The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-12-13
SCOTT GIFT SURE
TO Be ACCEPTED
Three Ministers Holly Oppose 1t In
Public Meeting, But Fail To
Impress Committee.

After three hours discussion as t(
the propriety OF accepting the Jim
Scott bequest for fountain on Belle
Isle, before the common council com
mittee on parks and boulevards
Monday night, Attorney John Moion
ey threw mild scare into the moEu
ment advocates by presenting the
claim of Joseph Campau, step-son Of
the eccentric capitalist, for a share
of the old mans estate, with the
prospect of tying the matter up IN
litigation for a year or two.
While the members OF the commit
tee and the executors Of the Will, in
sisted that IL was not the city's affair
to inquire into claim which must
be settled in the courts, lurking
suspicion was left that SCOTS last
joke might not be in providing for a
lifesize statue of himself when many
wished him cut out OF memory, but
in dangling the gift before the eyes
of the public and then letting il be
taken away when the city was about
TO grab 1t. Attorney Moloney said
that Mrs. j. Logan Chapman, who
was present, had witnessed q codlcil,
some time after the date OF the Scott
will, and that that codicil had not
yet come to light.
Opposed to the acceptance were
Rev. Il. II. Pence, the Rev. w. T.
Jaquess and the Rev. j. NJ. Barley,
Presbyterian ministers; NJ. w. Beals,
and Aid. George A. owen.
Mr.. JaQuess insisted that 1t would
be impossible to separate the gift
from the personality OF the donor,
and that it would be unfortunate to
erect a monument which did not rep
resent the highest type of citizenship.
He said that II the money were to
be spent for a hospital, he would be
in favor of accepting 1t.
Judge Hosmer, one Of the execu-
tors of the will, asked him IL this
WAS intended as compromise sug-
gestion.
u 1T does not seem fitting that the
city of Detroit should enter into a
conspiracy to defeat the terms of Jim
SCOTS WILL" said the judge. IF the
citizens do not want the monument.
let them reject It, Ii | have any
thing to do with the erection Of the
fountain and monument, the statue
of Scott shall not be concealed. While
Jim Scott had his vagaries and pecu-
liarities, do not think that he de-
served some OF the language | have
heard regarding him.
NJ. w. Beals then asked IL God
would approve taking the money.
IL will give $40 bill to any man
who will make an affidavit that he
has talked 10 minutes to Jim Scott
without hearing something nasty" he
said.
Don't lie about man because he
is dead said Robert Oakman hotly.
Il left a dinner engagement to come
here and defend Jim Scott because
he put me on the right track when
was a young man"
Oakman, G.. NJ. Burton and several
others said they could claim the $40
offered by Beals.
The Rev. f.. H. Pence declared that
the opponents OF the monuments
were not being fairly used Oakman
took this personally, and said that in
that case, he would leave and see If
they were treated any better.
You are not the only one to wish
to forget the mistakes Of Jim Scott"
said DR.. Pence. 1T Is all right to
say, Don't talk about the dead but
Jim Scott won't stay dead. There Is
a Democratic right of the people TO
choose who shall be honored by the
erection of monument. III the best
man who ever walked our streets
should wish to erect statue to him
self, | would oppose the acceptance
Have we come TO place where a
half million dollars will buy our self.
respect"
The Rev. j. NJ. Barley said that
Detroit was poor in monuments TO
its great men, but that he was oppos.
ed to having a monument TO Scott
when such men as Lewis Cass and
James JOY were not perpetuated in
bronze or marble.
Joseph Greusel called attention To
the fact that the famous fountain al
Versailles was built by a dissolute
monarch, who Is now practically for
gotten, while the monument remains
Conrad Pfeiffer, A. III. Griffith, John
NJ. Donaldson. John Heffren, r. II
-Fyfe, G. NJ. Burton. Charles II. Cul
yer. David f. Heineman and others
declared that there was no reason
for opposing the acceptance of the
gift.
The committee voted to take the
matter under Amusement. IL was de
clared certain that a report favorable
to the acceptance OF the money
will be presented to the council. but
the matter will not be taken up until
next weeks meeting.
|
II Tolstoi wants hardships. WHY
doesn't he remove to Chicago?