New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-06-06
WAR FOR 1872 FLAG.
CITY HALL JANITOR SUED.
One asa b. Gardner and Mrs
Morehouse Had Rosc OUer.

An isia American flag, e by 20 feet in size, and
bearing signs OF much repair. the of
.erest yesterday in the sth District Municipal
Court where the question OF its possession was
disputed BY Colonel Asa Bird Gardiner for the So
ciety Of the War of 1872, and Mrs. Matilda More
house, who IS said to be colonel of the Washing
ton Continental Guards Mrs. Morehouse was
plninti1 IN action against Martin ]. Reese jan
flor at the City Hall.
At the time that the body OF Hiram Cronk, last
survivor OF the War of 1872 lay state there last
month Mrs. Morehouse brought down the flag to
be hung in the building for the occasion. and
when. at 1890 O'Clock the night after the SER
vices she appeared before Mr.. Reese and asked for
the flag he refused saying that a claim had been
made for it by Asa Bird Gardiner for the Society
of the War Of 1872.
Mrs aIorehouse, gowned in black. with a number
Of patriotic society badges pinned her waist, was
SO stirred by the sight of the flag. which she had
not seen since that memorable night when Ar.
Reese refused ii to her, that Judge Moore was
forced TO interrupt her testimony with the request:
Don't grow eloquent over it,
She testified, with pronounced German accent,
that the flag promised TO her by Captain John
C. Norman five six years ago. II mislaid.
however until few months ago, and it was not
until December 2, 1905. that she received a letter
from the Park Department saying that the flag
had been found and that she might have it by
calling for it. The next day her husband went for
It she said and it not out of her care until
the day Of the Cronk funeral
Were you in Continental uniform that &C.
oasion?' questioned Colonel Gardiner. who. with
Ii Kronscher WAS counsel for Mr.. Reese
IT was"
with epaulettes cooked hat blue coat faced
with buff
81 was
'sBelt?''
s'No"
WHO had commissioned you to dress yourself
I'D a colonelf
captain Norman. He dear old friend OF
mine"
',pid you ever announce to the press or to any
one that you were the adopted daughter OF Mrs'
Rowiey Hiram Cronk's daughter
axe I saw the statement. but L am not re-
eponsihIe for the mistakes of the press"
DR. xorehouse. a practising physician, OF NO. 20-
West zlh-st the plaintiffs husband testihed tha'
he was present when Captain Norman gave tae
Gag to Mrs Morehouse. in December, 1885, on ms
deathbed.
.ryro,, and YOUR husband have been so kind TO me
IN nv Sickness" he quoted Captain Norman %
saving. that give to you my jewels my SWORD
md nv flag You will find it, think. In the FafA
frederck William Richey, an officer OF me Se-
oiety fer the prevention Of Cruelty to An4 1baf
vng 10 rs GrqndE S MaFadd SS Flag su Com
%ne nag agn6 was presented to Captain Norman ana
a nob IN R ~as PAID a2E f fof
there was stipulation that It sh9u Par pe T6e in
on hGG1s yeterons Of the war of 1S2 he de-
0aFsd ITa aa put Bra on G s s was witness
80 defendant. and, after replying. 10 Ques-
w. concsrning the organization ana lncor
ton of the corps OF artillery state OF o15 h
Constituting the Society OF the war Oh A'-2 i-0
save had two flags which were eceustoITneSS
so raise on holidays at the Battery ana Llle ge
g,i.ee in central Park Gradually these nag e.
5acaTna whipped at the ends from USE 60 Sc
4sai General Daily TO my once anu $500 We
S5 70 or5er two new flags. Captain Noril ~
Soeu aeSgnaTed to purchase them in behalf OF I.s
e+erens OF 1872 of which was vlcS-co. mn hook
-rSsH- we've purchased and the one ior NnS o1
rs mt in the custody OF Captain MOI s
lie eteura~Sship terminated IN june 1880 80
sbet he came to and said that ne n S a bat
sorning the duty Of flag raising since 1851 au r.
10 ha5 advanced some money for the las. "a
s-ed 10 be reruunerated and on june ~. Lt; ton
~ei1-ed 500 from the treasurer OF our .Ts
" zion handed over three flags one tIlnch LEX
-rorse for wear some belts pictures ete s1,,.a-
f'The flag was taken from the ONCE 80 u Gov Nh,
johnson on Broadway, to Centra4 PaTk, IT5 no
sesjr m, the Fourth of July, 1885, put cou4o iio
he found after the ceremony. o,.,o,,ars am
made INQUIRIES OF the PARK conn -
so,,15 Get no satisfaction, SO went 10 lne PoaLo
- Ei5srn1en and said we had raised the fags nov
ne thoT,ght the city ought to supply the HaSS: +
.s7ha flags were IN future SO proNIueu " -
city and we had further need 10 use 20 -,
The widow Of Captain Norman was -Ca4 io -
v+a1d and was unable 10 identity as heF
sL9 60 +,,ra ~ the receipt for $780, she sal.
me & I1o,nt had been given him. but for th'
s,,-ersI Of General Dally'not for hlIlseII -. -,
Janftor Reese substantiated the stotS 70 Mra
fr1sai to give UP the flag at the Cl'S NAN ~ ~
mo III SI1Sse reserved his decision ana GOODS
rag,er took possession of the flag unt oeSls 20
Ss renSared He declares it is worth ABOUT s4l 81
while Afrs aIorehouse sets its VaIue at s1OO'