Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-07
the same suit it struck the lay mind to
which it was addressed as rather unique.
WILLING TO ALLOW TIME.

the same suit, it struck the lay mind to
which it was addressed as rather unique.
WILLING TO ALLOW TIME.
But the actual owner of the mortgage
having expressed his willingness and
desire that time should be allowed
for an effort in the interest of the
Library il seems still more remarkable to us,
to have it practically asserted that this wish
of the mortgage cannot be granted, because
the interests of the defendant in the suit
demand that its property shall be closed out
at forced sale. Yet that is the significance
which the refusal Of the attorney to permit
a postponement assumed to us. In that
iuncture we were advised that the only
course open to us to protect the interest of
the Library was to 60 into court, as was
done.
"Now the most remarkable feature from
our standpoint of the whole business is the
nature of the influence which is forcing this
sale on. 1t is an open secret that the sale is
pushed by the orders of Mr.. Clarke, who is
absent from the country. Mr.. Brunot's
reason for not stopping the sale positively Is
that he will not interfere with Mr.. Clarke's
plans, to which he has assented. Yet Mr..
Clarke has no interest in the mortgage
under which the judgment is obtained.
The sole owner of the mortgage is not only
willing tosgive us chance to see if we cannot
save the property, but has made very
material and Kind offers in aid of the plan.
CLARKE's QUEER POSITION.
Mr.. Clarke's position is that of President,
and. therefore trustee ex-officio for the cor
poration whose property is to be sold out.
His reason for urging the sale is stated to be
that the intimations of possible RESPONSE
bil1tv for the Johnstown disaster have so
affected him that he has determined to take
this course of winding up the Library Hall
Company, and avoiding any responsibility
that might arise from a possible fire or panic
in the theater now located in the buildings.
1t has been pointed out to him that he and
auy others who wished to avoid such a re-
sponsibility could do so, and yet keep in
harmony with the purposes for which the
property was called into existence by turn
ing over their stock in the Library Hall
Company to the Library. But instead
of that the action of the President
of the Library Hall Company in taking the
course of ordering the foreclosure of SOL
vent corporations property, and OF avoiding
8 future public criticism by the present and
peremptory defeat of the public purposes for
which his corporation was chartered, as
sumes an extremely singular character, to
us at least.
WHAT THE MAJORITY THINE.
"The idea of most of the parties-except
Mr.. Brunot and ourselves-is that the Lii
brarv has no rights and that its interests are
not worth mentioning. We certainly think
that the objects laid down in the acts Gre
ating the Library Hall Company, namely
the permanent use and benefit of the Lii
brary, are entitled to some respect from the
officers of that corporation; and when just
at the time that property is reaching the
point where it can yield revenue 1t
is proposed to throw all these objects
overheard, we feel it our duty and are
advised that we must IN the interest of the
Library obtain a legal decision as to ifs
rights. 1t is one of the e1asperating anom-
allies of the situation that the only way to
secure such judicial dellverance is to take
the apparent position of the one gentleman
who is most disposed to be the friend of the
Library; but that is only because the influ-
ences behind him will not permit his desires,
which should be solely of weight to be car
ried out However the application may be
decided the Library Board will feel that
they were required to at least make formal
protest against the defeat OF the purpose for
which Library Hall was erected and to seek
an authoritative ruling on the point whether
the library as the beneficiary designated by
the law, is not entitled to consideration be-
tore its interest in the property is destroyed.