Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-08
To Come Before Supreme
Court, in January.
CO. Cony, Augusta, HasS125O,
Old Reed School Fund.
Wants the Court to Advise Him as
To Its Disposal.

A bill in equity, Charles o. Cony,
trustee, vs.. Sarah Beal, ct ais, heirs
of George Reed, late of Augusta, has
been filed in the supreme judicial
court in equity, and hearing on the
same will be held on the first Tuesday
in January, 1914, before Associate JUS
tice Albert M. Spear, at the Court
house in Augusta. Aside from it's
local interest, this case will possess
large amount of general interest,
inasmuch as no similar case has ever
been heard by the supreme judicial
court of the State of Maine.
In the year 1880, one George Reed.
living on the River road, so-called, on
the west side of the Kennebec river,
about four miles from the city proper,
executed and delivered trust deed to
Luther Reed. John Brinkman, Will
lam Briggs, Lemuel Woodward, Bart
lett Lancaster, William M. Saunders
and Elkenah Miller, conveying a GER
tain parcel or lot of land upon which
the said George Reed had built
Sehoolhouse.
The property was decided to these
trustees and their successors, forever,
for the purposes of a school for the
use and benefit of the children be-
longing to such families as might, for
the time being, reside within the linn
its of a district which he described in
the deed of trust.
The trustees mentioned were au-
thorized to manage the school and to
hold meetings, elect successors, fill
any vacancies, and choose instructors
of the school. On or about the same
time the same George Reed who de-
livered the property endowed the
school by delivering to the trustees
above mentioned $500 in cash or it's
equivalent, the income of which was
to be used in the maintenance of the
school.
These trustees and their successors
established and maintained, in the
district above mentioned, a school,
and after the school was in operation
the trustees, in 1884, went before the
Legislature, and by a special act were
created and made a body polite, in
order to more efficiently carry out
the purposes of the trust.
During the lifetime of George Reed,
who died, in 1913, the trustees and
their successors in office conducted in
the district a school a portion of the
time for each year until the year
1885, when the city of Augusta estab-
lished, near the said school, dis
trict of ample school facilities which
accommodated the children OF the said
district, whereupon the trustees dis
continued the school under said trust,
and no school has been maintained by
them since that time, and no meetings
of the trustees held All of the trus-
tees have long since died, except
Charles O. Cony, the plaintiff in the
case.
In the bill in equity filed in court
the plaintiff SAYS, as sole surviving
trustee. that he has conserved, and
nrotected and invested the funds left
by George Reed for the maintenance
of the school, until it has accumulated
to, and he has in his possession ap-
proximately $3.50. He asks the court
to relieve him of the trust, ana also
asks to be instructed as to what dis
position he shall make of the money.
Thomas Leight is counsel for the
plaintiff, and Frank l. Dutton Tor the
defendant heirs. The question IN
volved is what disposition the court
can make in equity of this personal
property and real estate
The little old schoolhouse in cues
ton, known as the Reed school, is
still standing, and is located on the
West River road. a short distance
above the residence of Charles o.
Cony. who has during all the years
since the building was erected Kept
it in repair.