New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-24
VICTORY OF THE ALUMNI.
THE LONG FIGHT OVER PROFESSOR
SHIP IN THE GENERAL THEOLOGICAL
sEMINARY-TRUSTEES AND GRAD
YATES TO MEET TO-DAY.

IN. annual meetings Of the trustees of the Cen
.rsl Theological Seminary and OF the Associate
Alumni OF the seminary arc TO be held this morn
Inc AT the seminary buildings At the meeting OF
,he alumni there will be submitted special report
a, the Board OF Trustees Of the association embody-
,rr n history OF the controversy that has been go
ting on for years between the alumni and the trus-
tres OF the seminary regarding tho alumni profess
eorship OF the evidences OF revealed religion and
the fund for its support, and the decision rendered
nv the Appellate Division OF the Supreme Court on
February II last. This decision sustains the con-
,ert,on OF the alumni directs that the fund OF
s5TsS5 be returned 10 the Associate Alumni to-
oeiher with the securities in which 1t may nave
beon invested all accommodations OF interests and
the costs. The decision reflects severely upon the
course pursued by the trustees OF the seminary In
<he,r dealings regarding the fund.
In July 1881 the Alumni Association transferred
fs476s s. 70 the trustees OF the seminary for the
endowment OF the professorshp already mentioned
on conditions that made the professorship tenablc
FOR three years. and required the incumbent to de-
liver lectures for period Of three months each
year the right OF nomination to belong to the
alumni The-trustees OF the seminary accepted the
fund on those conditions and the Rev. DR.. G. w.
Dean tho first lecturer chosen. The trustees
became dissatisfied with the provision by which tho
professor obliged to lecture for only three
months q year, and although the Alumni Associa-
zion never agreed TO change. the trustees In 1883
-
test continued from year year. the alumni maxi
ing a nomination IN accordance with the stipua-
tons OF the agreement. and the trustees refusing
20 act on the nomination and declaring that until
the alumni agreed to their desires they would add
the interest accommodating TO the principal or the
fund In November. 1898, tho association began an
action against tho trustees II. tho Supreme Court o.
Eew-York, and the parties agreed upo1 n
statement OF the facts IN the case TO be submitted
TO the Appellate Division, decision being invoked
~ Ia
Court was composed Of Presiding Justice Van
Brunt and Justices Barrett. Rumsey. 1ngraham and
Mclaughlin In the course of the opinion the Court
said
We at loss TO understand how the detenaa M
spect would receive the sanction OF any Sourr
Honesty and fair dealing require when one person
agreement that he Will do something With IT, that he
10 the one from whom he received H. The funo
offered 70 tho defendant by me aSsocla S. on q.
might receive the fund assened to those cOndi-
lions and agreed TO DO bound by them.
The opinion concludes as follows:
We therefore conclude that when this fund was
offered 20 the defendant trust was created wnlcn
the ss s nnd According 0 to the terms
which II offered. and 10 which ~ aSsen!Su
pecuiar provisions Of tho agreement. ard the fact
that II come. before us on submission this Conrt
perforlnsnce but instesd i; RENTS the parties 10
their original positions by directing hai s fss
End which n received in 1885 together with any
and eli demonstrations OF interest thereon, Juds-
ment to tina. effect should be directed against me
defendant and in favor Of tho plaintiff. with COSTS
On March 2. 1898 Judgment was entered mo
trustees Of NE seminary have appealed tho case 10
the Court Of AppealA where they hope TO secure
reversal Of Judgment. The report emoody1ng all
these facts is signed by the following trustees OF
the Associate Alumni:
FREDERICK B. VAN K1.UECK Chairman
ELIOT WHITE
JOSEPH II. SMITH,
W. NJ. HUGHES
C. n BEY.DEN
q NELSON r. BOSS
J. NE7vBTT sTEELH
ALLAN RICTIEY. Treasureft
JOHN KELLER, Secretary.