The Washington times., 1910-04-25
Hundred Thousand Dollars
Said TO Be Mysteriously
Missing.
LINCOLN MONUMENT
NEVER CONSTRUCTED
Congressional Inquiry to Be Asked
AS to Disposition of
Funds.

With a view 70 demanding a Con-
gressional investigation OF the WI ere
abouts Of more than 100000 supposed 10
have been subscribed in sums ranging
from 81 10 500 for the erection Of a
Lincoln Monument IN Washington, men
in Washington who hold receipts today
began q canvass TO ascertain the names
OF living contributors 10 the fund. The
movement inaugurated within the past
few months 10 erect a memorial TO
Abraham Lincoln recalled 70 a number
OF the older residents or washington
the fact that they had subscribed 10
a fund for such a purpose about forty
years ago. and that there is evidence
that at least SI00.e53 was collected BY rn
organization known as the National Ii a.
coin Monument Associa-ryu-
one OF these subscribers. Z. L Boo
raem. a clerk ia the War Department,
DISPLAYED today a receipt from the as
sociatl0n for 81 signed by former United
States Treasurer r T. Spinner
! List Of Subscribers Kept
A list Of other subscribers in all pats
OF lhe United States. OF sums as high
as SlGo is preserved In a monthly publ
cation OF the association, copies Of
which were unearthed today.
Notwithstanding the fact that there
are records OF Subscriptions and thsI
other evidence points 10 the fact tha-
these subscriptions amounted 10 SIoo,003,
efforts to ascertain what disposal was
made Of this fund proved futile. Equal
Is mysterious Is the absolute disappear
auCe Of twelve bronze cannon turned
over 70 the association by the war De-
paTtInent- The Elft OF cannon was au-
rhor1Zed hy an act OF Congress OF July
T. $50 and The War rIusut holds
q receipt for item But no one could
oe found who could tell whsre they
were.
Inquiry today az the Riggs Bank and
other financial Institutions IN existence
Al the tine the campaign fOF funds Was
being prosecuted showed that no ae-
count was now 1ueu uitH flle LINCOLN
Monument Association, nor was there
any trace OF deposits made by ar skin
ner VINO was treasurer OF the fund.
Association Incorporated.
The association was Incorporated by
an act OF Congress OF March -. 1851.
and in that act twenty incorrorators
were named These iucorporators were
10 act as Erst trustees and IN the Ian
guage OF the act, these persons shall
have power 70 nh vacancies in their
number and 20 add 10 their number. not
exceeding one representative from each
State
So FAR rs could be ascertained today
the only living member Of the original
board now In Washington IS Senator
Shelby H. Cuilom. Senator CullOm DIS
GAINED any knowledge Of the assOcia-
ton beyond the fact that ne knew OF
its organization
Il know nothing OF the funds" he
said and I don't know who does.
There have been several attempts 70
trace the funds OF the association. but
those Efforts
Want Congress to Investigate
Headed By AIr- Booraem. washington
subscribers who hold certificates show
ing that they contributed 10 the surd,
purpose 20 ascertain how nany living
subscribers 20 the fund can be found
It IS then planned TO bring pressure to
bear on Congress TO investigate the dis
pOsaI Of the money collected
According 10 the subscri bers 70 the
fund. the amount must have reached
SlOO, 900 because Of the gift of the
cannon. The act OF Incorporation pro-
vided that mo metal or cannon shall
be given the association until 100000
shall actually be In the hands Of the
treasurer and no metal thus apprO-
priated shall be actually for the pur-
pose Of casting dgUres herein men
tened"
Two years later in 1870, Congress
authorized the presentation Of twelve
bronze cannon 10 the association, IN
accordance with the original act OF
Incorporation"