New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-10
A HAPPY J.S.STF.

The controversy over the layefweather MILL
ions has been happily settled, the contestants
have withdrawn and the viii has been admitted
to probate. So far as it is now possible to look
into the future no further difficulties except
those which inevitably inhere IN the diStribu-
ton of great estate are to be anticipated, and
the institutions which are named in the will
and the deed of gift may reasonably expect 70
enter upon the enjoy ment of their legaCeS be-
fore long. The end Of this contest, which at
first threatened to be stubborn and from pub
lie point of view most unfortunate, is triumph
for common sense. The settlement is undOuht-
edly compromise but it is not of such char
acter as to reverse or even seriously modify the
intentions of the testatOr His widow and two
nieces will receive additional allowances, but the
sums set apart for this purpose are presumably
not very large as compared with the whole
estate To all practical intents Mr.. Fayer-
weather's munificent plans for the promotion of
human welfare will be completely fulfilled.
It is not unnatural that astOnshment and
anxiety should have been caused by the diScov
ery that the executors under this will had been
made residuary legatees of an estate valued at
several millions more than the specific requests.
Nor is it surprising that the widow should have
been dissatisfied with an income Of $4,000 as
she thought of the sums bestowed upon charity
and education and the enormous residue left
absolutely TO the discretion of three men. Pub
lie curiosity as to their Intentions was not, under
the circumstances, impairment; nor is 1t Singh
lar that, as time went on and the contest grow
warm, without any intimation on the part OF
the executors the. they were actuated by the
same purpose that appeared in the will this
curiosity should have deepcncd into solicltudc.
We intend no disparag cement of Messrs. Ntch,
Buckley and Vaughan when we say that the
recent publication Of the deed of gift dlsposlng
of their entire interest in the estate was great
satisfaction not only to the institutions and in
dividuas directly concerned, but also to the
community in general.
BY the settlement now securely effected this
testamentaly disposition is confirmed as one OF
the most notable in the history OF public bene-
factions. Il distributes a sum which Is not eX-
pectcd to fail short OF five millions of dollars.
The amount devised by the will and that
specifically bestowed by the deed OF gift to-
gether largely exceed $4,000, 900, and it is to
be inferred that the executors expect a hand
some sum to be left for final division among
the institutions which they specify in the in
SUruulenu lately slSHcu W lhVIi an" hI""N pun
lie. How much is now deducted by the agree
ment which benefits the widow and nicCcS they
decline to say but it is 10 be noted that the
other benciicialies of the will promptly agreed
to the settlement. The distinguishing char
acterstic of these splendid gifts to charity and
education. aside from their magnitude, is their
freedom from conditions which would have made
them less valuable requests for specific pur-
poses, especially in the case of colleges, are not
infreouently burdensome, because they create
improvements which they do not sustain.
museum, or an observatory, for example, may
be a most desirable addition to the equipment
of university, but if it has to be wholly or in
part supported from the income OF the general
fund it may also be the means of putting the
trustees to their wits end. MIR. Faycrweathcr's
executors, in this particular, follow his example
and leave their gifts unhampered. Apreference
is expressed that Yale shall use $4,000 for
the erection of building in memory Of the
testator, but they do not make that employment
of the money obligatory.
IL is impossible to estimate the bencficent re-
suits which will follow the distribution of this
great property. 1t will pass into the hands OF
those who have demonstrated their capacity t.
use money wisely for the benefit of humanity.
Mr.. FayerwcatherS philanthropy has received
grateful and due acknowledgment already; the
fidelity of his executors will now be recognized
with corresponding approval and cOmmendatiOn