Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-05-02
SAILORS SNUG HARBOR.
ITS PROPERTY HAS GROWN FRO $4,000 TO SOMETHING
s1oooooooo.

grown to something like $l00oOO0,oou,
with no apparent prospect OIL the
growth being checked, is the story OF
the Sailors snug harbor in Staten
Island. The institution is so rich that
for % years some of New York's most
|astute financiers and business giants
have been put to it to devise ways and
means to expend its income. They
have been forced at least to admit de-
feat. This admission is contained in
a suit which the trustees of the Sail
ors' snug harbor on Staten Island have
lust instituted against the attorney
general. 1t is a friendly suit and its
purpose is to have the courts indicate
way. if one there be, by which the
trustees may bring the institution 5
vast holdings within the control OF
modern necessity and equitable ad-
ministration. The progress OF TINS
action will hold the keen interest OF
both the American and English bars.
Its effect will be far reaching. Inc
case is bound to become milestone IN
civil Jurisprudence, perhaps its own
precedent; perhaps the predicate of a
new rule in the limitation of trusts.
The city of New York is vitality in
trested in the outcome of this SUIT.
For years the development OF one OIL
her richest districts has been arrested
The inability of Robert Richard RAN
dalrs trustees TO improve the prop
erty which he bequeathed as foun-
dation of the Sailors snug harbor has
contributed to the problem OF eonges-
ton by driving business to rear its
houses and halls in zones already
teeming. Adjoining and abutting
lands have been deprecated in value
and a great wrong. born of righteous
ness. has held progress in its tolls,
II is inconeeivable that the law will
fail of relief that it will find itself
incapable of dealing with the legal
Frankenstein created by hands and
brains cold in the sod these hundred
years, but which in their quickness de-
vised with a surprising cunning.
This Frankenstein was brought into
being ON an afternoon toward the END
of June. 1901 Alexander Hamilton
might have been seen drawing rein in
front of fine brick mansion standing
in the fields which then marked the
northern limit of Broadway and about
100 Yards to the westward of the pres
emf site of Grace church in Tenth
street. The place was well known TO
him. He had once owned part or
those fields in partnership with John
jay and Isaac Roosevelt. The man
sion, too, was familiar. 1t had been
built by the last British governor of
New York, Lieut.. Gov. Elliott, son
of Sir Gilbert Elliott, lord chief JUS
tice of Scotland, and from its door
the earl of Cathcart had led forth one
of the Elliott daughters a countess.
Since 1890 it had been the home of
prominent merchant of the city named
Robert Richard Randall.
Randall was dying. He had main-
tanned a lifelong prejudice against
lawyers, but with only few hours left
to him he had sent for one of the de-
tested quill drivers TO draw his will.
If Randall could have lived the work
that Hamilton did for him that June
day must have changed his opinion of
the profession
The merchant had little to bequeath
as fortunes go nowadays. He gave
to each of "the legitimate children of
his brother, Paul r. Randall, then an
exile in France, as an absconding
debtor, an annuity of 6 40 until they
were Is years old and $1,000 upon
their attaining the age of 21; to any
Legitimate" daughters of Paul, 1000
each; to Betsy Hart, his housekeeper.
a life annuity of Gao and his gold
sleeve buttons: to Adam Shields, his
overseer, 6 40 and his gold watch. and
to Gavin Irwin, servant, e 20. and
| his shoe buckles. Having made these
dispositions, it is reported that RAN
dali paused in doubt as to what to do
with the remainder of his estate and
! that. seeking to aid him, Hamilton
asked how the fortune had been ac-
eumulated.
1T was made by my father, and at
his death / became his heir" an
swered Randall.
| And how did he acquire ito.
| "By honest privateering," said the
dying man with challenge in his
tone
| "Then it would be well applied if
devoted to the relief of unfortunate
and disabled seamen," suggested Ham
ilton.
| All of which is romantic in keeping
with the magic outgrowth of Robert
Richard Randalls wilI but it does not
jibe with what one is compelled to
accept as the facts of the case. Alex
ander Hamilton, having been counsel
to the merchants sister, Catharine
Randall, must have known through
| that relation. II not by public repute,
| that her father, Capt. Thomas Ram
DALI had amassed by privateering the
property which he had bequeathed to
her and Robert Richard. So it would
seem that it was not due to a chance
suggestion on Hamiltons part, but
rather to a carefully planned purpose
that Randall founded the Sailors snug
harbor which was destined to become
one of the few great landed properties
of Manhattan island.
| Neither testator nor counsel in
their widest dreams could have con-
| ceived that the few thousands of dol l.
| lars worth of lands and stocks which
formed the estate would be in 100
years a mountain of riches beyond
control. All told the Randall prop
ertv &c hanna thad wac worth x4h 600