The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-01-19
COGSWELL COLLEGE.
The Aged Philanthropist Re.
claims the Building.
He Alleges That the Trustees Fave Broken
Their Obligation-M CogsweP5
Serious Deafness.

The renowned philanthropist, Henry d.
Cogswel is anxious 10 reclaim the Poly
technical College which he gave the city in
1887.
He filed a complaint in the Superior Court
yesterday, asking for judgment, declaring
among other things, ~ that the deed giving
the college, in trust to the city be declared
void and of no effect; that said trust deed
has failed that it is impractcable and im-
possible Of execution; that said property
revert to plaintiffs; that said Trustees, de-
PENDANTS, execute q good and sufficient deed
reconveying said property to plaintiff; that
said deed Of trust be declared void as TO the
plaintiff, Caroline Z. COgS well. and for an
order restraining the defendants from leasing
or otherwise dispOsing of any Of the prop
erty named in said trust and pending the
hearing Of the case, and for such other or
different relief as to the court seems just
aud proper"
JOINED WITH HER HUSBAND.
Mrs CogsWeu is joined with her nus
band in this complaint, which is made
against the Board Of Trustees Of the Cogs-
we'll PolytechnlcaI Colege-Moses Hop
kns, Charles 3. Stone, James Spier George
W. Gibbs and Thomas b. Bishop. The
Cogsvells declare that they are husband
and wife and that they gave the defendants
a trust deed for the college, desiring to pro-
mote the public welfare 10y founding, en-
downing and having maintained in the city
and county Of San Francisco polytechnical
college for the purpose Of giving the boys
and girls Cf the St,te Of California a prac-
teal training in the mechanical arts and
Ctner industries.
The Trustees were to receive grants Of
money and VrOpertv for the school; TO APP
point a resident, Vice President, teachers
and other employees Of the college; TO fix aud
pay the salaries Of all employees; TO use the
rents and profits Of the trust, but no part OF
tie principal. in the execution Of their
trust; 20 prohibit ali seCtdTian instruction
in the college, but students shall be trained
10 be upright neral men and women; and
IN their discretion to establish an annual
course Of free lectures, To be called The
Cogswell Free Lectures, upon scientific
ana popular subjects, for the benefit OF the
students Of the college and Tie pu0lc gen.
orally.
DIR. Cogswen was to fill every vacancy
existing in the Board Of Trustees, and no
property granted to the college was TO be
sold without the gTant0TS consent Then
the C0gswels appointed certain teachers
for the college and stipulated that they
should be paid certain salaries and should
hold Office during life. The trust was &C.
cepted by the defendants. The college was
continued fer one year. when the teachers
were discharged and the doors were closed,
and on July %. 1889, the Institution was
turned over to the Board of Education in
violation Of the objects and purposes Of the
Trustees.
MRS. COGSWELL DID NOT HEAR WELL.
The C0gsweIls claim that the property
should be returned to them because IL is i'm
possible TO execute the trust as designed
and the Trustees have no right to lease the
building TO the Board Of Education, and
there is another reason why the CogsweIls
would reclaim the property They aNege
that all Of said property conveyed by said
trust deed Is and was community property;
that when She, Caroline +. CogSweN.
signed that deed she did not know the full
meaning and effect Of it; that her hearing
is imperfect and she did not we'll hear and
understand the deed when 1t was read to
her; that tleie was no one present 10 adj
wise her as 10 the contents Of said deed or
as 10 It's meaning and effect, ard that she
was called into a room ". th Notary Pub
lie. Mr.. James King, and that the deed was
read to her, but that she did not understand
the same To be a trust deed that she never
had independent counsel 20 advise her in
relation 10 the matter, and that if she had
understood the full meaning and effect Of
tie said deed az tie time she signed il she
would not have signed It.