The sun., 1908-02-21
FORECLOSE ON YERKES HOUSE
MORTGAGE on TEE ART GALLERY
HAS NOT BEEN PAID.

I
1t Is Presumed That tho Matter VIII
BE Adjusted and Tnat ths Terms OG
the VIII VIII Be Fulnned Eventually.
The Mutual Life Insurance Company has
begun a suit in the Supreme Court to fore
close a mortgage for S22S.OO0 on the Yerxes
art gallery. one OF the two conjOined
houses at Fifth avenue and Sixty-eighth
street. One Of the defendants is the widow
OF Charles T. Yerxes. Mary Adelaide Yerkes
Mizner who married Wilson Miner. a young
fortune hunter from the West. few weeks
after Mr.. Yerkes died. She has since
divorced him.
Joined with Mrs. Yerkes are Charles Z.
Yerkes and wife, Bessie L. Rondinella. the
Central Trust Company. as trustee Of the
estate Of Charles 7. Yerkes. and Louis s.
Owsley Of Chicago. one Of the executors
Of Mr.. Yerkes's will. Mrs. RondinellA and
Charles E. Yerxes are the surviving children
Of Charles T. Yerkes.
The mortgage was made on January rs.
1904. and fell due in 1905 shortly after Mr..
Yerkes's death. but until now no action
in foreclosure had been taken.
Mr.. Yerkes's will. which was drawn q
year after the mortgage was put on the
gallery. left the houses to the widow for
life. with the provision that upon her death.
or before that should she desire to relinquish
her right 10 use the property as a home,
the Central Trust Company should cause
h. ali a. - AaA 81,
maintain and preserve an art gallery on
the premises. The will devised to this
corporation to be so formed the houses
themselves and all the paintings, statuary.
tapestries and other works Of art and pro-
vided a maintenance fund for the galleries.
The will directed that the galleries should
be controlled by five trustees. one Of them
to be the Mayor Of the city and the four
others to be designated by the Metropolitan
Museum.
No definite statement was obtainable
last night from representatives Of the
executors or of the Central Trust Company
OF the course likely &c be taken, but it was
presumed that some adjustment would be
reached under which the terms Of the will
may eventually be carried out.
James McKeen, counsel for the Mutual
Life, said that the company disliked to
foreclose any OF its mortgages, but that
in this case both the mortgage and interest
were long overdue and that a considerable
amount Of taxes was also unpaid.
I'VE agreed to renew the mort gage
II the interest was paid up he said, but
after waiting a long time and getting no
satisfactory response there was no other
course but 70 start the foreclosure pro-
ceedinEs. II the mortgage is fOrscloSed
on the art gallery feel certain that the
estate will make a settlement az soon as
possible TO clear the title TO the gallery
l understand that the estate ia somewhat
embarrassed at the present time, but be-
lieve it is entirely solvent and that it's
finances will soon be Strengthened out. l
understand that it is Mrs. Yerkes's inten-
ton to see that her husbands wishes to
have his house turned into a public art
gallery are carried out
One of the provisions Of Mr.. Ysrkes's
will was the erection Of hospital in The
Bronx to cost about 5000. 900. No steps
have been taken in this direction as yet.
Mr.. Yerkes purchased and rebuilt the
large mansion at Fifth avenue and Sixty
eighth street in 1897 and put into it his COL
lection OF paintings. He took great pains
also in fitting the house with other works
OF art, statuary, tapestries and bric-a-
brac. He also bought the house adjoining
| his in East Sixty-eighth street and made
the two into one. The architect. Robert
II. Robertson, described the first and main
house as costing $500 900, its furnishings
$500 900 more, which with the cost Of the
lot made the total nearly 81 500 900. Mr..
Yerkess paintings at that time were valued
at 81, 100000 and have been greatly added
to since.
As one enters the house the huge wrought
iron portals give on Florentine court Of
pure white marble. which extends to the
roof. The fOor is OF large mosaio pat
terms which are. however. almost com-
pletely covered by gorgeous rugs.
At the right Of the entrance hall is Q
broad staircase, also Of white marble,
lighted by large bronze and iron lamps.
On the western end Of the court is a very
large stained glass window in which yellow
Is tie predominating color, while the other
also Of stained glass. On the western and
southern side are enormous glass screens.
behind which tropical plants are so arranged
as to simulate a conservatory.
The hall IN furnished with marble benches,
tapestries; bronzes and armOr hang upon
the walls and statuary is scattered about
the court. The gallery contains pictures
attributed to Rembrandt. Rubens. Van
Dyke, Benjamin Constant. Raphael. Teniers,
BOuguereau. Jan Van Beers, Detaille.
Daubigny. Jacquet and others.