Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-11-22
|HE DEWEY GIFT HOUSE
The Admiral's Secretary Explains
Why 1t Has Been Passed Around
So frequently.
Wanted Whole Family to Experi-
ence the Honor Of Owning
the Home.
People Are Hardly Satisfied With
the Explanation That Alleged
Church Scheme.


Washington, Nov. 22.-Until last eve
ming Admiral Dewey and his family
and their encourage We're unwilling to
make any statement concerning the
matter of the transfer of the gift home.
They refused time and time again even
to see representatives of the press, who
craved an explanation. But last night
Mr.. Crawford, the admiral's official sec
rotary, deigned to explain the matter.
He said it had been the intention of the
admiral from the first to transfer the
property first to his wife and through
her to his son.
The admiral is very grateful to the
American people who gave him this
house. said Mr.. Crawfird, and he
takes such a sentimental view of it
that he wanted the title to the property
TO rest. at least temporarily, in the
name of each member of his family. So
he first made the property over to Mrs.
Dewey as a wedding gift and then she
passed ii as a love Offering TO young
George. What there is in that to criti-
else am unable to see.
Mr. Crawford did not say so, but
some people imagine young George
just to show that he is not to be out
done in this style of sentimental gem
erosity, Will now proceed to deed the
house back 10 his father. and thus ev-
cry one will be happy and the property
VIII al last remain in the name of the
man for whom it was intended by the
donors.
Neither the second transfer of the
property nor Secretary crawford,s ex-
planation thereof appears to have mol
lifted public sentiment.
The prevailing opinion IS that this
second transfer. the one 10 the son, Was
4n after thought, and that ii was
thought OF because of the storm of I'M
dignation reused by the first transfer.
Every paper in the east that reached
Washington condemned the transfer 10
1 Mrs. Dewey as a mistake, to use the
mfldest term. Without exception the
3 prominent men and women of the capt
tai echo that opinion. Many of the
/ adnliral's closest friends say they We're
unwilling TO believe the report till they
\ saw the official record in the real estate
Icolumns of the local papers. = 1t is sim.
4 ply astounding" said one of the gentle
men Who served on the Dewey house
/ committee II never dreamed of such
+ q thing. If any man had told me two
1 weeks ago that this house WAS gong 10
( be passed around in the family like that
1 / should have laughed at him as an i'd
lot
4 Tne Washington papers are fun of let
tiers from indignant people, among
them many subscribers 10 the Dewey
Ifund. one writer suggests that Dewey
lllas gone 10 join Hobson-one kissed
away his fame and the other married
his away. Another proposes that a new
subscription be started for the pur-
,Epose Of buying Dewey a row Of houses,
So that he may make sure Of having
lone to give each member of his family.
.iwtth one left for himself. a third says
she has written Mrs Dewey asking for
1.-The return 81 tine SUBSCRIPTION which
she made to the house fund. These are
samples Of the letters.
al Interesting story concerning the
motSr for the original transfer Is
atloat here, and in the absence of evi,
dence 10 the contrary finds many be-
levers Mrs. Dewey as is we'll known
is devout Catholic. In the same
block in which the Dewey house is sit
uated stands st Matthew's Catholic
church, or rather a part % a church.
The design for this ineompleted edi,
nee is on a grand scale, calling for {
sart al cathedral in the form of Nal
tese cross. with a chapel in each of tn
angles OF the cross. In order 10 fine
room for finishing this ambitious struc
ture according 10 the plans NOR
ground is needed. Three houses in ina
block one of them the Dewey house
yin be wanted in time. 1t is said IN
parish authorities already have an op
tion upon one Of the houses and n
story goes that through Mrs, Dew
they hoped to get another. This add
tiona ground viii not be needed fu
some years. as the parish is unable I
complete the cathedral or church till
sells its old church property a the cor
ner cf Fifteenth and III STREETS, direct
~ across the street from the Shorehar
Hotel. This valuable corner IS held q
$4,000. and when it IS sold there wi
be funds with which u complete Tn
now barely started but Very ambition
edifice on Rhode Island avenue.
According to this report il was tn
| plan to let Mrs. Dewey hold the proper
| " in her name for some time and the
10 pass it over to the church when
| was needed
But the storm of popular indigna
| ton oyer the diversion Of the gift froi
/ the purpose which the donors had
: mind was 50 strong that the admir-
and Mrs Dewey suddenly change
their minds, and resolved upon I'll
= \ IA cor
Whether or not this is the true expls
nation of the remarkable episode
the gift house can not be learned, {
Admiral Dewey refuses to be seen, ar
his secretary, Mr. Crawford, adhere
: vaiiantly to his explanation that II
transfer from husband TO wife ar
from wife to son was a part of II
original plan.
Mr.. Crawford adds that the TRANSIT
from Mrs. Dewey TO son George shou
have been filed a the same time as Il
other, but does not explain the failu
to do So an important omission consi
ering the fact that the transfer HI
7 been in the hands of a local real esta
firm for more than a week.
Nor is it explained why, if it was t
r. original intention to keep the proper
passing around in the family. the fir
A transfer from the admiral was to
- trustee. To each of these transfers
- and there have now been three since t