The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-16
.CHANLER TO GIVE
ENTIRE. ESTATE
TO UNIVERSITY
Files Files Deed Conveying.
the "Merrie
Mills.
ASSAIL,s WHITE
AND RELATIVES
Remarkable Paper Recorded in
Charlottesville Recites History n
of Strange Case-Number
Of Interesting Ques-
tons Involved in ,s
Conveyance.

t@SAAvSydAlCc. 8
Information was received hero yester, &
day OF a remarkable legal document
which has Just been recorded In tha y
clerks office of Alben,arle county BY 4
John Armstrong Chanler, scion OF tlla ~
Astor family. and one Of the not 55less S
famous Chanlars, widely known In New II
York State and throughout the country. #
The paper in question is a decd convey #
Ing to the University OF Virginia the
estate Of some 400 acres near Gotham, ~
Albemarle county, known as M erris
timattng that the bulk of the entire
property Of Mr.. Calanler. estimate ed H.
considerably more than a million dollars
Will go to the Same institution by will, se
The 'Merrle Mills estate will be held 81
by the university. subject to q life i1l- ii
terest by Mr., Chanler. and then by his q
agent, whom he names. IL s
A sensational feature Of the deed Ii
the preamble thereto. in the course d!
which reference Is made to Stanford M
White, the New York architect. 10, y
killing whom Harry Kendall Thaw ID
now on trial for his life. Mr.. ChanleI
severely criticlzes White. and charget#s
him with having proved false friend
who aided in having Chanler committed
L
l5ler's sensational escape from tho asylum
and his appearances In Virginia. whert
| his sanity was recognized by the scourts1s
occurred in$1 1901 Or 1902. and Is too rc.&F
cent history to require rehearsal IN #de.#s
| tail. It seems that Mr.. Chanler, who iiit
a man Of large wealth, established ~ III.
| fund for tho education Of students Of IA
the fine arts In Paris and another funt Vi.
l for the education Of artists in Rome. 8l III s3
1.-the first case Stanford White was ont "
I OF those lntrusted with the award 8so.
i ,acholarships and Gus dy Il and dis sburse,ss
l3meilt OF tho funds. It also int nterestini
to note that Charles TIartnett nos fre.s f,s
lsuuently mentioned In reports of the
/ rhAw trial as secretary Of the murdered X
architect, was for many years vale tsjmfnlss3 m
i Mr. Chanler, and incurred tho latter:@
| ill-will by his activity IN nsslsting ~ v
/ the removal of Mr. Chanler to Bloc M
Iingdalc. S
Entire Estate.
The deed contains a detailed statement
1 Of the relations between Chan!er and "
his kinsmen, who are mentioned spcciii,s
] caly by name, and states that the ma keisi "
| OF the deed had become estrangad from, q
| them, giving tho reasons for such es-
arrangement and enunerating the reason,
i why he does not propose to distribute (
l any Of his estate among his relatives;
4 Mr. Chanler executes this deed, convey
Ing "Nlerrie Mills to the University q
i Virginia. It was placed on record Al IL
4 charlottesville Thursday before Notary
4 Public Fl. w. Wood. and was duly filed
4 with Clerk Duke. Of Albemarle county
4! An even more interesting phase 81 "
the matter Is the understanding that Mr..
4 $Chunler proposes to convey by will the
4 bulk Of his estate to the University oi
Virginia. He Is reliably said to be pos
4 sessed OF property aggregating nearly
4 Si.500OO0 in value, q large proportio on @o1 Il
which was bequeathed to him by his.
aunt, the lnte Mrs. Delano, who was IA
Miss Astor,
i AS much of Mr.. Chanler,s property -
in the State OF New York, where he was
4 adjudsed insane and committee ap-
pointed to manage his estate, there is
serious question as to whether he could
convey tho same by will. Strange to r
say, hc Is regarded by the law MS not
Of sound mind In New Y York. whereas
hc has been examined and adj,Ised sane
by authorities OF the State OF Virginia. Il
However,. the question of his right to dis
pose Of his property is not an Immediate \
issue, and will be met and adjudicated
when the occasion arises. Another cons
plication VIII be tho authority of the@ @
University of Virginia. u State institl.8
ton, to act rs residunry legatee, ono OF 4
the questions involved In the James will s{
"a contest now pending In the Richmond
courts,
The Deed.
The text of tho deed as filed i'll Char
lottcsvle is as follows
Whereas. John Armstrong Chan-
y, ler, formerly of Gotham. Albemarle 81
county, va, now OF Roanoke Rap
Ids, Halifax county, N. c. has no ss5l
] ono mmediately dependent upon
him;
, utives, male and female. particu- yli
larly said Chanlcr's brothers and 81
: sisters Winthrop Astor5 chanler 81
man, wife Of John jay chapman;
Colonel William Astor chanler. late
1 Congressman from New York City:
>, Lewis Stuyvesant Chanler, NOM IA.
lieutenant -Governor$ OF New York;
Margaret Livingstone Chnnler AS
! drieh, wife Of Riehard Aldriieeh;1
sambiyman u from Dutchess county.
New York, and now sheriff OF t5S
Duchess county, New, York; and
ME- MIfe Of nTTnI Tompie l;mInet s1 have t bssn
: estranged from said Chanler for a si
period Of years: said ,cstra!nge,nent
having been initlaiss SO BY saia 9 Ghan y
arrangement having eliminated In
1907 when said brothers tl ;,,,, and Sis.
tsrs, acting throusi tne tdrs is'fnn,em Mhffn
the false friend Of said Chanler had
said Chanler treacherously liired to-
New York Citygby said White f91r aor II,
the specific purpose or having SAID
Chnnler incarcaratedI for life iui#A
3"Bloomingdale," al OF which Is
more fully set forth In said Chan
lers 5OO-page book, -Four Years
!. Behind the Bars Of B!oomiig-
! dale or The Bankruptcy or Law
in New York. for sale at all book
\ sellers. for the double purpose Of
: Obtaining, first, control over SAID KS
: Chambers piropeerty,; and, second.
g t, upon said Chaner's demisn;8Ss
l. whereupon said hr0thers and sin-{$Ss
ters, acting through the iAstyums1- Gf