JobnS
as well as the vestry and congregation of
the new church, have Mr. Beckett to thank
for the unexpected legacy that has fallen to
them,