New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-11
TO MAKE HIS HOME ABROAD.
JAMES A. II. BELL WILL SAIL FUN
EUROPE SOON.
,,,, mr. .,,r,rr,1. HOME, IN sANDs-sT' TO BE DIS
,,os,,n or-urRAr. DECORATIONS AND OTHER
ApoRNMENTs OF GREAT COST IN i''''
uorsE-HIs BOOKS GIVEN TO THE
,uooxtyN LIBRARY.

,,xrxrs OF GREAT COST IN THE
uorsE-HIs BOOKS GIVEN TO THE
pRooKLYN LIBRARY
prook,vn will soon lose one OF her ''o' ns,,
or,v and interesting residents. James ~ ,ar
( ond The handsome house when mas 'e.. a.,
,. .or,,ry and in which he has hVeu INC
ufe OF n recuse for many years VIII ~ o., :,
ohu,.v ba torn down or be conver'eo INV "
"o'','' a - q n,ace OF business. II stanns
'o"e"'e .o,. rom the busy thoroughfare, Ak
~ 4, sonds-st Past its upper stories ru'''''e
| -, 80, on tho elevated railroad. and only
-. as,,nce awav the trolley-cars on 'he''
! -. .oross tho river keep up constant cia"eo'
-. .,o,r warning gongs. Probably le" Peop'e
vho nass the Bell house on their wa!
cord.s. ever notice the building "hic" san"
h.tween two large business struc'ueS' %
Womb shrink away from the gaze Oh '"e P'
crowd There t. nothing in the ou'""u f
pearance which in some of the o'u'' ,,
districts would attract attention II ~ p
,,reo.storv and basement structure win Dro""-
s,ono trimmings ami II seems TO appfcc'a'c '"'
I, &c a stranded relic of the days when "a'iu'
was one of the most fashionable thorous"'"''
in Brooklyn. ,,.,,
Rut this house. moro than other houses
t., ,,,,s evolving city are frequently seen over
tal.a ~
hos an attraction to those who have had the
Measure of meeting its owner ana occup'"''
md Of being conducted by him on a tour OF the
o,o,,, o,d.rash,oned rooms Marble pillars,
,n,aid floors. handsomely and elaborateN 9res.
Good walls upon which foreign artists worked
tr civ wears are tie evidences of FORMER
grandeur These frescoes and pillars ana hoo'S
renresent all that is left Of an establishment
rbch was fitted up with an utter disregard VI
coet and which at one time had no equai III
prook,vn. OF many articles Of vertu with "h'c"
q was furnished il has been dlsmah''eo O's'''
paintings rare bric-a-brac. valuaple s'H'u' -
an immense organ, the rich fttlhss VI O"''
lie chapel not to speak OF conslnerapie LUZ"
ture-of all these tie house has been strlPpeu'
MANY NJ these things have been presented ~
tho Rrooklyn Institute. and others nave oeei
generously given TO personal friends.
And this list does not mention the most NaIueu
and valuable of all Mr.. Bells POSSESSIONS "n'o"
was the most interesting of the contents Vi '''''
renarkable house in Sands-st. This was ms
library of 1O425 volumes. which occupied 'he
whole Of the upper floor. 1t was given by us
our.r - the Brooklyn Library. and when the
collection which now occupies suite OF rooms
all ny itself. was opened to the public some
.oaLs AGO Il attracted considerable attention
A. that time II was described in The Tribune
Nothing FOR EXECUTORS TO WRANGLE
OVER
Mr.. Bell is now getting well along in the ,"'-
u,h, of life and he feels that the time mas
Gonna when he should make preparation 10 ais
nose of his possessions With this In view early
IN IN. summer the treasures Of the lower part
y, tho bouse were given TO the Brooklyn lnsu-
tute The library was given to the BROOKLYN
| Library To make the gift quite compete u'e
entire furnishings OF Mr.. Belis library 'ha' H.
| of the entire upper foOr Of the house WIN one
or two small exceptions, were given VIII" TIC
hook collection. The tables, chairs and cases an
old ia shioned clock a marble bust or MIS- bei''
even the carpets, We're taken from the roon'S'
But the frcscos on the walls still remain anu
M Roll having brough; into use a few simple
nieces of furniture still uses his library as
uv,ne-room until such time he shall leave
the house forever He believes that he mas hau
the full enjoyment Of life, Of his books and
,o,uorv and paintings In order that there
may be no possible slip through the mistakes OF
executors the old man has decided thus TO turn
over while he lives his possessions TO the III
stitutiops where they will do the most good
And now as a last step. in order that ne may
be hampered IN the last years or his lie WITH as
little real estate and as few chatteis a. pos-
sible for executors 10 wrangle over, MI beii 10
going to sell his house in Sands-st. Or COURSE II
will almost have to be given away SO iar as re-
covering anything like the money that was ex-
pended on it's construction and decoration pu'
the owners chief desire is to get the property
off his hands When this is done and 1t Is
not likely that the property will be long IN the
market Mr. Bell will shake the dust OF Brook
lyn from his feet, probably never to return
"You NAV say that l shall sail for Europe
Trib last week
In London. perhaps in Paris the aged
scholar and traveller Will settle down 10 spend
quietly the res. OF his life
In either case the surroundings Will not be
strange. Mr.. Bell has been an extensive travel
Ter His inheritance from his uncle, John Is.
Graham. OF such magnitude that ne couiu
crafty his every desire for research and traVel.
The books in his library were literally gathered
in ALI quarters OF the world. II was a special
fancy OF this book lover to read and study the
worlds masterpieces on the ground where they
were written. Don QuixOte' was read IN spain.
and Goethe Leasing and Schiller were studied
in Germany He has lived in all the principal
cities OF the world. and has become thoroughly
acquainted with them
HE WAS A COsMOPOLITAN.
In enitc Of the fact that Mr.. Bells principal
possessions have been in his Sands-st. house, he
saws that Re has never been citizen or BROOK
lyn-has never had vote here Inc greater
part OF his summers. when he was In the United
States were spent at his island home. Off the
shores Of Connecticut. This property has re-
Gently been disposed Of. In early life he was
constant wanderer. many long voyages being
taken In his own yacht. lie prdes himself upon
being a cosmopolitan.
Mr. Bell although in his way of the most
scholarly men in Brooklyn, and the possessor or
a house which might well have commanded pub
lie attention, has been little known. When the
announcement was made of his gift TO the
Brooklyn Library IL was frequently asked.
who is James a. II. Bell"' This lack OF fame
has been in accordance with his own desire.
He has never cared for society and for many
years past has lived his life among his books. II