New-York tribune., 1901-07-07
CAN TAKE ROGERS MONEY.
NO LAW TO PREVENT MUSEUMS AC-
CEPTANCE OF BEQUEsT.
GENERAL DI CE5NoLA SAYS 1T WILL BE
TUITION NEEDS LARGER STAFF.

Information that Jacob S. Rogers, the loco
motive builder of Paterson N. j., had be-
queathed a fortune estimated at about SS,OOO,OOO
to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in this
city has both surprised and delighted his friends
Of the institution. Although Mr.. Rogers had
occupied rooms at the Union League for years.
he was not well known to many of the members
there. He was inclined to be taciturn, and his
deafness made him more unsocial. No who
met him at the club had a suspicion that he
contemplated leaving his money for the promo
ton of art. When Mr. Rogers died last Tues
day az the Union League, it was not supposed
by his acquaintances that his fortune
large TO enable him to leave millions to any
institution.
When General Louis P hi Cesnola the di-
rector of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, read
in The Tribune yesterday morning the account
of Mr.. Rogers's bequest to the institution. he
was perhaps the most astonished and pleased
man in New-York. He had known Mr. Rogers
as a member of the museum, and had answered
many questions propounded by Mr.. Rogers re-
garding the affairs of the institution but he had
not dreamed that such a legacy would come
from the locomotive builder
Until 1 read about the will in the newspaper
this morning had no thought of such magnifi-
cent bequest from Mr.. Rogers" General Di
Cesnola said to a Tribune reporter yesterday.
L had known Mr. Rogers long time, too and
had talked with him about the museum many
times. He had been a member since 1888 pay
ing SO year. He came to see me often and
asked many questions about the museum but
generally about the financial affairs did not
think he was man particularly interested in
art. He did not seem TO much for the
paintings. All his inquiries were about the ad-
ministration and financial needs of the museum.
L thought he seemed to be getting the worth
Of his membership fee in information. I had
no idea he was so rich or would have been more
diplomatic in answering his questions About
1882, L think it was, he asked me for a copy of
our charter. l gave to him a copy of our old
charter, and he probably was thinking then
about leaving his money to the museum.
NO LAW IN THE WAY OF RECEIVING IT
Il notice by the report of his will that he
speaks of leaving his money to other institu-
tions in case the museum is able to receive
it, He had in mind the old charter, and prob
ably did not know later of the amendment that
was passed in 1893. Another man, a New
Yorker OF great wealth. whose name 1 cannot
divulge now, talked with me some years ago
about the old charter, and said he did not be
lieve it would permit the museum to receive
requests of land or money for endowment pur-
poses He said he had in mind making a large
bequest to the museum. including mary fine
paintings and several arceis cf land Il me
city. but he would not make such provision
in his win until there was a change in the
charter to authorize the acceptance OF such be
quests by the museum. talked with Joseph
Fl. Choate. our present Ambassador to the Court
of St. James, who is a member of the law
mittee Of the museum. and he said he would
have amendment to the charter passed The
amendment to the charter passed on March
4, 1S9S'
General Di Cesnola took up a copy Of the
charter and pointed out the amendment, which
reads follows:
Said corporation may take an; and hold by beauest
any purpose comprised in the objects of the cor
poration, any real or personal property necessary
or proper for the purposes of It's Incorporation
Under that amendment" General di Cesnola
said. the museum can receive Mr. Rogers's
millions and anything else that may come along
The other institutions mentioned in the will need
not hope that the museum will not be able to
ceve the bequest."
do you expect that the museum will get the
Rogers millions without contest?" was asked
NO FEAR FROM CONTEST
ooh. have no information on that point"
was the reply. II suppose some lawyers will
want to get something out of the estate. There
may be contest Of course. but Mr.. Rogers
left no direct heirs it would seem If the
museum might get the money left to 1t by Mr..
Rogers. Mr.. Choate. Elihu Root and Robert w.
De Forest are the members of our law COM
mittee. 1 would not advise the trustees to spend
money in pressing the claims of the museum, for
l have doubt that the legal rights OF the
museum will be looked after properly"
What will be made of the Rogers millions
if the museum receives the bequest?"
The morey Will be used as an endowment
fund, and / think II would be a good plan to
have it invested in city bonds. The interest
could be used to great advantage in increasing
the staff of the museum and buying works
Of art No money is needed for buildings. The
city provided all the buildings needed. What we
need Immediately is a larger staff. We have only
three curators. There should be seven or eight
all men Of weight ard authority in art matters
There should be more money for the annual
maintenance Of the museum. We need better
catalogues. The property of the museum has
been increasing in value enormously.
Twenty three years ago the value OF the ex-
a debt of 100000. Now there is debt, and
the collections in the museum worth SIP
O00Oo0 We ought to be able to spend more
for new works Of art. We have had to cut our
of the annual income of the museum has to go
for maintenance each year 1t is costing
S139 90 a year to the museum. The
city gives 500. 900 OF that sum- in addition to
the buildings, and the trustees have to use
S44,O 900 of the museums income to pay the bal
ance OF the expense. The museum receives
500 900 a year in membership fees. The rest
of the income is made up from special gifts in
comes from various funds and occasional con-
tributions. The present endowment fund, made
up Of various gifts amounts to less than
S7G0 900. The museum has received various be-
to the maintenance OF certain collections the
purchase of additions to those collections"
Has there been any beIuest comparable
with the Rogers bequest?"
THE LARGEST BEQUEsT.
Certainly not, when the amount of the be-