Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-10-18
THINKS CRITICISM UNJUST
Major Childs Objects to Statement
Made in The Phoenix.
Editor of Phoenix:


Editor of Phoenix:
Impressed with the conviction that The
| Phoenix would not Intentionally give its
| readers a wrong impression in presenting
| a matter of public interest in which all
of us are agreed in desiring success. nor
willingly lend its columns to unjust
/ criticism or unfair implications in refer
! ring to a townsman or to an honorable
| contemporary, in spirit Of kindly pur-
pose beg to refer to the Hospital article
in The Phoenix of last week in which the
| following appears:
IAN erroneous impression concerning
| the situation in regard to the hospital
was given in the Brattleboro letter in the
! Springfield Republican Sunday when II
was stated that It is reported that some
| defect in the title to the Hall place is
responsible for the delay in the estab-
! lishment of the hospital, and that unfav-
| orable comment is heard because of the
| report that fully years interest on the
| great trust fund was required to satisfy
attorneys fees, which had Impressed the
trustees with the necessity of a more de-
liberate and careful stewardship
| The hospital article to which this state
! ment refers, I respectfully submit was
| neither erroneous nor did It in the least
sense convey an erroneous impression"
| unless facts. as they were understood to
| exist and so believed by not a few, more
/ or less actively interested in this charit-
able scheme, can be said to have been
| erroneous.
The Republican article, let me say.
! though perhaps quite unnecessary, hau
| the approval of those whose judgment.
! candor and good sense The Phoenix or
| any other reputable paper would accept
without question: and from such sources
the facts were obtained in careful and
! unprejudiced interviews.
! The Phoenix article Is made TO say:
| LAS to the counsels fees, It should
be said that the local attorneys who
/ managed the case have not received a
cent for their labors, although one of
} them devoted over half years time ex-
cusively to this case, and he also eX-
/ pended several hundred dollars of his
/ own money for which he has not been
reimbursed All of the bills presented for
/ counsels fees, for court expenses and
everything connected with the estate did
/ not amount to one half Of the accumula-
ton during the litigation. and the first
/ years income under the decree Is abso-
| lutcly free for use. The sum available to-
day is more than ample for all the eX-
penses OF establishing the hospital
There is absolutely no defect in the title
to The IIemlocks' property"
Now this Is inCenously put The i'm
preston which this explanation might
convey would hardly comport with the
! UNDERSTANDING
up to this time counsel fees figure as a
stable claim against the Thompson fund
which will ultimately call for a sum near
" equal to, II not in excess. OF a years
interest In this great fund this being
substantially the Republican statement.
As to the defect in the title The delay
| as now explained. seems 70 have been
| attributable to divorce proceedings In
court. which gave rise TO the report
that there was some defect and for which
there seems little cause for harsh crit
icism. Another statement in The Phoenix
article that IAN of the bills presented
for counsels' fees. for court expenses and
everything connected with the estate did
not amount to one-half of the accumu-
lation during litigation and the first
years income under the decree is abso-
lutely free for us" This. indeed. is
fact, for | presume II to be so. for gen.
eral congratulation; but how does this
effect the statement in the Republican
article that fully a years interest Will
be required to satisfy attorneys fees?
Litigation may have covered a period OF
more than one year. during which time
interest was rapidly accruing until today
this item must amount to no inconsider-
able sum. possibly $4,000. the yearly in
come. according to Phoenix amounting
to about $4,000. hence one years interest
might be used for attorneys fees with
out taking "one-half of the accumula-
ton during litigation
Be that as it may, there should be no
occasion for termination in a cause where
there is unanimous feeling OF thankful
ness and an honest desire to protect this
great fund TO purposes II was most gen
erousIy intended In due time full
statement will be furnished by the guard
ians Of the trust when We shall be better
prepared to pass on the facts. Until then,
at least, let us be charitable
Yours truly.
f w. CHILDS.
Brattleboro. Vt, Oct l6, 1901.