New-York tribune., 1908-05-17
CLAIMS FAMOUS MODEL
ORIGINAL OF AMERICA.
William IrUang Says Captain Ed
scards Has Only a Copy.

Although Captain Charles Edwards. of Toledo,
came forward time ago saying that he pos
sessed the original model of the cup winning yacht
America, William Irving. of the Irving Manufact-
urins Company Staten Island. told a Tribune re-
porter last night that he himself had the only orig
lnal model. and that all others were copies
captain Edwards said some days ago that he
would not give his original" to the New York
,acht Club because of what he considered was
'lat podys unfair treatment of Sir Thomas Upton.
Last night Mr.. Irving said: I'D rather give it to
sir Thomas than to have the New York Yacht
Club own it, In fact, the last time Sir Thomas
AApton was in this country wanted to make him
present OF this model but my wife dissuaded me
because 1t had been in the family long
MT irving said that the model was formerly
owned by his father-n-law. the late Joseph H.
Nelson, and that Mr. Nelson received it from A
man engaged i'll the managing of a famous actress
MT irving gave the mans on a promise that
II would not be published without the latters con-
sent.
Ih1s theatrical man said Mr.. Irving was a
boy back in the 70s when George Steers designer
OF the America cleared out the model loft OF his
yard in India street Greenpoint. The boy was
employed there a helper and one day Edward
Cullen. superintendent. said Mr. Steers wanted all
tne ola models taken out and burned The boy and
cullen. however. disregarded orders so far as to
nice nve models and secretly take them from the
place The America and another went to the boy
MI irving then read letter written by the the
a1rlcaI man TO Mr. Nelson several years ago in
"hch he said he had found in a chest the model Of
me america, wrapped In muslin and oiled paper
and bearing the label, Model of America
cullen told him. he said, that Mr.. Steers had a
hard wood copy Of the model and that may have
accounted for his willingness destroy the orig
lnal In this letter theatrical man said he was
wiling to make affidavit to these statements. since
out OF friendship TO Mr.. Nelson he had given the
model to him valuable relic.
Mr.. lrVings model is in soft pine and has been
hoar J,
pointed out last night the pencil marks of measure
Ihent that showed through the varnish and also
the holes punched in the deck for peggng and sim
liar work of the yacht builders. Mr. Irving In TAX
Ing it down from the dining wall of his home
in Ward avenue, Tompkinsville remarked that it
had hung there FOR years and his friends all knew
of it.
Il would never have thought it necessary to say
anything about it, he explained. If it had not
been for the Toledo mans claim. going to
write to him, but of travelling salesmen is
going to Toledo in few weeks. and will ask
him to drop in Captain, Edwards and find out
Of the facts omitted in the newspaper stories
THE real question is whether the Toledo model is
in hard wood. If il is then it is only copy. since
all the original working models are made of soft
pine. ] have no other reason in making this known
than to settle the matter. since / want TO give
this to a good sportsman, like Upton, or bequeath
il a museum
In discussing some of the evidence to the
ing said that Captain Edwards had been quoted IN
newspaper dispatches saying New York Snip
builder named William D. Logan had given him
the model in 1853 years after the America won
the cup. '---~-
Now said MIR. Irving. "the time of the burn
ing of the models and the saving of the America s
by my theatrical friend somewhere in the
70's I have never asked him the exact date and
he did not mention it in his letter You will notice
that at that time Cullen, the foreman, who had
worked thirty years for Mr.. Steers, told the boy
Mr.. Steers had copy in hardwood. Therefore it
could not have been Mr.. Steers's copy that was
given to Captain Edwards in 1858.
"Shipbuilders here Staten Island who remem-
Der George Steers say that he avoided giving out
models having them copied l feel absolutely
that this model hanging my wall here is
the original, ] doubly interested to know
how William D Logan got an alleged model or
copy as soon after the great victory 1858.
Since The Tribune published the story of Cap
tain Edwards / have inquired among the older
shipbuilders here and none of them have asked
can recall William D. Logan My wife and
will make affidavts to how We came by
model and, as I have already shown. the theat-
rical man Will stand by his statement At any
rate Captain Edwards and I appear to agree
point and that is don't want the New York
Yacht Club to have the model"