The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-30
The Deed of the Cottage.


full service in the cause OF truth by procur-
ing from the county records OF Cape May
county the exact text OF tho decd conveying
the gift cottage 10 Mrs. HAtRIsoN.
The instrument Is dated on June g. 1890.
For the consideration OF one dollar, in the
lawful money OF the United States, WILLIAM
v. mexican Of Philadelphia and his wife
HANNAH convey to CAROLINE SCOTT HAIR
RIsoN. wife Of BENJAMIN HARRISON OF the
city Of indianapolis, State OF Indiana, the
land and structure constituting the
| eleemosynary establishment now famous
| as tho free summer home Of the HARRISON
| family. The deed was filed with the County
Clerk on June 49, just thirteen days after
| It's execution.
Another deed, filed one day earlier than
| the date OF the gift decd, records the trans
| fer Of this same property to Mr.. MohEAN
! for 5000 by ANsoN H. HAMILTON, the Cape
May Point social promoter and real estate
Spectator.
Mr.. MCKEAN, through whose hands the
property passed on its way to the Presi-
dents family. Is n trusted employee OF Mr..
GEORGE WASHINGTON CH1LDs and 1t was
at his instance that Mr.. CHILDs and Mr..
DRExEL subscribed to the fund for the pur-
chase OF the cottage, knowing that their
contribution was for a charitable purpose,
but not knowing, as there is reason to be-
lieve, that the President OF the United States
was to be the beneficiary.
The dates from the Cape May county rec
ords complete the history OF transaction
that humiliates every American citizen; and
they serve to demolish the dishonest plea
Ia. L. l,H. H. Dc,
dent, namely, that he perceived from the
first the improperly Of accepting the cot
tagc as n gift and intended to pay cash for
it as soon as he had given 1t q trial.
The proof that this version Of the affair is
tardy afterthouRht, an unworthy subter-
fuge designed to relieve the President Of the
odum that has been piled on him since we
called attention to the scandalous character
OF the transaction, becomes as clear as noon
day when the dates arc considered.
The news about the gift was public
property soon after the ceremony Of presen-
tation. The President was warned on June
II by THE Sun that he had taken upon his
shoulders u scandal which might have con-
sequences out Of all proportion to the size OF
the gift; and he was then advised to give
back the cottage to the mysterious donors
without delay. II he had had the wit to sec
the value Of The Suns advice at that time,
or il 1t had been true, as Is now alleged,
that from the first he entertained no other
intention than to pay cash for the cottage
providing it proved satisfactory, the gift
deed Of June would never have gone on
record. 1t would have been torn up at
once or locked up in some safe and secret
place as a family souvenir, leaving the
property legally in the possession of Mr.
MCKEAN until such time as the President
had satisfied himself Of the desirability OF
the investment, when he would have
taken q new deed from Mr.. MCKEAN,
stating the fact that he had paid $4,000 |
for the property. The original gift deed
would never have been filed for record, for |
the filing OF 1t under such circumstances
amounted to putting on public record lie,
a lie discreditable to the President and |
serviceable to him in no conceivable way |
except upon the supposition that he intend |
ed by and by to dodge part Of his taxes |
in New Jersey.
And yet q whole week after THE SUNS |
to President HARRISON, and after |
the press Of the country had taken up the |
subject and presented it in the light OF ma
tional scandal, the gift deed was filed with
the County Clerk by Mr.. mexican at the per-
Bonal request Of Mrs. HARRISON. just two
days before the expiration Of the fifteen
days period allowed for the protection OF
the grantee by the laws Of New jersey.
This Is conclusive as to Gen. HARRIsoN's
Intentions in the matter. He perceived the
improperly of the business only after 1t
had been driven through his thick senslbili-
Ties by plain talk and naked rebuke from all
parts of the country. and by the ominous
silence OF his most indulgent friends. Then
this ridiculous story about his original atti-
tude toward the syndicate OF disinterested
and selflshy Interested benefactors was
as a last resort. The injudicious
attempt to clear Gen. BENJAMIN HARRISON
and its ignominious failure leave him in
worse position by far than II the simple
ruth had been told and the mistake man
July acknowledged.
Greed and gift grabbing are deplorable
Kings in a President OF the United States,
out they become almost respectable by COM
Darison with the later aspects Of Gen. HAIR
RIsoN's extraordinary behavior.
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Better Drivers Needed