New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-17
CAN'T HOLD LAND IN CHI Ill
a SURPRISE FOR THE METHODIST MIS-
sIONARY SOCIETY.
AFTER A HEATED DISCUSSION TT rs VOTED TO
ABANDON THE PROPOSED PURCHASE OF
REAL. ESTATE THERE-A THREAT


ABANDON THE PROPOSED PURCHASE OF
REAL. ESTATE THERE-A THREAT
FROM THE PRESENT OWNERS.
The monthly meeting OF the Board OF Managers
of the Missionary Society conhec'eu WIZ" W.
Methodist Episcopal Church, held yesterday "i'e'
noon Mt the Methodist Book Concern Building was
the largest and perhaps the most stormy since ti'o
.oc,etv was formed The large attendance was inc
result OF an announcement that the proposed Pun,
chase of real In Chill to the value OF siOooV
would be considered. This matter mas peeh p'i''N
the Board for some time. and the General Miss'o'
airy Committee having at a former meeu"s IT,
ported favorably upon the proposed purchase "
special committee Of five had been appoNi'e' "
examine the commences OF the title In 'ne mean
while $4,000 had been voted TO pay the h's' III
staiment Of the purchase money and to send out
missionaries or this sum more than $'"" h"u az
ready been spent and it owing 10 ruinoi
that contrary 10 all expectation. the specl" 0o''
,nittee had found the title defective that the meet
ING was attended by almost the full compiemeh' VI
members
As soon az the minutes OF the previous hee''s
had been approved motion was caIrieu " CIV
the Gillian question precedence over All othei ouS
ness and the report OF the special committee was
presented by It's chairman. Judge Enoch i. ra'i-
cher the soclcty's legal adviser
The report a long and exhaustive one. nv
committee had communicated with the Gillian
Minister at Washington anu h"u N0'"''N
of the Constitution Of the Gillian Repuone' AS
rcsuIt Of these Inquiries 1t developed that real
estate in Chill can only be owned by nau'e VI
the country a naturalized citizen or an amen ""o
has become q "habitante." and whose purchase oi
property has been sanctioned by the president oil
the Republic 1t was therefore evident. the report
.,s,ed that the land and buildings purchased oy
the society from the Transit and Building Fund
Society were utterly vaueless. If they completed
the purchase they liable to have all the prop
erty conhscated. and the committee therefore rec
commended that the purchase be not completed
An animated discussion followed. The Rev DIT
King asked why some individual should not he al
lowed to hold the property in his own name. and
himself be responsible TO the society. This was
the course pursued in Japan and also in many OF
the other South American countries. and why
should il he impossible in Chill?
Edward L. Dobbins, VINO a member of the
committee but had refused TO sign the report sup
ported Or. King He could not understand he
said. why such eminent legal authority as Judge
Fancher should have been able TO advise the So
ciety as = way out Of similar difiGqltes in other
judge Fancher replied that the reason SIM
plv that no other country mad the same laws as
Chilli and that Mr.. DOhbins had either not read or
question Law in n nutshell FOREIGNERS could hold
that If the propcrty wore for any purpose unwel-
necessary permission.
Mr.. Fowler who had attended the meeting as
socey sad that The 69ToRfry could be placed d IN
arise lie admitted however. that his society had
attempted TO get bill carried through the Gillian
Legislature. in order 10 allow the property TO be
transferred. and had failed.
James F. Rushing said mat if the purchase were
completed 10 certain that the society ran the
risk Of cOnfscation. In other words the title was
absolutely worthless and invalid. and the pur-
chascrs had attempted TO sell something to which
t boe g oaT Sd lrad S bon Ives r
lessly. and J." strongly in favor of stopping
any furih q waste once.
After some further discussion the committees
port adopted
As soon The result was announced. Mr. Fow-
Ter caused some excitement by rising and giving
notice to the society to vacate the property imme-
diaiely or else stand proceedings for trespass
The report Of the Finance Committee disclosed
another serious difficulty Some time ago land had
been bought at Rome. and contract entered into
for the erection OF buildings 1t appeared that the
contractor had been already paid several thousand
dollars more than had been agreed upon and the
representative of the society AZ Rome had now
sent In a demand for about $4,000 more. The mat
ter was referred TO committee for investigation