New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-02
HAMMOND WILL GIVES
ART MUSEUM 100000
Typewriter Co. Stock Also Re-
verts to Metropolitan Upon
Death of His Executors.
ADJUDGED INSANE IN 1907
Relatives Declared Him Incom
petent, but After Nine Months
in Asylum Sheriff's Jury
Released Him.

Ey the will of James Bartlett Ham
mond. the eccentric typewriter manu-
f.cturer. who died at St Augustine, Fla,
METROPOLITAN Museum of Art will receive
nearly S0)0.coO Mr.. Hammond was for
many years a warm friend of the mu-
scum and was member OF il at the time
Of his death.
M of MIR. Hammond's estate, with the
exception of his stock in the Hammond
typewriter Company, is left to the NIL
scum absolutely by the will and the
stock will revert to II in the course of
time. The clause of the will relating 10
the typewriter stock reads:
All the stock in the Hammond Type
writer Company Of which ! shall die pos
sessed / give 10 my executors i'm trust.
nevertheless To hold said stock and COL
lcct the income thereon and pay the in
come sami-annually 10 the metropolitan
MUSEUM of Art, in New York City: such
folding in trust to continue during the
lifetime of my executor. Neal ID. Becker
hereinafter namcd). and also during the
lifetime Of the person VINO shall be Rresl,.
Company, OF New York City. at the time
Of nv decease. AT the death OF the long
est lived OF said two persons I direct that
said stock snail DeJODE absolutely 10 SdAu
Metropolitan Museum OF Art.
Neal D. Becker. of the law firm Of
Kelley & Becker. No. 90 Wall street. and
the Farmers Loan and Trust Company
are named as executors. Mr.. Becker
was for years close friend and per-
sonal counsel Of Mr.. Hammond and is
director in the Hammond Typewriter
Company.
The will was drawn on August 90. 1912,
IN this city. the witnesses being Mr..
Becker. Patrick Keogh. of No. 5l7 East
18th street and c. S. Hammond, of
Orange. y. j. II will be offered for pro-
hate early this week in New York Coun-
" according 10 Charles Z. Kelley, Of
Kelley & Becker.
Though the two brothers and three sis
tiers Of Mr.. Hammond are presumably
ignorant of the contents of the will, it
was rumored ut the time of Mr.. Ham,
mond S death that a contest on their part
was likely. In 1907 one of the brothers
had the inventor arrested as insane and
caused his commitment 10 sanitarium
for nine months. At the end of that
time a sheriff's jury found him in full
possession of his faculties and he was re-
leased His relatives declared that he
had given away a large part Of his for
tune and was incompetent to manage
his affairs
year later Mr.. Hammond. believing
that he was on the point Of death, gave
the directors Of his company $40 shares
Of its capital stock. with instructions that
Il be distributed among themselves and
ms employees when he died. He recov-
cred from his illness and returned from
Europe 10 find that the shares had been
already distributed. according 70 the
testimony in the suit he brought TO re-
cover them.
The evidence given at that time showed
that the shares had a market value Of
Ytr and Mr. HammonG's income from
them was said to be $4,000 year. The
court decided the case in his favor.
Nj Hammond left no immediate fam
ny All his brothers and sisters live out
side the state and it will consequently be
necessary TO serve the citation on them
by publication. Six weeks Is allowed
them in which TO answer