The Indianapolis journal., 1891-03-14
THE ANNEKE JANSDELUSION
Elusive Millions That Will Never Be
Captured by the Hundreds of Heirs.
John A. Anderson's Scheme for Keeping Alive
Contest for Trinity Church Property
That Cannot Be Sustained Legally.

For nearly century there have been
those who have laid claim to their share of
a sixty-two-acre patch now lying in the
Church corporation, and as the years
rolled on. and the descendapts of Anneke
Jams increased and multiplied. the claim
ants grew more and more numerous and at
times clamorous and importunate They
had always been taught that the property,
worth millions was theirs by right; that it
had been granted to the husband of Anneke
JAMS by the corporation of New Amsterdam
in 1896; that Trinity Church, which claimed
to hold the real estate under q ninety mine
years lease. had no such lease aud was In
illegal possession of the vast property. and
that a suit conducted by eminent counsel
would result in the reinstatement of the
rlghtful heirs Claimants to the property
and descendants of Anneke Jams were
heard of from all over the country
and from Holland; old genealogical
trees, forgotten and moth-eaten. were
brought forth from their cupboards and
made to blossom again with the promise of
millions and one old woman in Indiana
copy of the will of Anneke JAMS Suits of
all kinds were begun against the Trinity
Church corporation, the most noted being
that OF the Bogardus heirs against Trinity
Church, which was tried forty years ago
before Vice-chancellor Lewis II. Sanford
in New York and decided against the heirs.
Hero Trinlty's title to its property was
clearly and elaborately proven to be de-
rived from q Queen Anne charter and grant
An in hu d.
ing sovereigns, and by the colonial and State
Legislatures. Except to the invincible blind
this wOnld have been sufficient, but as fools
never die and are constantly being born
of the Anneke JAMS heirs suffered neither
in numbers, enthusiasm nor persistence.
After the determination of this snit in
favor of the church it is told of q man in
Bath. Me-, named Sanford, that to prove
6l hls faith in his helrship to the property ne
his brother in purchase of the latter's claim
as an heir of Anneke Jams.
The loss of the suit by the Bogardus heirs
had the effect of temporary suspension of
operations, and the church lived onin peace.
winning occasionally q desultOry case
brought now and then by q particularly
sangulne and wealthy claimant. Those
who thought themselves heirs began to cor
respond with each other and compare
notes The Van Benscotens and Van Ben
Coy Kendales and Thorps of the Hudson
river valley. the Smiths and Bottoms of IL
linois, the Keys and Schiffinans of Indiana,
learned of each others claims, and Long
Island and Brooklyn claimants became nu-
merous. This soil is cOngenial for Dutch
descendants, and prolific in good old Hol-
landish names and memories. A move was
set on foot years ago to form . coalition
between all the heirs in the country, but
through some differences the Western
uIa - vof, al e. d. .o,x
movement. and organized distinct society.
which only last week held one of it's period
ical meetings in New Albany. Ind. At this
meeting statement was made to the effect
that the present holders of the property in
New York had made an offer to compromise
with the heirs without lawsuit, and pay
them large sums to quiet their title. A dis
patch to that effect was printed in the
Eagle of last Thursday, and, whom asked
what truth there was in 1t, the Rev. DR..
Morgan Dix. rector of Trinity Church. and
Col. S. V. X. Cruger, the controller of the
corporation, positively denied that any
compromise had been, or would be, 0Ade
with any one.
HOW THE HEIRS ARE DUPED.
With so many people In Brooklyn who
believe themselves to be heirs of Anneke
JAMS, it would have been strange if they
escaped being made the dupes of designing
persons who are always ready enough to
victimize credulous or susceptible enthusi-
asts. Indeed. SO many letters have reached
the Eagle of late complaining that there
was an organized system of collecting
in this city. that an investigation was de-
cided on. The result was the discov-
cry of the Anneke Jams Bogardus
Literary Association, whose chief Office
is located in the basement of the
vSsah hail 4l.-l
street. owned by John A. Anderson. the
treasurer of the association. His daughter.
Miss NJ +. Anderson, is the secretary, and
these two are the only responslble officers
of the concern and handle all the funds.
and there are 500 people in these United
States who have been foolish enough to pay
that sum to be enrolled among the heirs of
Anneka JAMS This and much more, as will
be told later on, an Eagle reporter learned
in the course of his Investigations.
Inquiry was made of Mr.. Stephen p. Nash,
q warden of Trinity Church and counsel
for the corporation. concerning Anderson
and his operations. and he exhibited letters
showing that he was collecting money for
the Anneka JAMS Bogardus Literary Asso-
ciation. After reading one of these letters
Mr.. Nash said:
dreds that we have received, and it re-
quires little cleverness to read between the
lines of the circular. If we paid any atten-
ton to such letters as the above that reach
us by every mail asking for information
about the claims of the heirs of Anneka
Jams on Trinity Church, or if we attempted
to answer one-half of the absurd questions
that come from deluded dupes of such men
as this Anderson, it would occupy the entire
time of q special clerk. If there was any,
thing comforting to say to them or any
hope to hold out that there was the slight
est foundation for their supposed claims
the case would be different. Then there
might be some excuse for the persons who
for years have been engaged in gulling peo-
pie all over the country who have either
led themselves or have been taught to be-
lleve that they can trace their genealOgy
to Anneke Jams Of late the letters have
been received in such numbers and some
of the correspondents have become so i'm
Fortunate and troublesome that not long
ago / submitted great batch of these let
ters to the vestry of Trinity Church and
advised that some positive and authorita-
tive statement be made to the large section
of the public who haYe allowed themselves
to be deluded by certain sharpers into the
belief that, at some far-off indefinite time,
the property of Trinity Church would be
divided among them. The vestry took
action and ordered circular to be issued in
which people were warned against paying
money to any person who claimed to have
brought suit against the corporation or to
be engaged in negotiations with the Trim
ity trustees. This circular" continued Mr..
Nash. "was mailed to every person. whose
terested in the alleged claim, and it should
ho accanfad q q a fin al fO all